My Visit To The Islamic Society Of New Tampa’s Open House By Gary Nager For those of us who live in or near New Tampa who aren’t of the Islamic faith, it can be difficult, considering the state of the world these days, to embrace those who are or consider themselves to be Muslims. And, considering that I was living in New York City when the first Islamic mosque, or place of worship, opened there — and the number of people of the Islamic faith who I have known, done business with or utilized as physicians in this community, I was a little embarrassed to admit that I had never stepped foot inside a mosque until February 21, when the Islamic Society of New Tampa, located at 15830 Morris Bridge Rd. (just a little bit north of Cross Creek Blvd.), hosted an Open House at its Daarus Salaam Mosque. Like many of the hundreds of people The Islamic Society of New Tampa hosted an Open House at the Daarus Salaam Mosque on Morris Bridge Rd. on Feb. 21, which who had never visited the New Tampa was attended by hundreds of people who had never visited the New Tampa mosque before. (L.-r.) Safiyyah, Hajera & Sarah mosque before Feb. 21, I found out about helped explain some of the information presented at the Open House to Neighborhood News publisher Gary Nager. the Open House from the ad in our publicainformation that I had never heard before or A Very Special Remembrance I not only attended, but that I sought him tion, although I also received a personal simply misunderstood. invitation to attend from Bilal Saleh, the Bilal introduced me to several people as out to thank him for taking the time to write Despite my embarrassment about my owner of Zaytoun Mediterranean Grill, I walked around the grounds of the mosque. and send me such a beautiful invitation. I know some people...and even some lack of knowledge about the Muslim views which is located less than a mile away. In One of the people I met, a local physician, candidates for president...dislike or distrust fact, Bilal told me that at least 65-70 percent of the faith’s relationship to Judaism and told me we had actually met once before... people of the Muslim faith, but I don’t Christianity, the role of women in Muslim of the people who visited the mosque for shortly after 9-11, when the Islamic Society believe in judging people, especially without society and some of the teachings of the the first time that day, found out about the and leaders of other local churches (as well meeting or getting to know them. All I Qur’an (Koran), the central religious text of as the now-defunct Temple Ohev Shalom Open House from this publication. know is that I felt very welcomed at the Islam, I was at the event to learn more about of Tampa Palms) came together for a joint And, although I already knew some New Tampa mosque and saw beautiful famithe faith, so I read every message board and prayer vigil held at St. Mark the Evangelist of the facts about the Muslim religion prelies who love not only their faith and their even found a group of young ladies who sented on the two dozen or so information Catholic Church. The doctor had handplace of worship, but also the community in boards displayed inside the mosque that day, were more than willing to help teach me written and mailed me a note asking me to which they live and work. things I didn’t know or understand before. there was quite a bit of historical and other attend the event. He was so touched that
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