Islamic Cultural Center of New York
Encyclopedia
The Islamic Cultural Center of New York is a mosque
and Islam
ic cultural center in the borough
of Manhattan
in New York City
, United States
. It is located at 1711 Third Avenue, between East 96th
and 97th Streets. The Islamic Cultural Center was the first mosque built in New York City. The mosque's older dwelling in a townhouse at 1 Riverside Drive, is still in continual prayer use as a satellite location.
. The cornerstone of the minaret
was laid on September 26, 1988.
Construction was delayed during the Iraq
i Invasion of Kuwait
and the First Gulf War
. The mosque opened on April 15, 1991, for the feast of Eid ul-Fitr
. In the end, more than 46 Muslim countries made contributions toward the $
17 million construction cost of the mosque.
. Consequently, the building is rotated 29° from Manhattan's north-south street grid
. which in turn is rotated 29° from due north-south. The precise calculation of the direction from New York to Mecca was based on the great circle
that produces the shortest distance between the two cities.
s (spiritual leaders) of the Islamic Cultural Center have made controversial statements.
The first, Sheik Muhammad Gemeaha, said in an interview that "only the Jews" were capable of the September 11 attacks and "if it became known to the American people, they would have done to Jews what Hitler did." He also stated that as "Allah described it," Jews "disseminate corruption in the land" and are responsible for the spread of "heresy, homosexuality, alcoholism, and drugs."
The interview took place on October 4, 2001, a week after Gemeaha suddenly resigned as imam at the Islamic Center and returned to his home in Egypt.
In further controversial statements, Gemeaha's replacement, Omar Saleem Abu-Namous, condemned the September 11 attacks, but said there wasn't "conclusive evidence" that Muslims were responsible.
s. Abu-Namous's successor as imam, Mohammed Shamsi Ali, continued the meetings.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic cultural center in the borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located at 1711 Third Avenue, between East 96th
96th Street (Manhattan)
96th Street is a major two-way street in East Harlem and the Upper West Side, which is a part of the New York City borough of Manhattan, running from the East River at the FDR Drive to the Henry Hudson Parkway at the Hudson River...
and 97th Streets. The Islamic Cultural Center was the first mosque built in New York City. The mosque's older dwelling in a townhouse at 1 Riverside Drive, is still in continual prayer use as a satellite location.
Construction
Plans for a large Islamic center in New York were originally drawn up in the late 1960s as the first cultural center occupied a location at 1 Riverside Drive by 72nd street. The first Islamic Center started functioning on a small scale from a modest townhouse at that address. However, the board of trustees later aspired to build a new larger center in a way suiting its prestigious position in the community, and to be one of the landmarks of New York City. Later, an overall project comprising a mosque, a school, a library, a museum, and a lecture hall, were planned out. After years of delays which included raising funds from Muslim countries, a prolonged process of relocating tenants, and the eventual demolition of the buildings on the site; construction of the Islamic Cultural Center began in October of 1984. Construction of the associated mosque began on May 28, 1987, the day which corresponded to the end of RamadanRamadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. The cornerstone of the minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
was laid on September 26, 1988.
Construction was delayed during the Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i Invasion of Kuwait
Invasion of Kuwait
The Invasion of Kuwait, also known as the Iraq-Kuwait War, was a major conflict between the Republic of Iraq and the State of Kuwait, which resulted in the seven-month long Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, which subsequently led to direct military intervention by United States-led forces in the Gulf...
and the First Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. The mosque opened on April 15, 1991, for the feast of Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
. In the end, more than 46 Muslim countries made contributions toward the $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
17 million construction cost of the mosque.
Orientation
Like all mosques, the mosque at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York is oriented toward MeccaMecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. Consequently, the building is rotated 29° from Manhattan's north-south street grid
Commissioners' Plan of 1811
The Commissioners' Plan of 1811 was the original design plan for the streets of Manhattan, which put in place the grid plan that has defined Manhattan to this day....
. which in turn is rotated 29° from due north-south. The precise calculation of the direction from New York to Mecca was based on the great circle
Great circle
A great circle, also known as a Riemannian circle, of a sphere is the intersection of the sphere and a plane which passes through the center point of the sphere, as opposed to a general circle of a sphere where the plane is not required to pass through the center...
that produces the shortest distance between the two cities.
Controversies
Two imamImam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
s (spiritual leaders) of the Islamic Cultural Center have made controversial statements.
The first, Sheik Muhammad Gemeaha, said in an interview that "only the Jews" were capable of the September 11 attacks and "if it became known to the American people, they would have done to Jews what Hitler did." He also stated that as "Allah described it," Jews "disseminate corruption in the land" and are responsible for the spread of "heresy, homosexuality, alcoholism, and drugs."
The interview took place on October 4, 2001, a week after Gemeaha suddenly resigned as imam at the Islamic Center and returned to his home in Egypt.
In further controversial statements, Gemeaha's replacement, Omar Saleem Abu-Namous, condemned the September 11 attacks, but said there wasn't "conclusive evidence" that Muslims were responsible.
Outreach
Imam Abu-Namous engaged in a series of interfaith dialogues with prominent Muslim leaders and rabbiRabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
s. Abu-Namous's successor as imam, Mohammed Shamsi Ali, continued the meetings.
See also
- Islam in the United StatesIslam in the United StatesFrom the 1880s to 1914, several thousand Muslims immigrated to the United States from the Ottoman Empire, and from parts of South Asia; they did not form distinctive settlements, and probably most assimilated into the wider society....
- Islamic architectureIslamic architectureIslamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
- List of mosques in the United States
- Park51
External links
- Official website
- Islamic Cultural Center of New York at New York Architecture Images
- Islamic Cultural Center of New York at Skidmore, Owings and MerrillSkidmore, Owings and MerrillSkidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP is an American architectural and engineering firm that was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in New York City, New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest...