Diversity in Masjids

Recently Imam Amin Nathari visited Tempe for a khutbah and I also attended a bonus section as a youth. :)

His main point of discussion was that there is too much regionalism and nationalism involved in the masjids in the usa. Indian, Paki, BDeshi, Arab, Black etc etc. And all that was covered in the halaqa was contemplation about what can be done to cross these barriers. The local imam mentioned that ICC, Tempe is a model for diversity. However I dont deny the fact that it is, but contest the administration if they feel they are totally responsible for it.

I have been to three cities in the USA so far. There are umpteen more but lemme say taht the 3 are the ones where i have spent significant amount of time. At each iof these masjids there were youth. Each of these majids are close to a school. The youth dont have a sense of ego in them and are an excellent binding glue to the mess created by arguments of elders. The youth are able to change if asked so in the correct manner. They are willing to learn. Thus in Blacksburg ISNRV the youth literally run the masjid. I myself was a part of Masjid Umar in LA, and I can bank that it was us students who would be in the masjid for most of the salats. Here again in tempe, the ICC is close to ASU and you get to see the same diversity. (Subhanallah for each of them). But on the other hand the islamic center in LA is only for the stout hearted as you can easily be lead astray. The masjid in Chicago that i visited was desi-land.

So it comes back to the only point that has challenged me from the 12th grade. Prof Moogat posed this to our batch of 40 students "Why does it happen that as students we can forgive but as we grow, our power to forgive and accomodate diminishes?" It struck me as something worth thinkingg about. I presently stand at one such cross-section. I feel I must move on from the life of a student to that of a working professional. But each time the heart asks me to remain a student. Life is better this way.

There has been only one masjid that has defied this rule- Masjid Momin in LA. Sheikh Farid is partly responsible for this. He is one person that every one in West USA shud listen to, to know about humility, humor, and the strength of Islam. This masjid makes u throw away all that ego or bloated shirt that you carry about in the name of Islam and questions you. I mutst say that many of his khutbahs are way beyond my understanding but the little that I grasp keep in ties in its splendor.

So all in all, i give an open challenge to all those shura council members who may be proud that diversity is because of them. Can they replicate it at another masjid, is all i ask.