The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Research conducted by the University of Michigan - Dearborn Pluralism Project.

History

The Islamic Association of Greater Detroit (IAGD) was founded in 1978. During the early 1970s, Muslim families in the area had met in different home for prayer and to read and discuss the Qu'ran. When a decision was made to build a mosque, the group began looking for suitable land in Oakland and Macomb Counties. One parcel that was considered was in Warren, a working-and middle-class suburb in Macomb County, north of Detroit. Problems arose with the sale due to the perception of Arabs as terrorists. Therefore, the group looked further north to Rochester Hills, a middle and upper-middle-class suburb of Detroit in Oakland County.

Membership

There has been an expansion in the number of people attending prayer and other functions at IAGD. Currently there are approximately 300 families associated with the center. Those attending include a wide variety of people including Arabs, Indians, South Africans, Pakistanis, Indonesians, as well as white and black Americans. Approximately 260 students were enrolled for the Sunday school during 1999-2000. Plans are to open a full-time Islamic school in the future.

Activities and Schedule

IAGD activities include Jam'at for all five daily prayers, Juma' Salat, Sunday Islamic classes for kindergarten through high school youth, a full-time Hifz school (Monday through Friday), Quranic Tafseer classes on Friday and Tafseer discussions on Sunday, daily Hadeeth discussions, young adult religious study groups on Sundays, mathematics classes for middle and high school students on Saturdays, home science classes during the summer, Dawah committee visitations to high schools, churches, hospitals, and jails, monthly dinners, monthly sisters' gatherings, and a summer camp for young people.

Future Buildings

The existing IAGD center was built in 1982, but has now outgrown the space. A new building is being constructed to include a new social hall, gymnasium, class rooms, library, men's prayer hall and women's prayer hall.