CONFERENCE REPORT
Seeking the Prophetic Mosque ISNA convenes its First Annual National Forum on Masjid Development BY IHSAN BAGBY
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merican mosques traditionally have served as a communal focal point, where people gather for prayers, potluck dinners, Eid festivals and send their children to Islamic school. More recently, demographics have changed. Community needs have evolved, and Muslim Americans are feeling more disconnected from their local Islamic centers. ISNA’s decision to make mosque and community development a top priority prompted its Masjid Development Committee to organize the First Annual National Forum on Masjid Development, held at ISNA headquarters Nov. 8-10. The forum brought together more than 70 Muslim leaders representing 37 communities, including leaders of mosques, imams and Muslim activists, to begin the dialogue and work of strengthening and growing American mosques. The committee commissioned a needs assessment of mosques associated with ISNA and North American Islamic Trust (NAIT), and to gauge the views of mosque leaders. The “National Needs Assessment,” authored by Dr. Ihsan Bagby, was published a week before the forum and placed on ISNA’s website. The forum’s top priority is to develop a vision of the Prophetic Masjid — the 10
example set by Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ’alayhi wa sallam) — by a thorough review and understanding of the Quran and Sunnah. A scholarly document that reflects a broad-based consensus, which details the Prophetic Masjid, should be produced by a panel of scholars, and then signed by as many leaders and scholars as possible. Other major priorities are: increasing involvement of attendees; developing a sense of community; connecting people to the mosque and strengthening their attachment to it; getting ethnic, cultural, and economic groups involved; and increasing participation of women and youth. The idea is to emphasize that the mosque is not just for Jumuah prayer. There is a need to instill a sense of ownership, kinship, unity,
commitment, mission and purpose, as well as finding appropriate ways to resolve conflicts, have civilized discussions, and increase volunteers. Many Muslim leaders strongly favored increasing youth activities and programs in mosques, improving the quality of youth programs, and enhancing weekend and fulltime Islamic schools. They also noted that young adults are a different age group than youth and their needs should be brought into the conversation because most “unmosqued” Muslims are among young adults. The forum consisted of five panels. The beginning panels set the framework and foundation for the whole endeavor of masjid development. The first panel, “The Prophetic Masjid,” focused on representing the vision of ISNA is trying to achieve. Imam Abdur Rahman Khan, a member of the Fiqh Council of North America, was the main speaker. His speech was followed by remarks by Tayyibah Taylor, founder and editor of Azizah Magazine, and Sami Catovic, executive director, New Brunswick Islamic Center. Bagby was the main speaker of the second panel, which concentrated on setting the “Agenda for Masjid Development.” He cited the results of the “National Needs Assessment” listing the greatest needs and priorities for mosques. Aisha al-Adawiya of Women of Islam (NY) and Farooq Malik of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston were panelists. The other three panels focused on important aspects of masjid life: “Youth and Young Adults,” the main speaker was Haaris Ahmad of the Muslim Community of Western Suburbs-Detroit; Sarah Sayeed of Women of Islam addressed the issue of “The Women-Friendly Masjid,” while ISNA Secretary General Dr. Iqbal Unus discussed “Issues of Masjid Governance.” The forum’s banquet featured speeches by Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah, executive director of the Fiqh Council of North America, and ISNA President Imam Mohamed Magid.
THE MOSQUE IS NOT JUST FOR JUMUAH PRAYER. THERE IS A NEED TO INSTILL A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, KINSHIP, UNITY, COMMITMENT, MISSION AND PURPOSE, AS WELL AS FINDING APPROPRIATE WAYS TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS, HAVE CIVILIZED DISCUSSIONS, AND INCREASE VOLUNTEERS.
ISLAMIC HORIZONS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014