Missouri Mosque reaches out to community

Rasa - Aiming to show the true face of Islam, a Colombia mosque hosted an open day on Sunday, April 26, to dispel misconceptions about the faith through presentations, discussions, and various other activities.

News ID: 2421

Date: 29 April 2015 - 16:38

RNA - "I hope this clears up the unknown and uncertainty about Islam," open house day volunteer and keynote speaker, Tahura Lodhi, was quoted by KOMU 8 on Sunday.

"I think people are scared to ask questions or just know what they have been told on the news.

"This event is to allow people to have conversations and to get to know each other, and break down those barriers."

The Islamic Center of Central Missouri (ICCM), hosted the event and gave visitors a chance to tour the mosque, observe prayer services and attend presentations about Islam.

Also offered were presentations about women in Islam, with the hope of correcting negative stereotypes of Muslim women.

"I think the most common stereotype is that hijab [head scarf] is usually associated with oppression and keeping women separated or covered," Lodhi said.

"In reality, Islam is more about empowerment and about strength."

Welcomed by Muslim organizers, visitors were asked to remove their shoes and enter through the doors of their respective genders.

"We do have two different entrances because prayer is done separately," Lodhi said.

"Prayer is a very physical prayer in Islam. There's a lot of movement including standing and bowing.

"To allow everyone to just focus on their relationship with God, we do separate genders when we pray."

In addition to presentations and prayers services, visitors were offered a chance to try Muslim cuisine and view traditional clothing.

An opportunity was also provided for attendees who wished to have their name written in Arabic by mosque volunteers, or to choose hand drawn henna artwork for hands, something women and girls particularly enjoy.

Built in 1983 to serve a growing Muslim population, the Islamic Center of Central Missouri (ICCM) is deemed the first ever Islamic center in the state of Missouri.

ICCM strives to present an environment catering to a very diverse and dynamic Muslim community composed of indigenous Muslims, international students, and immigrants.

Although there are no official figures, the United States is believed to be home to roughly 6-8 million Muslims.

A survey, published in 2013, found that American Muslims are the most moderate worldwide.

The same survey also showed that US Muslims generally express a strong commitment to their faith and tend not to see an inherent conflict between being devout and living in a modern society.

An earlier Gallup poll found that the majority of Americans Muslims are loyal to their country and optimistic about their future in the United States.

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