MUSLIM COMMUNITY

MUSLIM COMMUNITY. According to a front-page article entitled "Meet Your Muslim Neighbors" in the Telegraph Herald of December 18, 2011 there were one hundred fifty Muslims living in Dubuque. The growing community of Muslims calling Iowa home should not have been a surprise since the Mother Mosque of America is located in Cedar Rapids less than two hours drive to the southwest. (1)

The size of the local community grew with the movement of IBM to Dubuque and the development of its global delivery service center. Prior to this, Dubuque's few Muslims were either doctors or engineers for such employeers as the JOHN DEERE DUBUQUE WORKS. The Muslims met together for prayer in someone's home and often had to travel to Chicago for special food. (2)

Dietary needs were addressed when Syed Raziuddin opened KOHINOOR GROCERS at the corner of 12th and White. The store was open daily from noon until 8:00 p.m., except Fridays when it opened after weekly prayer at the local mosque. It was closed Wednesday. Many of the food items were "halal," specially processed according to Islamic law. (3)

By 2011 the growth of the local Muslim population had led to the creation of the Tri-State Islamic Center whose president was Navaid Ahmed. The six-year old center at 805 Century Drive served as a place for Muslims to gather for prayer, hear readings of the Quran, teach their children Sunday School lessons and visit after services. Plans began in 2010 for the construction of a masjid, a local mosque on Radford Court and eventually the hiring of a full-time imam to lead prayers and guide the center. (4)

Efforts were continuing in 2011 to offer Islamic studies to the community. LORAS COLLEGE offered weekly Quran readings and lessons in Arabic. (5)

In January, 2016 following years of preparation and fundraising, plans for the construction of a mosque were approved with construction planned for the spring. The Tri-State Islamic Center purchased 1.79 acres of land at 4980 Radford Road and raised nearly 70% of the $500,000 needed to construct and furnish a one-level, 4,300-square-foot mosque and school with room for conferences and community events. Construction was planned in two phases. The first included the construction of a prayer hall and parking lot. The second phase involved converting the unfinished basement into meeting space and adding more parking. (6)

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Source:

1. "Meet Your Muslim Neighbors," Telegraph Herald December 18, 2011

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. Barton, Thomas J. "Mosque Plans Invigorate Dubuque Muslims," Telegraph Herald, January 11, 2016, p. 1A