Mosques in America
Mosques in America are not a new phenomenon; they have been here for generations. Between 1800 and 1914, the first Muslims began arriving in North America. Just as they needed a place to live in a new country, they also needed a place to worship. The first recorded building of a mosque was in 1915 in Maine. In 1919 another mosque was established in Connecticut, and then in 1926 the Polish speaking Tatars built a mosque in Brooklyn, NY. As the once small population of Muslim began to grow, so did the number of their houses of worship. The mosque, also called a masjid, is a place of worship for the followers of Islam. Traditionally, worshippers in the mosque belong to one of two denominations: Sunni or Shia, but all worshippers of Allah are welcome. Mosques in America are not just another kind of church. The mosque is a very important and vibrant part of the Muslim community. Mosques in America and the world over are both houses of worship and places to gather for cultural activities. The expressed purpose of a mosque is to spread the teachings of Islam. To do this, early on a mosque will establish a relationship with the press, speak with local politicians, visit with schools and churches, and engage in interfaith dialogues to introduce Islam to a larger audience. Malcolm X attending his first hajj commented on the hospitality and the diversity of the brotherhood of his faith. In Mosques in America, that diversity can be seen on Friday when the sermons or khutbas are given in Arabic, or English. Mosques in America like mosques worldwide are led by a cleric called an imam. The imam who can be either male or female is the worship leader, the teacher, and the settler of disputes.