{"id":2121,"date":"2019-05-04T00:59:34","date_gmt":"2019-05-03T21:59:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/?p=2121"},"modified":"2019-05-09T02:48:43","modified_gmt":"2019-05-08T23:48:43","slug":"american-moslem-society-celebrate-80-years-advocates-urge-civic-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yemeniamerican.com\/en\/american-moslem-society-celebrate-80-years-advocates-urge-civic-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"American Moslem Society celebrate 80 years: Advocates urge civic engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"
For eight decades, the American Moslem Society has been a landmark for Islam in the state of Michigan and the nation as a whole. <\/strong><\/h6>\n

YAN – Dearborn<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nAs activists, worshippers and officials came together to celebrate the rich history of the iconic institution, they stressed the importance of civic engagement at a time of rising Islamophobia and bigotry.
\nThe mosque built in Dearborn\u2019s Southend in 1928 was amongst the oldest Muslim houses of worship in America.
\nOn April 19, AMS leaders and supporters gathered to highlight the rich history of the mosque, which demonstrates the deep roots of Islam in America.
\nCongresswoman Rashida Tlaib talked about her family\u2019s attachment to the mosque while she was growing up.
\nTlaib said Arabs and Muslims are fortunate to have an established, empowered community in Southeast Michigan, where they don\u2019t feel like strangers.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s the thing that we don\u2019t realize, just how incredibly special out community is, and it\u2019s so much rooted in our faith organizations like the masjid, in so many ways,\u201d she said.
\nTlaib added that it was an \u201chonor\u201d to celebrate the mosque\u2019s anniversary.
\n\u201cA member of your masjid is now a member of the United States Congress – that\u2019s pretty incredible,\u201d the congresswoman told the crowd.
\nFor her part, Dalia Mogahed, the director of research for the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), stressed the vast contributions of Muslims to American society, saying that American and Muslim identities are \u201cmutually enriching\u201d.
\nThe ISPU tracks the contributions of Muslims to American society across the nation. For example, Mogahed said Muslims donated more than 1 million bottles of water to Flint after the city was hit by the water crisis.
\nShe urged Muslim Americans to educate others about the enormous givings of the Muslim community.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s time we show them what we\u2019ve built, what we\u2019ve given, what we\u2019ve sacrificed for the betterment of our country,\u201d Mogahed said.<\/p>\n

\u2018Go out and vote\u2019<\/strong>
\nMogahed called on Muslims to educate themselves about their own contributions to the country and \u201cbe an ambassador for the facts.\u201d
\nMogahed also stressed the importance of the elections next year, saying that staying at home is not an option.
\n\u201cWith all that is at stake in this election, if you are eligible to vote and you don\u2019t, then God help you,\u201d she said. \u201cGod forgive you. Every single one of us has to register to vote and we have to go out and vote.\u201d
\nNihad Awad, the executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), echoed Mogahed\u2019s remarks saying that Muslims must participate in elections to protect their community and make their voices heard.
\nAt the anniversary celebration AMS honored the family of late pharmacist Mohammad Hamzeh for his contributions to the community and the mosque. It also presented an award to Fare Shaibani for his long years of service as an educator at the mosque.
\nLocal elected officials, including mayors, city council members and state lawmakers were in attendance, as well as faith leaders and community advocates.
\nAMS president Mahdi Ali told the Yemeni American News that the mosque is always trying to expand and improve its programs to ensure a better future for the community.<\/p>\n

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