Muslim community growing in Connecticut

[Sam-I-am]

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ ... 6769.story

HARTFORD, Conn. - The Muslim community in Connecticut is growing, drawing more faithful to a mosque that provides room to expand and prompting efforts to reach out to others.

For example, a billboard on Interstate 84 west near Cheshire invites motorists to turn east, or toward Mecca.

The Connecticut chapter of the Islamic Circle of North America that paid for the billboard has sponsored similar highway messages nationwide to inform non-Muslims about Islam and counter negative images that followed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

"This is a national effort to establish some understanding of Islam, to start an interfaith dialogue," said Naveed Khan, a member of the United Muslim Masjid, a Waterbury mosque under construction. "There is a great need to educate people about Islam after 9/11. As a community we need to address this issue."

Islamic Circle's national convention in July at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford was attended by about 15,000 people.

"What we see in the news media and television is a picture of Muslims that is far from reality," said Muhammad Ahmad, a member of the Islamic Circle of North America and a doctor who practices internal medicine in Chicago. "Unless we go out and tell our neighbors who we are, there is no one who will correct the image."

Ahmad, who answers phone lines that inform callers about Islam, said he's received calls from curious priests, students, Muslims, non-Muslims and news reporters. Some callers have even tried to convert him to their faith.

"We are giving out information. What people want to do with that information is their problem," he said.

Construction of the United Muslim Masjid in Waterbury is more evidence of the growing Muslim community in Connecticut. Khan said the group is building a 24,000-square-foot building because its current mosque can no longer fit the growing number of Muslims in the Waterbury area who pray there five times a day and gather for Islamic holidays.

Attendance at the mosque has grown in the last decade as a rising number of Muslims have arrived in the Waterbury area from Albania, Ghana and elsewhere.

The new mosque will have a community hall, library, gymnasium, learning center and a minaret tall enough to be seen from I-84. The new mosque also will allow its members to hold more outreach activities to educate the public about Islam and Muslims.

___

Information from: The Hartford Courant, http://www.courant.com

[americangirl]

The new mosque will have a community hall, library, gymnasium, learning center and a minaret tall enough to be seen from I-84. The new mosque also will allow its members to hold more outreach activities to educate the public about Islam and Muslims.

And this new mosque will have gender-segregated areas whereby what they believe to be the inferior, second-class gender, will be banished to.

I think Islam is a disgusting religion, and I feel many many Muslims are dangerous, backward people who treat women like animals.

[agrneydgrl]

All I know about Islam is that Christians can't display anything to do with Jesus and Godor the 10 commandmants, but the Muslims can have footbaths displayed all over the country.

[wilma1]

I agree Americangirl! Why oh why are we letting these people in? I've noticed a dramatic increas here in Orange Co., Ca. in the last several years. Many more. You would think after 9/11 things would've changed. Of course thats rational thinking what am I saying!

[MyAmerica]

The new mosque also will allow its members to hold more outreach activities to educate the public about Islam and Muslims.

Mexican President Calderon trying to educate and 'neutralize' American's about Mexicans and Muslims trying to educate us about Islam. No thanks I have a PhD in American Patriotism.

What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?
- Thomas Jefferson

[Sam-I-am]

The new mosque will have a community hall, library, gymnasium, learning center and a minaret tall enough to be seen from I-84. The new mosque also will allow its members to hold more outreach activities to educate the public about Islam and Muslims.

And this new mosque will have gender-segregated areas whereby what they believe to be the inferior, second-class gender, will be banished to.

I think Islam is a disgusting religion, and I feel many many Muslims are dangerous, backward people who treat women like animals.

I'll tell you what AG, you've inspired me, the NEXT time I see a muslim woman in her hijab or burka, I'm saying something -- if her slave owner has a problem w/what I say, he'll just have to eat it.

[americangirl]

The new mosque will have a community hall, library, gymnasium, learning center and a minaret tall enough to be seen from I-84. The new mosque also will allow its members to hold more outreach activities to educate the public about Islam and Muslims.

And this new mosque will have gender-segregated areas whereby what they believe to be the inferior, second-class gender, will be banished to.

I think Islam is a disgusting religion, and I feel many many Muslims are dangerous, backward people who treat women like animals.

I'll tell you what AG, you've inspired me, the NEXT time I see a muslim woman in her hijab or burka, I'm saying something -- if her slave owner has a problem w/what I say, he'll just have to eat it.

[sgt_shlitz]

The new mosque will have a community hall, library, gymnasium, learning center and a minaret tall enough to be seen from I-84. The new mosque also will allow its members to hold more outreach activities to educate the public about Islam and Muslims.

And this new mosque will have gender-segregated areas whereby what they believe to be the inferior, second-class gender, will be banished to.

I think Islam is a disgusting religion, and I feel many many Muslims are dangerous, backward people who treat women like animals.

Yup, Ms Bhutto is a clear example of how Islam treat their women.

[NOamNASTY]

The new mosque will have a community hall, library, gymnasium, learning center and a minaret tall enough to be seen from I-84. The new mosque also will allow its members to hold more outreach activities to educate the public about Islam and Muslims.

And this new mosque will have gender-segregated areas whereby what they believe to be the inferior, second-class gender, will be banished to.

I think Islam is a disgusting religion, and I feel many many Muslims are dangerous, backward people who treat women like animals.

I'll tell you what AG, you've inspired me, the NEXT time I see a muslim woman in her hijab or burka, I'm saying something -- if her slave owner has a problem w/what I say, he'll just have to eat it.

Sorry but with the new hate crimes , you will probasbly be doing the eating, in form of jail or imprisonment. In GB they locked up two people for protesting the radicals in the streets shouting Britton will pay,your 911 is on it's way ". They have taken most of Europe, Asia, Africa, parts of Russia thanks to clintons to bombing Serbs to give to Albanians. Americans are acting just like the europeans did before hitler took them over . It was the muslims who helped Hitler conquor much of europe, but you never read about it . It is all on film and documented though . America is making even worse mistake because we are being warned unlike Polland Croasia and others . You would have thought 911 would wake us up, but I be damned if it didn't seem to make us more ' tolerent' !

[Lugundum]

Isn't globalization wonderful? You have growing minority of Muslims and in Madrid, Spain illegal aliens from Mexico and Peru have been already running riots .....