mosque - history in miami

Here’s what I think happened to make the mosque what it is in Miami. A minority immigrant community felt isolated from the mainstream and looked for something to belong to. The causes of these feelings of isolation are debatable. Regardless, many joined a Muslim Students’ Association based out of the local colleges. For them, it was not a religious organization. A small group amongst them was indeed religious and coordinated prayers.

...As the community grew, more prayer space was needed. Eventually a house, then a larger property was bought to function as a mosque for the community. Just because the Association now ran a mosque did not change the nature of the organization nor those who belonged to the organization nor its leadership. It was still that minority immigrant community that desired something to belong to. The only change was the name, Muslim Communities’ Association.

...So what exists then is a community association that runs a mosque. When procedural, operational, or religious situations arise with the mosque a phrase is heard: “This is not how you run a mosque!” Of course, there are various notions of what a mosque should be. Usually the critics are not in agreement on that issue. Usually the critics do not understand the history of the community association. They forget its nature, they complain about excessive “ego” or “politics” or lack of knowledge or commitment to the religion.

...At the same time it is important to not overlook the fact that this association is not the same as it was in the past. Over the years, its regional, ethnic, and religious diversity has been lost. The Caribbean Muslim leaders left to start Nur al Islam in south Broward. Leaders and residents from south Dade left to start Masjid Nur. Most of this happened in the early 90s after a period of major turmoil. You can consider the MCA to be composed of leftovers. Run mostly by Panjabi immigrants who had nowhere else to go.