Islamic Cultural Center of New York

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Islamic Cultural Center

The Islamic Cultural Center of New York is a mosque and an Islamic cultural center in the New York borough of Manhattan in the United States . It is located on 1711 Third Avenue , between East 96th Street and 97th Street . The Islamic Cultural Center was the first mosque to be built in New York City.

Establishment

Plans for a large Islamic cultural center in New York were originally made in the 1960s. After years of delay, during which donations were raised in Muslim countries for the construction and an extensive process of relocating the previous tenants, the demolition of the building that was to make way for the mosque finally began in October 1984. The construction of the mosque began on May 28, 1987 - then the last day of Ramadan . The foundation stone for the minaret was laid on September 26, 1988.

Construction was delayed during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent Second Gulf War . The mosque was opened on April 15, 1991, again on the occasion of Eid ul-Fitr .

Ultimately, more than 46 predominantly Muslim countries jointly donated a total of 17 million US dollars to cover the construction costs. The mosque was designed by the Chicago architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill .

Controversies surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks

Two imams from the Islamic Cultural Center made controversial statements; the Egyptian Sheik Muhammad Gemeaha said in an interview in October 2001 that "only the Jews" would have been able to carry out the 9/11 attacks and "if the American people knew about them, they would be the same as Hitler with the Jews do". He further claimed that "as Allah has pointed out," the Jews were to blame for "the spread of corruption in the country and responsible for spreading heresy , homosexuality, alcoholism and drugs." Gemeaha gave this interview a week after suddenly giving up his position as Imam of the Islamic Cultural Center and returning to his native Egypt.

Gemeaha's successor, Omar Saleem Abu-Namous, condemned the attacks, but also said there was no clear evidence that Muslims were responsible.

See also

Islam in the United States

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Amid Rejoicing, Work Begins on Mosque
  2. ↑ GROUND BROKEN FOR ISLAMIC CENTER
  3. ^ Mosque Rising Is a First in New York
  4. ↑ Persian Gulf Crisis Slows New York Mosque Project
  5. ^ For New York Muslims a Soaring Dome Is Ready
  6. ^ A New Mosque for Manhattan, for the 21st Century
  7. ^ The Uncomfortable question of Anti-Semitism
  8. ↑ [1]
  9. ↑ Terror in America
  10. ^ New York Cleric's Departure From Mosque Leaves Mystery
  11. ^ New Head of Mosque Wants Proof

Coordinates: 40 ° 47 ′ 7 ″  N , 73 ° 56 ′ 55 ″  W.