Oldest U.S. Mosque is in Iowa
The oldest mosque in the United States is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It only took several days of flooding and countless hours reading news reports for me to find this out. The mosque was dedicated in February of 1934. I love it when I learn something new about Iowa’s history. I lived in Iowa for 23 years and never knew about the Mother Mosque of America.
The oldest standing mosque in the United States is one of the many structures in Cedar Rapids damaged by flooding. Imam Taha Tawil is the executive director for the Mother Mosque of America. He was allowed access to the building Tuesday for the first time since it was flooded last week.
“There is a sadness, a hurt in my heart, because this mosque is like part of my family,” Tawil said. The mosque is one of many museums and historic buildings in Cedar Rapids hit by the floodwaters. “When I look around, I see the Czech Museum, the African American Museum, the Mother Mosque,” Tawil said, “and I said ‘flood doesn’t know color, flood doesn’t know race or religion or tradition. Flood is like death…it doesn’t distinguish.’”
via Radio Iowa
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[...] Cleanup up from flood damage at the Cedar Rapids Mother Mosque from Richard Pratt. Volunteer crews lent a hand Saturday, June 21, 2008, to clean up flood damage at the Mother Mosque of America in northwest Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Numerous books and artifacts at the mosque were destroyed when the Cedar River left its banks earlier this month. The Cedar Rapids center is the oldest mosque in the United States. Tags: Cedar Rapids, flooding, iowa, mother mosque of america, recovery, video, Vimeo [...]
Cleanup begins at Mother Mosque of America » Eric Stoller’s Blog
22 Jun 08 at 6:09 pm
[...] Oldest U.S. Mosque is in Iowa [...]
Iowa flood roundup » Eric Stoller’s Blog
23 Jun 08 at 8:42 pm
I am trying to determine the provinence of this photograph of the mosque in Cedar Rapids, as the Global Studies program at San Jose State University would like to include the photograph in an course guide on religion in America. Did you take this photograph, or do you know who did? Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Mark McKenna
17 Oct 08 at 4:30 pm
Hi Mark – the source image for my post came from: http://www.nowpublic.com/mother_mosque_of_north_america_in_cedar_rapids_iowa
Cheers!
Eric Stoller
17 Oct 08 at 5:50 pm
Actually there is one mosque in chicago that was bought in the tweneties.
Basil
6 Feb 10 at 10:00 pm
there is Al Sadiq Mosque in south chicago which date from 1922.also there use to be one mosque in south dakota, but that place is demaged long time before.
edin bajrektarevic
18 Aug 10 at 8:49 pm