Editor’s Note: This is the third part of a three-part series about Muslim culture and understanding.
I had the veil, the long sleeved shirt, the skirt down to my ankles and absolutely no idea what to do when I got there.
To my extreme relief, there was a lone woman dressed the same way standing outside the Islamic Center of Mississippi in Starkville. As I approached her, she smiled, and I asked her where I needed to be.
She said, “Come on child. The sisters stay in this side,” and from that point on I knew I was as welcome there as at any Sunday service I’d ever attended.
Wael Obaid, Mississippi University for Women professor and Imam, or leader, at the Islamic Center of Mississippi in Starkville said that the entire community of Starkville is welcome to visit the mosque and attend services or receive information about Islam.
“We are now aware that some people in the community feel they are not welcome at the mosque if they are not Arabic or Muslim. That is not true. We care about this community, and we want more involvement,” said Obaid.
The Masjid Al-Huda, or mosque of “The Right Way,” located at 204 Hubert St., was founded in 1992 and built with grants from the Islamic Society of North America and private donations. The congregation of about 300 consists of nationalities ranging from Saudi Arabian, Lebanese, American, Malaysian, Iraqi and Iranian, among many others. Many members of the mosque are students and faculty of Mississippi State University.
Since Muslims are required to pray five times a day, the mosque is open morning and night.
When entering the mosque, visitors and members of the congregation first remove their shoes. Then the Muslim members perform a ritual known as “Wudu.” This is a cleansing of the body. The hands and arms, feet, face, hair, ears and mouth are rinsed before entering the prayer room. Many members will choose to read the Quran as they wait for the service to begin.
English translations of the Quran are available for non-Arabic speakers at the mosque.
Although all of the prayers are important, Friday is a holy day for Islamic followers. At 1 p.m. on Fridays the congregation receives a Call to Prayer. They pray, and the message of the week begins. The message is similar to a sermon in a Christian church, with topics ranging from charity to devotion. Stories about everyday life are often told during the message so that the congregation can use the inspiration in its own lives. The message is given in a mixture of Arabic and English, so it is understood by everyone at the mosque. However, prayer is recited in only Arabic.
After the message announcements are received by the congregation.
When women attend the mosque they are required to wear loose-fitting clothing that covers everything except the hands and feet. A veil or head scarf is important for respect and Muslim tradition.
There is a separate entrance to the mosque for women, and the ladies are provided a room with frosted glass doors with a clear slit allowing them to see the leaders face as he speaks.
The room is equipped with speakers so the women can hear the message and prayers.
According to Eyad Algaishawi, a chemical engineering student at MSU and a member of the Islamic Center of Mississippi, the primary reason that women are separated from men at the mosque is so all mental attention can be placed on praying and worship, opposed to other social benefits.
“When we pray, we go through a series of movements including bending and bowing. There is a position of modesty that women have to abide by,” said Algaishawi.
After the service, the members of the congregation take time to talk to one another and hug friends they may not have seen in a while. New faces are always greeted by the congregation. It is also a time to ask the leader any questions that may arise.
According to Ishrath Fatima, MSU Muslim Student Association vice president, attending a service at the mosque has the same feel as attending a Christian church.
“I attended church with friends growing up. I was even a member of a Christian school as a child. The mosque is friendly just like church is,” said Fatima. “It is a good experience for everybody to see what it is like for other people in other places. [It’s] a learning experience.”
Imam Obaid said that any suggestions of how the mosque can make the Starkville community feel more welcome at the mosque are greatly appreciated.
“We are working hard to host more functions that non-Muslim members of the community can be comfortable attending, educational events,” Obaid said.
“The Mosque is not only for our Muslim community, but the entire community,” Obaid said. “There has been a disconnection between our congregation and the community that we desperately want to fix.”
“I feel that the media has hurt the image of the Muslim community in America. When you watch the news all you see is the negative. We want people to learn about Islam so they can understand that we are not at all like you see on TV. Islam is a peaceful religion that shares many similarities with Christianity,” he added.