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AmericanMuslima Yonkers, NY |
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No bio submitted. Member since November 13, 2005
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| Westchester Muslim Center: ★★★ This masjid goes through phases of being very open and clean and being hostile and not clean. The bathrooms for the women downstairs are, like the rest of the downstairs, subject to a lot of flooding and mold. Hence, it is often damp. They have tried to fix this situation for years, and it has gotten better. They also have problems retaining and keeping people who will clean the masjid daily or weekly.
There was a closed circuit television showing the khutbah, but a woman ripped it out a few years ago, saying that TV was haram. I'm not sure if they've ever fixed this.
Other than at Jumu'ah time, women pray upstairs with the men. This includes tarawih.
Contrary to what the sister above says, many of the women do hang around for the picnicking and such afterwards. I attended WMC for four years, and was never made to feel that it was wrong of me to buy food or goods for sale (sometimes there is a bazaar there after Jumu'ah).
The problem with this community is that it is very closed off to strangers, especially strangers who are not part of the dominant ethnic group. Many of the programs serve that population. It can also be uncomfortable if you are not well to do, as many of the people who are in charge of the day to day activities and programs are. The final problem is that even though they have Sunday school and a summer day camp, other congregants frown upon children being in the masjid (for Jumu'ah and tarawih). (Submitted on March 23, 2007) |
| Islamic Cultural Center of New York: ★★★★ This is a very beautiful masjid. During Jumu'ah, women are in a balcony above the men. Any overspill of men and women is downstairs in the daily prayer hall where women are in cubicle like spaces behind the men (open view). This masjid is not child friendly. If you have a child under 6, you may have problems. Sometimes, women kick mothers out of the balcony. The cubicle spaces, while open and allowing for a view of the room, also allow children to slip away from you and run into the men's area or into the hallways.
There is a small Islamic bookstore on the first floor, and there are often vendors of hijabs, books, and food outside on Fridays (and sometimes on other days).
If you attend Jumu'ah, there is usually either a janaza prayer or people accepting Islam.
The crowd is diverse, and they often bring in great speakers for Ramadan. Every Muslim visiting New York City needs to stop here to pray. (Submitted on March 23, 2007) |
| Masjid al-Qur'an: ★★★★ Clean and friendly. Not easy to find, and the entrance isn't clearly marked. (Submitted on March 23, 2007) |
| Islamic Society of Boston: ★★★ I don't recommend this space for mothers with children on Fridays. There is a separate children's room, but the masjid gets so crowded on Fridays that you're virtually squeezed in like sardines. Friday parking is crazy.
Masjid is very MAS-centric, and some people there can get a little upset if you suggest activities outside of MAS or instead of MAS. The women there are often not welcoming to new comers, esp. non Arabs. Outside of Jumu'ah, many tend not to require their children to behave, so you may put up with screaming, shouting, loud videos, etc. during the other prayers if there are mothers present. (Submitted on March 23, 2007) |
| Islamic Center of New England: ★★★★ This masjid is very large and spacious, and sits on several acres of rural land. It is not accessible by public transportation. There is an adjacent day school.
The prayer hall is large with a portable divider symbolically separating the men and women (it is only partial). The prayer hall itself is not child friendly -- no cry room and small children may disturb the entire congregation -- but a child can play outside if the mother feels it is safe.
There is ample parking.
Ignore the community politics that have caused an uproar (over the board and who the imams will be), and enjoy the beautiful setting. (Submitted on March 23, 2007) |
| Selimiye Camii Mosque: ★★★ A nice enough masjid. Women pray in a separate room behind the men. There are windows between the spaces with lace curtains. The entire prayer space (for both genders) is somewhat small. There is a kitchen and a large social hall with a library. Adequate parking, and it is near the Islamic Peace Academy. (Submitted on March 23, 2007) |
| Dar-ul-Islah: ★★ This is a very nice masjid, in terms of the physical structure. There is adequate parking, and it is handicapped accessible.
Women pray behind a curtain in the main prayer hall. There are two entrances to the masjid.
However, the women tend to be very poorly behaved. Visiting imams and speakers from around the world have complained about this. Over the several times I've been here, I've seen women refuse to stand next to sisters of a different ethnic group during prayers (ie, moving away from the sister), eating in the prayer hall (the carpet often smells like food when you make sujud), walking in front of people who are praying, moving around during the prayer (I mean changing their position in line and so forth), and talking.
I don't know how it is for men, but as a woman who is not Indo-Pak, I felt very unwelcomed, and I was really turned off by the behavior of the women when it comes to listening to the speakers / khutbah and praying with attention to the Creator. (Submitted on March 23, 2007) |
| Minhaj ul Quran: ★★★ I haven't been to Jumu'ah here, but if you're driving by on Route 80 and need to stop and pray, this is an okay space to do it in. It is not always unlocked. There is a small parking lot, but the prayer hall is down a flight of stairs, so it will be difficult for elderly or handicapped people to access. (Submitted on March 23, 2007) |
| Islamic Center of Passaic County: ★★★★ There is a large parking lot here. The main prayer space is wheelchair accessible. There are several groups of bathrooms.
There are two women's areas in this masjid: one is a barrier or rope divided one behind the men (the barrier is a portable wall). During the regular prayers and for halaqas, women pray here. In addition, there is a large glass encased, sound proof cry-room upstairs for Jumu'ah and 'Eid. This is where the women's bathrooms are.
This masjid has a great halaqa for women in English on Fridays, and has many other programs. Eid is a little hectic. I've been to 'Eid here a few times and did not like the atmosphere (a lot of women talking over the khutbah, the usual hectic rush for free toys and sweets).
There is a bookstore in the main hall that sells tapes, videos / dvds, and books in Arabic as well as a nice selection of English books. There are some hijabs, prayer garments, and jilbabs for sale as well (displayed in the cry room). (Submitted on March 23, 2007) |
| Dergah al-Farah: ★★ It is a beautiful masjid in a lovely building. Men and women pray together in the main room, right off the street. Anyone coming in the front door will be coming in behind the people praying. While, overall, the people are welcoming, they are not very welcoming of anyone who has a more conservative interpretation of Islam than they do.
My first time there, when I asked if there was a more private space where I could pray -- a place where any man walking in off the street wouldn't be looking at me in sujud -- I got a very hostile reaction from the brother in the office who screamed at me before grudgingly leading me to the third floor room that is used for dars by the Nur Ashki Jerrahi dervishes. And this was before all the "controversy" about men and women praying together.
I was told by another congregant that "We have to be patient with these Americans" (I am an American) and that "they aren't ready to observe the Sunnah." This offended me as an American, while on the other hand, I was offended as a Muslim woman by the man who was in charge of the daily affairs of the masjid.
I have returned to pray here several times. Since then, I have not encountered problems finding a private space, but as a woman wearing hijab (all the time, and covering everything, not just in prayer, or with my hair showing), I have encountered dirty looks and sneers and less than pleasant comments about it from the women there. The men have always been very polite to me.
Overall, I would not recommend this masjid unless you can overlook these things or if you are in the neighborhood and absolutely need to pray. The "tolerance" of this masjid doesn't extend to everyone. (Submitted on November 13, 2005) |
| New Brunswick Islamic Center: ★★★ The building is very small. It's an old apartment with a basement, located on the corner. While the interior is plain or shabby, and the wudhu / bathroom facilities lacking, the heart of the community is strong. The women's area is small (it seems to have been a bedroom), and can get crowded when the university is in session. NBIC has been trying to raise funds for a new building for years. I recommend sisters make wudhu before coming to the masjid, if possible.
The heart of the community is strong. Women are involved here in every aspect: governance, and education, an aspect that NBIC is very strong on. The community is mixed: West Africans, Pakistanis and Indians, some Arabs, students, older males who work in the city, and a core community of young American families. Many classes in the traditional Islamic sciences, through their sister organization, the Gibraltar Educational Initiative. (Submitted on November 13, 2005) |
| Islamic Center of New England: ★★ Women's area is small and shabby, and had lots of paper garbage when I went there (cups, plates, old newspapers, boxes). It is not marked, so a newcomer will have to choose from amongst the many closed doors. The community is not overly friendly to newcomers.
Bathrooms are okay. Men's area is spacious and beautiful, with a new carpet, chandeliers, many books, and wall hangings. Many classrooms, and hosts a day school for followers of Salafi Islam during the week. There are two weekend schools: one for Arab children, and one for everyone else. Plans are underway to start Qur'an memorization classes after school on weekdays. There are one or two halaqas in Arabic for women during the week. (Submitted on November 13, 2005) |
| Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley: ★★★★★ Beautiful, from the ground up masjid just outside of Allentown, in Eastern PA. There is a seperate area for women in the main prayer hall. The area can be enlarged or made smaller by portable carved wooden screens that are about 3 feet high. Women can see and hear the imam.
The bathrooms are very clean and very large, for both men and women. Adequate space for wudhu, shoes, extra hijabs, coat hangers, and spaces to change diapers. Large reception hall, cafeteria, and classrooms. There are activities during the week for men and women in English and Urdu (not sure about Arabic). I love visiting this masjid and praying there. (Submitted on November 13, 2005) |
| Islamic Center of America: ★★★ The masjid board has done their best to give seperate but equal space to women, and this is appreciated. There is a snack store and bookstore as well, and women business owners are encouraged to bring their product there to sell. However, people who do not follow the Salafi way may feel uncomfortable or unwelcome there. Despite the attempts of the imam to prevent it, congregants will try to drive out women who are not wearing black, who are not in jilbab, or who are not wearing niqab. Some of the sisters and brothers are also intolerant of people who pray according to a madhab and have been known to physically prevent people from praying "differently." That said, I have never encountered an instance of racism or bias here. There are no ethnic cliques, and most of the people are sincere and kind. (Submitted on November 13, 2005) |
| Masjid AsHabul Yameen: ★★★★ Praying in the women's area downstairs can be confusing. The last few times I was there, the qibla was not clearly marked. However, the women's downstairs area is very quiet and secluded, which is perfect if you want to read Qur'an, make dhikr or extra prayers, or need a place to sit with your children. There is an additional curtained-off space in the main prayer hall upstairs.
At 'Eid, the people are very orderly and disciplined. There are none of the problems associated with 'Eid prayers elsewhere (women talking, not praying right, etc). The khatib is very inspiring and energetic. He speaks both Arabic and English, but the khutba is given in English. (Submitted on November 13, 2005) |
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