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Institute for Social Policy and Understanding

Reimagining Muslim Spaces: Creating Welcoming Mosques For All

ISPU conducts objective, solution- seeking research that empowers American Muslims to develop their community and fully contribute to democracy and pluralism in the United States.

ISPU MISSION

ISPU Research Making an Impact

Social Policy: Develop

Public Policy: Contribute Thought Leadership: Innovate

ISPU Making a Difference

Discover Educate Enable

Reimagining Muslim Spaces

▪ Frequent mosque attendance linked to: – More volunteerism – Better mental health – Higher civic Engagement ▪ Yet, mosques often are alienating to many people, especially – Women – Converts – Young People

Mosques Matter

▪ Many young adults, women, and converts are alienated from the mosque. ▪ Mosque leaders complain about a lack of volunteers and the lack of commitment of attendees to the mosque. ▪ Mosque attendees complain about a lack of unity, the lack of a sense of belonging.

Challenges

▪ Increases volunteers ▪ Sustains donors ▪ Increases cleanliness ▪ Increases spiritual engagement ▪ Promotes stronger more vibrant communities ▪ Builds hubs for hope ▪ Provides sanctuaries of support in hostile environment ▪ Grows the next generation of Muslim Americans

Why Make Mosques Welcoming?

▪ Develop a vision of the Prophetic Mosque as a guide and a goal. ▪ Research the situation.

Finding Answers

▪ The goal of our “Reimagining Muslim Spaces” project is to produce research-driven recommendations for mosques that are: – Welcoming: Inclusive and engaging – A Hub for Hope: A source of community service

Project Overview

▪ We accomplished this through: – Extensive literature review – Focus groups across the country – Analysis of every available poll – One-on-one interviews – Advice from a diverse taskforce of experts

Project Overview

▪ Report: “Creating A Welcoming, Inclusive, Dynamic Mosque” ▪ Case Studies ▪ Community Tool Kit ▪ Links to Resources

www.ispu.org/RMS

Project Output

Case Studies

Project Team

Marwa Aly - Filmmaker, “Unmosqued” documentary, Previous Muslim Chaplain, Trinity College and Wesleyan University Shahed Amanullah - Co-Founder and Director, Affinis Labs, CEO and Co- founder, LaunchPosse, CEO and Founder, Halalfire Hazem Bata - Secretary General, Islamic Society of North America Ahmed Eid - Filmmaker, “Unmosqued” documentary Maryam Eskandari - Founder, MIIM Designs, Undergraduate Advisor, Harvard University Department of Architecture Tannaz Haddadi - Founder and President of the Board, Next Wave Muslim Initiative

• Dr. Altaf Husain - Vice President,

Islamic Society of North America, Assistant Professor, Howard University School of Social Work Saleem Khalid - Executive Director, Muslim Enrichment Project Farhan Latif - President, El-Hibri Foundation Atif Mahmud - Filmmaker, “Unmosqued” documentary Hind Makki - Curator and Founder, Side Entrance Blog Sarah Sayeed - Former Board Member, Women in Islam, Inc., Author, “Women Friendly Mosques and Community Centers”

Project Taskforce

Project Findings

General Recommendation ▪ Foster a Welcoming Environment

Focus group participants agreed that the most attractive aspect of a masjid for them is the sense that they are welcomed. To develop a sense of community, a sense

• f belonging, you must develop a sense

that people are welcomed.

FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS

“Automatically I was welcomed. The smiles, the warmth, the salaams… And just a sense

• f, it doesn’t matter if you’re new or you’re

not one of us, you are one of us because you’re here.” “The thing I most love [about my mosque] is the sense of generosity and hospitality; the sense of belonging .” FOCUS GROUP ATTENDEES

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “You will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another, so spread salam among yourselves” (Sahih Muslim).

THE PROPHETIC MODEL

▪ Form a Welcoming Committee which will: – Give salams and assistance to all who enter for Jum’ah and other events – Strike up conversations afterwards to get to know people – Find out their interests and expertise; have them fill

• ut an information card

– Encourage involvement in events and committees

Foster a Welcoming Environment

▪ Develop a culture of everyone being welcoming: – Say salam to people praying next to them – Say salam to one another after Jum’ah; even when ethnic groups form, go around and say salam – When new person comes in, give a smile and salam – Give khutbahs on being welcoming; leadership should provide the example

Foster a Welcoming Environment

Local Case Study: 100 Days of Rahmah

Recommendation for Young Adults ▪ Stay Relevant ▪ Be Dynamic

“[They] give extremely relevant khutbahs… So every time it seems that it’s not some really abstract concept… It's usually something that’s very relevant and they can actually implement, things that they see every day in their lives.” “I just want something relevant.” FOCUS GROUP ATTENDEES

▪ Mosques must invite inspiring, knowledgeable speakers and khateebs who can speak eloquently and powerfully to the topics of interest in the community, whether the topic is spiritual or worldly. ▪ Khutbahs in particular need to be regularly evaluated.

Stay Relevant

Be Dynamic with a Sense of Mission

The dynamic masjid offers numerous

• pportunities for participants to become

involved, and as a result, the mosque feels alive, vital, and exciting.

▪ Develop a clear understanding of the mosque’s mission which is tied to the vision of Islam and the Prophetic mosque. ▪ Conduct a strategic planning process to identify the mosque’s mission

Be Dynamic

▪ Identify interests and facilitate the formation of small groups.

Be Dynamic

Recommendation for Women ▪ Create an Inclusive Environment for Women

The believing men and believing women are guardians of one another. They advocate virtue, forbid evil, perform the prayers, practice charity, and obey God and His Messenger. These—God will have compassion on them. God is Noble and Wise.

—Surat Al-Taubah: 71

“I hate the fact that I can’t see the speaker (while in the balcony),… it drives me nuts.” “When I see a woman on the Board I automatically feel that mosque is more

• pen to women.”

FOCUS GROUP ATTENDEES

▪ We call upon masjids to ensure that women have access to the main musalla to perform salah, listen to the Jum’ah khutbah or attend and participate in lectures or discussions. ▪ The Prophet (pbuh) did not have a formal shura process, but he did set the example of consulting with all segments

• f the Muslim community, including women. Masjids in

North America, however, do have formal decision-making mechanisms, and it is, therefore, incumbent that women participate in all processes of formal shura, including serving on the governing bodies of masjids. Fiqh Council of North America, Yasir Qadhi, Omar Shahin, Omar Suleiman, Mohamed Magid

▪ Women should have the choice to pray in the main musalla or in a separate area. ▪ Women should serve on masjid boards and be a part of masjid leadership.

Create an Inclusive Environment for Women

Recommendation for Converts ▪ Address the Social Needs of Converts

▪ According to Pew, one in five Muslim adults was not raised a Muslim. ▪ Same study found that the same number of Americans were raised in a Muslim household but no longer identifies as a Muslim. —Religious Switching: Change in America’s Religious Landscape The Pew Research Center 2015

Converts Make Up 20% of Community

“I [a convert] feel most comfortable when I know that I have a friend there to talk to.” “When the experience in a mosque is … really great is when I make a friend. So that’s like stellar ... so I don’t feel socially uncomfortable and awkward where I’m trying to make social talk with people.” FOCUS GROUP ATTENDEES

Round Table Discussion

▪ Prioritize Recommendations – Choose your top 3 ▪ Discuss Feasibility – Which recommendation can be implemented right away? – Which recommendation needs additional capacity? – What steps do you need to take to implement this recommendation?

Round Table Instructions

Report Back

▪ Contact ISNA to have a workshop in your area. ▪ Workshops – Creating the Welcoming, Inclusive, Dynamic Masjid – Characteristics of Good Masjid Governance – Creating the Women-Friendly Masjid – Creating the Green Masjid

Next Steps

▪ Join our mailing list ▪ Read the full reports –www.ispu.org/RMS ▪ Become a sustaining member

To Learn More

www.ispu.org/RMS

Institute for Social Policy and Understanding