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16 I ORLD NEWSW Passion Islam I September 2008
to know more about the faith. I think this is
very beneficial.”
The Muslim community has grown
quickly in metro Atlanta in the past 25
years. mBilal Mahmud is a Christian who
converted to Islam in 1973. Three years
later, he came to Atlanta from Washington
to help establish a mosque with five or six
local men. There were few Muslims in the
area at the time, he said.
In about 1978, the men began making
plans for the mosque. “But the plans
were nothing like this,” Mahmud said,
Million Dollar Masjid
looking around Sunday at the impressive
structure.
Siddiq said, “There were times we
thought we would never be finished in our
open its doors in Atlanta
lifetime.”
The community started services in
1980, meeting in an older building on the
Al-Farooq Masjid, Atlanta’s largest details and the intricate, geometric, hand- 14th Street property when that part of town
mosque, opened its doors on 14th Street painted designs on the dome and walls. was run-down. The original building’s old
Northwest last month, proudly showing off The guests were suitably impressed. prayer hall was razed to make way for the
to invited guests the $10 million edifice The Rev. Jimmy Allen of the new mosque.
with it 65-foot-high dome over the main Cooperative Baptist Fellowship went on Several members said they were
prayer hall. an interfaith trip to the Mideast with Siddiq glad to be part of the revitalization of the
“It’s with a sense of humbleness and several years ago, and he said Sunday area it is bounded by Atlantic Station on
gratitude toward God Almighty that he that he was glad to celebrate the opening the north and Georgia Tech on the south
has allowed us to see the completion of of the mosque with his friend. and they thought the typical Islamic
this mosque,” said Khalid Siddiq, a Cobb “I told him I was glad that it’s already architecture brought a bit of sparkle to the
County resident and longtime leader paid for, and that I would like to have his neighborhood.
in Atlanta’s Muslim community. “The list of donors,” Allen quipped. The influx of immigrants to metro
community has been trying to build this Siddiq said the money came from Atlanta included many Muslims, which
mosque for the last 10 years.” the Atlanta community and friends. None helped local congregations including that
Members excitedly took guests from came from foreign governments. of Al-Farooq Masjid grow. There are now
other faiths on tours of Al-Farooq Masjid, John Hardy Jones of Atlanta said, “I about three dozen mosques scattered from
pointing out the carved travertine stone think all of us that are not Muslim need Gwinnett County to Clayton County.
195 Palestinians die in
Quran graduation
ceremony held
Israeli jails since 1967
The Governor of Saudi Arabia’s
southern Asir region Prince
Faisal bin Khaled patronized
last month in honoring
Gaza – Shaaban 16 1429/
ceremony of the 32nd batch
August 17, 2008 – The number of
of students memorizing the
Palestinians, who died in Israeli
Holy Quran and students of
jails since 1967 reached 195,
intensive course of revising
according to a report released
memorization of Quran. The
by the Palestinian Ministry of
function was organized by the
Prisoners Affairs. In the past
Charitable Society of the Holy
years, Israeli Prisons Department
Quran Memorization in Asir
formed a special force armed
Region.
with batons, tear gases and other
In his speech, the Society’s
tools of torture including dogs to
President Sheikh Mohammed
exercise various types of torture
bin Ibrahim Al Hedeithi
to oppress Palestinian prisoners,
commended the efforts made
reported Jordan’s news agency
by the Saudi government under
Petra quoting the report as
the leadership of Custodian of
saying.
the Two Holy Mosques King
According to the report, the
Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and
use of excessive and lethal force
Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul
by the Israeli department against
Aziz in the service of the Holy
Palestinian prisoners has been a
Quran in the Kingdom and
systematic policy since 1967. It
abroad. During the ceremony,
has been further escalated and
Prince Faisal bin Khaled
became more dangerous since
handed over certificates and
August 16, 1988, it said.
cash prizes to the students.
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