Q&A SERIES: Part 1 of 3 in STUDENT QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY/IF WE NEED MOSQUES IN THE USA
(See Q&A posts explained HERE)
In class a number of students have asked me about why we need mosques in the USA, whether they should be closed, as some public figures have called for, and how we can understand the role of mosques in the USA. How do those we have spoken with during the course of this project receive these questions? American mosque attendees who answer these questions are often saddened by what they perceive as a betrayal of fundamental American values—that of the freedom of religion and freedom of expression.
One imam (religious leader of a mosque) that I spoke with pointed out that many people who ask why we need mosques in the United States are operating under the false assumption that mosques are new institutions in the USA, and only a product of the current political landscape. In fact, as discussed throughout these blog posts, mosques are not at all new to the United States; early Muslim Americans built mosques as religious and cultural community centers. Mosque history is American history.
For example, Syrian-Lebanese immigrants who settled in the region as participants in the US Homestead Act established the early 19th century mosque in Ross, North Dakota in 1929. Their story illustrates many aspects of American growth and cultural change; the mosque itself fell into disrepair, but was rebuilt in 2005 by descendants of the earlier settlers who viewed it as a significant cultural site. You can read an excerpt of a 1939 interview with one of these early settlers, Mike Abdullah, at the “Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys” website.
Another Midwestern mosque, the “Mother Mosque” in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been featured in past blog posts here (see for example the photographs we’ve posted HERE). The Mother Mosque was completed on February 15, 1934, and served as both a cultural and religious center for the Muslim community of Cedar Rapids in 1971. It was restored in 1990, and now is used as Muslim cultural center.
Mosque community members outside the Mother Mosque in 1934. Reproduced from displays at the Mother Mosque, photographed with permission, 2011.
In interviews a community member associated with this mosque told us an interesting story about one of his early 20th century ancestors, a young immigrant in Iowa. The story illustrates the diversity of American Midwestern history. This young man came from Lebanon in the 1920s, joining several family members who already lived in Iowa. For the sake of the story we can call him “Sam”. When Sam arrived in Cedar Rapids his brothers recommended that he hire himself out to rural farmers for a year, so that he could learn English and earn some money. The idea was that he would then come back with the financial resources and language necessary to start his own business in town. This sounded like a great idea to Sam, so he hired himself out to an American farming family. He was away for a year, living with the family, learning their language, and saving his money. He returned to Cedar Rapids the next year, triumphant and sure that he would put his money and language skills to good use. When Sam greeted his brothers in Cedar Rapids, however, everyone was confused—they couldn’t understand him! He had spent the year learning German as his new American language. The Cedar Rapids mosque community has demonstrated how a mosque can provide an important meeting place for new Americans as they integrate into American society and become productive American citizens.
Early 20th century Mother Mosque community members. Reproduced from displays at the Mother Mosque, photographed with permission, 2011.