The spiritual side of NYC
New York City is home to a significant Muslim population, and the community is a reflection of the city itself: vibrant, diverse, and colourful. Muslims in New York are South Asian, Middle Eastern, African, East Asian, European, and African-American, all speaking an array of languages and practicing Islam in their own culturally nuanced ways.
Aman Ali and Bassam Tariq, two young South Asian Muslims living in New York City, decided to explore the diversity within New York City’s Muslim community, visiting a different mosque each day during Ramadan – from Malcolm X’s mosque in Harlem to the Bosnian Cultural Centre to the Islamic Center at New York University. Their journey, documented at 30 Mosques in 30 Days, gained an enormous following, with up to 1,500 people visiting the website each day to learn of the previous night’s discoveries. Towards the end of the month, they had reached their goal of 20,000 unique visits to the blog.
When asked what inspired 30 Mosques, Aman noted the project began as a simple personal experiment, since there were so many mosques he and Bassam wanted to explore in the New York area. They were overwhelmed with the unexpected number of responses they received from both Muslims and non-Muslims around the world, writing in to express their desire to pursue a similar experiment in their own cities or communities. What started as an innovative personal adventure soon became a way of connecting people throughout the world.
The two young Muslims wanted the experience to be as natural as possible, despite the subsequent media attention their website received as the month progressed. Ultimately, Aman and Bassam wanted to document what treatment any Muslim would receive walking into a mosque in the city. The overwhelming hospitality they received at each place surprised them both. On Day 28, Aman visited a mosque in the Bronx that had burned down the night before. Despite the tragedy, the congregation was united in their resilience. In his post, Aman wrote:
Bilal [a man in the congregation] brought up one of my favorite sayings from Prophet Muhammad that really captured the mood in the air tonight. That the Muslim community is like a body. When one part of the body is in pain, the entire body is in pain. In other words, when one of us suffers we all feel the pain. But Bilal brought up an interesting point. He said this saying also applies to happiness. When one of us is feeling good, the rest of us should feel the same as well. He told me this was not a time for us to be sad and depressed. Instead, this is a time for us to smile and be thankful that everyone is here to support each other during the end of this blessed month.
On Day 9, Bassam blogged about the Masjid Aqsa, a predominately West African mosque in his neighbourhood. He told me how a man insisted he stay after his prayers to eat, making sure everyone there knew he was a guest and should be welcomed. In the corresponding post, he wrote, ‘The hospitality during Ramadan has been unbelievable. There’s something in the air, and the weather only seems to get better.’
Each post on 30 Days further cements this notion, that despite their ethnic, cultural, and sectarian differences, the Muslims Aman and Bassam encountered were universally hospitable and inclusive.
Aman told me, ‘the Islamic Centre at NYU was built by college students, while one mosque on Staten Island was established by a guy who worked in a factory during World War II. Each one of these threads make up the Muslim-American narrative –we are united by the belief in Allah, hospitality, and welcoming others.’
For both of them, these stories are instrumental in showing what the Muslim community in the United States has to offer, and how Muslims in America fit into the broader American identity. Aman asserted, ‘in America, we have different races, ethnicities, and religions, and for the most part live peacefully side by side. The prejudice and “clash” that occurred after 9/11 stemmed from ignorance and misunderstanding. One of the reasons we did this project was to show people that Muslims aren’t two dimensional characters…that such anecdotes humanise us.’
Although Aman and Bassam’s spiritual journey to 30 Mosques was only a modest attempt to break perceptions, their subsequent narrative indicates how easy it can be to break barriers, to challenge stereotypes, and get to know one another. Bassam, who recently met the great Abdul Sattar Edhi, told me that when asked to autograph his book, the renowned Pakistani philanthropist wrote, ‘Love human beings.’ That simple message, Bassam noted, ‘is what it’s all about.’
Kalsoom Lakhani is director for Social Vision, the strategic philanthropy arm of ML Resources, LLC. She also runs the Kalsoom Lakhani is director for Social Vision, the strategic philanthropy arm of ML Resources, LLC. She also runs the CHUP – Changing Up Pakistan blog and tweets at twitter.com/kalsoom82.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
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November 21st, 2009 at 8:37
The notion that waqas expressed in his third point “Muslims (just as the followers of every other faith) should declare their primary allegiance to their countries and NOT to their religion & the Ummah” is shared by many muslims. I dont see any point in this discussion.
From Islamic perspective allegiance to our countries (be it an islamic country or some western country) is what is ingrained in our religion. This should be clear to us that one cannot be a good faithful Muslim if one does not act as a law abiding citizen of the country one lives in.
If we take religion out of the whole equation, everything that would be left would be direction less. Faith gives us the direction, it calls to serve the Lord who created us by being good to fellow humans.
October 1st, 2009 at 8:59
Waqas:
You said “Murali… please read the article again….Muslims r brothers and its r duty to invite others to islam as well… and inviting them to islam and the islamic system is actually the best we can do for humanity!!”
With all due respect to you, there again lies the fundamental difference between Islam and all other religions. Firstly there is no need to invite anyone and everyone into Islam; most sane people would not like to leave their religion whatever it may be. In fact by inviting others into your fold, you are not serving humanity but creating deeper fissures in it! In the same vein, can I ask you to embrace Hinduism, to serve humanity (the way I think)?
In short the world will be a much more peaceful place if Muslims learn to recognize that people can believe in other gods (Jesus, Brahma, Budhha, Wahe Guru, Yahweh, Zarathushtra etc.) and not just Allah, and people can follow other faiths (and not end up as infidels!) and still be as virtuous as fellow Muslims,.
If moderate Muslims believe in the above, first & foremost they need to stop the radicals amongst them who are hijacking their religion and committing acts of terror in the name of Allah.
Secondly, they must stop all conversions from other faiths (by whatever means) into their fold, or let others also convert Muslims into other faiths.
Thirdly, as I had mentioned Muslims (just as the followers of every other faith) should declare their primary allegiance to their countries and NOT to their religion & the Ummah.
Unless all these three things happen there is no possibility of the world ever respecting Islam.
October 1st, 2009 at 3:19
waqas – I did not read your note carefully so please ignore my comments. Sincere apologies waqas and all on this blog. I sure did reveal my own bias.
October 1st, 2009 at 3:16
Good article and as always shows NY as a vibrant and tolerant city.
Off the topic:
Waqas: It appears like you are making a conditional invitation to others – i.e. join the Islamic system (indicating conversion to Islam). It would better to invite people to look at Islam and its teachings with no expectation that the guest will adopt Islam as his/her religion. The only expectation you should have is that that the others respect you and not necessarily adapt your religion. This may at times mean mutually agreeing to disagree.
I am not picking a fight here and I do agree that Murali’s comments and thus yours and my comments are tangential to the content of this article.
Peace.
September 30th, 2009 at 19:10
Love Human Beings and also the Living Beings. All this would have been more meaningful had they invited people of other faiths to accompany them. Guys come and visit this part of the world and see for yourself how much we love ” Only individually Our selves “. How lovingly we hate each other.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:47
good job! Need to keep things like this going on. May god bless us all.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:42
I really liked the very idea of visiting a different masjid each day by these two guys.
The best thing about it is that each day they went to a different masjid and experienced that the core values practiced by people there were the same i.e. hospitality and greeting guests and others.
This also proves an important point which islam teaches us, that no matter who you are or what you do, you are all one and the same when you bow in front of Allah
September 30th, 2009 at 9:34
Murali… please read the article again….
Muslims r brothers and its r duty to invite others to islam as well… and inviting them to islam and the islamic system is actually the best we can do for humanity!!
September 30th, 2009 at 2:18
great exposure of muslim’s hospitality in America and love for humanbeings.
September 29th, 2009 at 19:03
The following statement of the author explains it all. Until the day Muslims are able to say that their primary allegiance is to the countries they live in, and NOT to the Muslim Ummah, they will always be viewed with suspicion, and rightly so!
No wonder many Muslims bring up real or perceived atrocities in countries/regions that they are not even aware where they exist, and have no qualms about indulging in terrorist acts in the garb of protecting their religion.
September 29th, 2009 at 17:51
Great work
September 29th, 2009 at 16:39
What a great move! Kudos to Aman and Bassam!
September 29th, 2009 at 16:07
Congratulations! great piece.
September 29th, 2009 at 15:13
Wonderful piece. Must also say it was a simple yet truly intriguing idea to have tried this journey out. Marvellous!
September 29th, 2009 at 14:53
Brilliant as always
I like the story Idea and we need more of these stories about Muslims in America working for change. Unfortunately most of the stories are terror related. Refreshing read and loads of info.
September 29th, 2009 at 13:32
I was touched by the unique idea that these guys have realised. The atmosphere in Ramadan really gets a special touch and thats the clé to have the blessings of Allah. The worldwide terrorist activities have muffles the real face of Islam, which is to love people, maintain peace and seenity and maintain justice. Such activities in the wonderland of America will not only reveal real face of Islam, but also bring the peace loving real Muslims together.
September 29th, 2009 at 12:37
Spiritual side of NYC is facinating and at the same time it gives a sense of feeling in sadness or pleasure between common Muslims in particular or humanbeings in general. As a Muslim we act as we teach and guided by religion and MPBUH.
Thanks!
September 29th, 2009 at 11:54
Superb writeup and what a great idea, thanks for the link its worth a read
September 29th, 2009 at 11:33
upon completing the month’s journey, me and Bassam went to teahouse on eid
September 29th, 2009 at 10:37
One thing i want to add in my previous comment that is “I believe on the Long Term Plan Firmly” because our forfathers gave foundation stones in the fields of Mathematics (algebra), Anatomy, Astralogy, Medicine, True Democracy through thier knowledge and wisdom given by Allah Almighty.