The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
‘You have found a home’
Middletown welcomes new mosque
MIDDLETOWN — City officials joined religious leaders Friday in a ceremony celebrating the opening of a new mosque on Broad Street.
Mayor Ben Florsheim, state Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, and Cromwell Town Councilor James Demtriades were welcomed for the traditional Friday prayer — the jum’ah — at the newlyopened Omar Islam Center.
The three legislators joined more than 50 Muslim men at the mosque, which is located in a converted auto body shop that was donated rent free to the congregation.
A smaller number of women prayed separately in another room in the mosque.
The officials joined the faithful in removing their shoes before entering the mosque.
The close proximity of houses of worship of three religions attracted positive comments from the civic leaders and the mosque’s founder and imam, Ahmed Bedir.
The Omar Islam Center is just steps away from the Congregation Adath Israel synagogue and around the corner from the World Mission Society Church of God.
An iman typically functions as a prayer leader but also serves as “a role model for the Muslim community in all its spiritual and secular undertakings,” according to oxfordislamicstudies.com.
Until now, worshipers had to go to a mosque on the Berlin Turnpike or in Windsor, said Mo Islam, who serves as a spokesman for the mosque.
lslam, an associate director Pratt & Whitney, also is a member of the Cromwell Planning & Zoning Commission.
Bedir originally had sought to lease the former Knights of Columbus Hall on Main Street in Cromwell as the home of the mosque.
Despite backing from the Knights, and the fact the building had hosted dozens of events over the years, the PZC rejected the mosque proposal because of “concerns about traffic.”
Undeterred, the imam and Islam moved on and eventually received an offer from servicestation owner Khalid Mahmud to take over a portion of his property.
When he presented the proposal to planning officials in Middletown, the response was positive, Bedir said.
The people he dealt with in the city’s planning office “were very, very helpful, and so kind,” the imam said.
Islam, for one, was not surprised. “What I always say is ‘Any time one door closes, another opens,’” he said.
The main hall where the men pray was done over in a shade of white that dazzled in the afternoon sun Friday.
The most prominent feature in the room is the mihrab, the niche that points in the direction of Mecca.
Muslims pray facing towards Mecca.
The service Friday was somewhat unusual because non-Muslims are usually excluded from mosques during the daily prayers.
However, Islam said one of Imam Bedir’s goals is to inform and teach residents about the Islamic religion.
“I told him if you want to do that, we’re going to have to make some changes,” Islam said Friday.
The only way non-Muslims “can appreciate the beauty and passion of the religion is by being exposed to it,” Islam said.
Bedir has already worked with members of Adath Israel over issues involving parking for the Jewish High Holy Days, and he said he wants to develop more interfaith efforts.
“I do media relations for him, but I tell him he doesn’t need my help,” Islam said. “He’s phenomenal. He has so much energy and passion.”
After the iman allowed nonMuslims into the mosque for the prayers, once the service concluded, he urged the municipal officials to eat from a buffet that was set on long tables in the prayer room.
“I’m happy you have found a home,” Demetriades told the congregation.
He encouraged them join with other Americans to fight against ignorance and bigotry.
“Each and every one of us has an obligation to fight,” Demetriades said. “Your voice is your power.”
“I’m really happy to have you in Middletown,” Florsheim said.
“It is a testament to the city, to Connecticut and to our region that we have three different religions sharing space with one another. It’s very exciting,” he added.
Lesser began his remarks by offering the tradition Muslim greeting, “A’Salamu alaykum” (“Peace be upon you”).
“Muslims came to America before there was an America,” Lesser said, explaining the first record of a Muslim arriving in American took place in 1730.
He said America is “better and stronger when we are all together.”