Less than a century old, American mosques are undergoing growth and change.

Story by David Pike / Apr. 12, 2002

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Philadelphia's Masjid Bawamuhaiyaddeen, built in 1976 (Fareed H. Nu'Man)

"Whoever built a mosque, God would build for him a similar place in paradise."
—Prophet Muhammad

For years, the mosque in Dearborn, Mich., built in 1938, suffered from overcrowding. More than 5,000 people attended some prayer services.

"Some people prayed on the stairs," says Imam Mohammad, who heads the Dearborn Mosque. "Some of them prayed outside. But God willing, the future will be more comfortable."

It likely will. Though downturns in the economy hindered efforts to expand the building, private donations from worshipers and the community have allowed the Dearborn Mosque to add 25,000 square feet. Scheduled to open this month, the addition will hold a library, a private school, and a social room for weddings and other community events.  

The American mosque is a relatively new architectural form; the first mosque in the country appeared less than a century ago. American Muslims have constructed about 1,200 mosques in the United States, according to "The Mosque in America," a report released in April 2001 by the Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Washington, D.C. Four out of five masjids, or mosques, exist in urban areas. As new mosques are constructed and existing ones expanded, Muslim communities weave themselves into the country's architectural landscape.

Traditional mosques embody faith through several architectural metaphors: Their high minaret towers call the faithful to prayer; enclosed courtyards mimic the layout of the Prophet Mohammed's house in Medina; and mihrabs, or decorative niches, indicate the direction of Mecca. Mosques may also house religious schools, community rooms for weddings and social events, museums, libraries, even apartments.

"Since Sept. 11, mosques have become much more active centers of education and outreach to the wider community," says A. Robert Jaeger, co-director of the nonprofit Partners for Sacred Places, an organization dedicated to the protection of older religious properties. "There has been a great increase in interfaith collaboration as a result."
 

Philadelphia mosque (Fareed H. Nu'Man)

The growth of the Muslim community has also led to a rise in the number of purpose-built mosques in the country. Until about 30 years ago, Muslims without their own mosques worshipped in rooms provided by a local university or sympathetic business, or in rented buildings. Almost 90 percent of mosques founded in the last three decades have been designed as houses of worship, according to the CAIR study.

"Muslim communities with new mosques have the opportunity to avoid the problems that arise from deferred maintenance," Jaeger says. "Religious properties that provide services to members of the community beyond the congregation find greater support for capital repairs."

Such community support enabled the renovation of a historic mosque, the Moslem Temple near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The temple, which opened on Feb. 15, 1934, is generally believed to be the oldest existing purpose-built mosque in North America.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Iowa Muslims lacked a formal place of worship and met instead in libraries, private homes, and other community buildings. As the first mosque in Cedar Rapids—and one of the first in the country—the Mother Mosque served the Muslims for almost 40 years, until a new mosque was built in 1971.

The original building was sold and served subsequent duty as a teen center and a church before it was finally abandoned. Iowa winters took their toll, and the building fell into disrepair. When the site went up for sale again in 1990, the newly formed Islamic Council of Iowa acted quickly to reacquire this symbol of their past.

"For 20 years, this building lost its identity," says Imam Taha Tawil, executive director of the Mother Mosque. "But we got it back."

Now known as the Mother Mosque of America, the small prairie-school building is modest: Its most elaborate architectural features are a dome with the crescent of Islam, vinyl siding, and a canopy over the front steps bearing the name and address of the mosque. Inside, the building holds a prayer hall, library, offices, a kitchen, and an exhibit of prayer rugs, incense, and other Islamic objects.

Workers sought to retain the building's original design while repairing the features in greatest need, such as the roof. By 1992, a storage area was converted into an area for ablutions, new electrical wiring and plumbing were installed, and the building was brought up to code. The Mother Mosque is now listed on both the Iowa State Historical Register and the National Register as an "essential piece of American religious history, which symbolizes tolerance and acceptance of Islam and Muslims in the United States."

Such principles resonate today as Muslims and other religious and social communities seek ways to unite. Mosques, and the ideals they represent, may serve as the link.

"We are trying to bridge the gap between the larger community and the minority of Muslims in the area," Tawil says. "Before you ask your neighbor to know who you are, you have to be with them." .

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