Below is an interview that was conducted with Hayatullah Hamidi, a board member of the Islamic Center of Contra Costa. The interview took place at Islamic Center of Contra Costa on Thursday, October 31st at 7:00 pm.
1. When was the site founded? The Islamic Center of Contra Costa was founded in 1986. It expanded in 1998, as more Muslims arrived to the area and the community grew larger.
2. Who was/were the founder(s)? Unfortunately, there was no information about the founder(s).
3. How did the mosque derive its name? The site was established as the Islamic Center of Contra Costa. Later in 1998, it was also named Masjid al-Umar Farooq. The Islamic Center is a non-profit organization that includes the Masjid.
4. What demographic does the mosque serve? The majority, about 60 percent, of the mosque members are Afghans. The remaining 40 percent of members are Pakistanis, Arabs, Indians,Turkish, Chinese, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and also, some other representatives of post Soviet Union Countries.
5. What size is the community? What is unique about the community? The mosque has about 400 members. Most of the members are immigrants and there are also some converts. Both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims are welcomed at the mosque. The majority of the community is Sunni. The community of the mosque is very inclusive and welcomes everyone.
6. Is your site affiliated or partners with any other mosques? It is not affiliated or in partnership with any other mosques.
7. What kind of structure is your mosque ? It is a one story building in a residential area located within a walking distance from Concord BART station.
8. What are the projects that the mosque is involved in?
9. What kind of events does the mosque host or participate in? During Ramadan, every single day they host Iftar ( dinner, meal that is eaten after sunset). Twice a year, the mosque has open house where peole
10. What services does the center offer?
11. Have their been any significant milestones? In 2000, a part of the current site was purchased and the rest was bought in 2003. The cost of the building, including its remodeling, was about $900,000. All the money was collected through fundraisers.
12. Could you please give us more information about the board and your involvement with the board? The board consists of seven members, including the President of the Center. The board is in charge of how the mosque facilitates. Elections take place every two years to select the members. The board had never had a female board member, because a female had never run for this position. Mr. Hamidi has served on the board two times in a row, after taking a break for five years and now he is back to serve his third term.
13. How many Imams (worship leader of a mosque) does the mosque have? Please give us a brief information about the Imam. The mosque has only one Imam, who is not a board member. He holds a paid position. The bylaws require an Imam to have a B.A. degree in Islamic Studies
14. Does the mosque have a muazzin ( a person appointed at a mosque to recite the call for the daily prayers) ? There is no designated person who calls Athan (call for the prayer), someone from the people who come to pray recite the Athan.
15. Where does the mosque get its funding from? All the fundings come from members. They voluntarily pay for the membership and also, make monetary donations to the mosque.
16. Could you provide us more information about the Sunday school? All the teachers at school are volunteers. They are examined by the Imam to see if they qualify to teach.
17. Does the mosque have a constitution? No, it does not. It only has bylaws, that were established in 1998.
18. What is your personal opinion about the mosque? The mosque is here to educate people, answer the questions of non-Muslims about Islam and to educate the youth, for them to be righteous people . There can always be more and more improvements made.
19. Are there any documents such as building plan, photos of construction or any historical items? No
20. How do you feel about the neighbors? At first there was a little bit of tension. The mosque organized an open house and things got better. Some issues have arisen because of the parking lot . About seven years ado during the remodeling and Ramadan (the Holy month when Muslims fast) there were some complains from the neighbors, but he issues were resolved.
21. Has the mosque/community experience any discrimination or hate crimes? In 2009, someone mailed a mail that said: "That is a time for our jihad, to jihad against you guys." This case was investigated by FBI for about 6-8 months, but the case was later closed because the suspects were not found.
22. Has the mosque been involved in any legal cases? No, nothing besides the case in which we got the letter.
23. Has anything been published about the mosque? Once Contra Costa Times published an article about people who went to Hajj (pilgrimage)
1. When was the site founded? The Islamic Center of Contra Costa was founded in 1986. It expanded in 1998, as more Muslims arrived to the area and the community grew larger.
2. Who was/were the founder(s)? Unfortunately, there was no information about the founder(s).
3. How did the mosque derive its name? The site was established as the Islamic Center of Contra Costa. Later in 1998, it was also named Masjid al-Umar Farooq. The Islamic Center is a non-profit organization that includes the Masjid.
4. What demographic does the mosque serve? The majority, about 60 percent, of the mosque members are Afghans. The remaining 40 percent of members are Pakistanis, Arabs, Indians,Turkish, Chinese, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and also, some other representatives of post Soviet Union Countries.
5. What size is the community? What is unique about the community? The mosque has about 400 members. Most of the members are immigrants and there are also some converts. Both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims are welcomed at the mosque. The majority of the community is Sunni. The community of the mosque is very inclusive and welcomes everyone.
6. Is your site affiliated or partners with any other mosques? It is not affiliated or in partnership with any other mosques.
7. What kind of structure is your mosque ? It is a one story building in a residential area located within a walking distance from Concord BART station.
8. What are the projects that the mosque is involved in?
9. What kind of events does the mosque host or participate in? During Ramadan, every single day they host Iftar ( dinner, meal that is eaten after sunset). Twice a year, the mosque has open house where peole
10. What services does the center offer?
11. Have their been any significant milestones? In 2000, a part of the current site was purchased and the rest was bought in 2003. The cost of the building, including its remodeling, was about $900,000. All the money was collected through fundraisers.
12. Could you please give us more information about the board and your involvement with the board? The board consists of seven members, including the President of the Center. The board is in charge of how the mosque facilitates. Elections take place every two years to select the members. The board had never had a female board member, because a female had never run for this position. Mr. Hamidi has served on the board two times in a row, after taking a break for five years and now he is back to serve his third term.
13. How many Imams (worship leader of a mosque) does the mosque have? Please give us a brief information about the Imam. The mosque has only one Imam, who is not a board member. He holds a paid position. The bylaws require an Imam to have a B.A. degree in Islamic Studies
14. Does the mosque have a muazzin ( a person appointed at a mosque to recite the call for the daily prayers) ? There is no designated person who calls Athan (call for the prayer), someone from the people who come to pray recite the Athan.
15. Where does the mosque get its funding from? All the fundings come from members. They voluntarily pay for the membership and also, make monetary donations to the mosque.
16. Could you provide us more information about the Sunday school? All the teachers at school are volunteers. They are examined by the Imam to see if they qualify to teach.
17. Does the mosque have a constitution? No, it does not. It only has bylaws, that were established in 1998.
18. What is your personal opinion about the mosque? The mosque is here to educate people, answer the questions of non-Muslims about Islam and to educate the youth, for them to be righteous people . There can always be more and more improvements made.
19. Are there any documents such as building plan, photos of construction or any historical items? No
20. How do you feel about the neighbors? At first there was a little bit of tension. The mosque organized an open house and things got better. Some issues have arisen because of the parking lot . About seven years ado during the remodeling and Ramadan (the Holy month when Muslims fast) there were some complains from the neighbors, but he issues were resolved.
21. Has the mosque/community experience any discrimination or hate crimes? In 2009, someone mailed a mail that said: "That is a time for our jihad, to jihad against you guys." This case was investigated by FBI for about 6-8 months, but the case was later closed because the suspects were not found.
22. Has the mosque been involved in any legal cases? No, nothing besides the case in which we got the letter.
23. Has anything been published about the mosque? Once Contra Costa Times published an article about people who went to Hajj (pilgrimage)
Below is an interview that was conducted with Masoda Musazay, teacher of Qur'an and Islamic study. The interview took place at Islamic Center of Contra Costa on Thursday, October 31st at 6:30 pm.
1. Could you tell us about the demographics of the area around here? Most of the people are Afghans followed by Persians, Chinese and Indians.
2. Do you know any converts by any chance? Yes, quite a few.
3. A lot like how many? Well, in the past, we had two converts within every two weeks.
4. And most of them are Americans? There are Americans, but I see Spanish speaking converts more often.
5. Talking about the kids, you guys are having a lot of them in the mosque? They are in a special program. They are also in school for Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes. Monday and Wednesday classes are for Qur'an recitation and reading and writing Arabic, and Sunday classes are for Islamic teaching. Basically, it’s like Islamic study.
6. So the kids who come on Mondays and Wednesdays do not come on Sundays and vice versa? Sometimes they do, and sometimes they do not. Monday and Wednesday classes are separate, and both groups usually come on Sundays. Most of the kids come on Sundays because they usually have school during the week days. However, kids are not required to come to both classes.
7. What is the average age of the kids? From five to eighteen.
8. Do you know how many students are there approximately? I would say approximately about 980 kids. I don’t really know the exact number , but I would say average is about that
9. Do you teach both of the classes? Yes. I teach both Koran and Islamic study.
10. Are you born in America? No, but I have lived here for most of my life. I was born in Afghanistan, and grew up in America.
11. So you speak Arabic as well? I understand, but I used to fluent when I lived in an Arabic speaking country.
12. Do you know why Afghans come to this mosque more than the people from other ethnicity? I think it’s because the founders of this mosque were mostly Afghans, and they’ve been here for more than sixteen years. Hence, it was a long time. Moreover, most of the committee consists of Afghans.
13. So, is it the only mosque in Concord No, I know there is at least one more in Contra and another in Walnut Creek and the Bay area.
14. Are you Shi’a or Sunni? Sunni
15. Do you usually go to other mosque besides this one? No. I am used to come here and also,bring my kids here.
1. Could you tell us about the demographics of the area around here? Most of the people are Afghans followed by Persians, Chinese and Indians.
2. Do you know any converts by any chance? Yes, quite a few.
3. A lot like how many? Well, in the past, we had two converts within every two weeks.
4. And most of them are Americans? There are Americans, but I see Spanish speaking converts more often.
5. Talking about the kids, you guys are having a lot of them in the mosque? They are in a special program. They are also in school for Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes. Monday and Wednesday classes are for Qur'an recitation and reading and writing Arabic, and Sunday classes are for Islamic teaching. Basically, it’s like Islamic study.
6. So the kids who come on Mondays and Wednesdays do not come on Sundays and vice versa? Sometimes they do, and sometimes they do not. Monday and Wednesday classes are separate, and both groups usually come on Sundays. Most of the kids come on Sundays because they usually have school during the week days. However, kids are not required to come to both classes.
7. What is the average age of the kids? From five to eighteen.
8. Do you know how many students are there approximately? I would say approximately about 980 kids. I don’t really know the exact number , but I would say average is about that
9. Do you teach both of the classes? Yes. I teach both Koran and Islamic study.
10. Are you born in America? No, but I have lived here for most of my life. I was born in Afghanistan, and grew up in America.
11. So you speak Arabic as well? I understand, but I used to fluent when I lived in an Arabic speaking country.
12. Do you know why Afghans come to this mosque more than the people from other ethnicity? I think it’s because the founders of this mosque were mostly Afghans, and they’ve been here for more than sixteen years. Hence, it was a long time. Moreover, most of the committee consists of Afghans.
13. So, is it the only mosque in Concord No, I know there is at least one more in Contra and another in Walnut Creek and the Bay area.
14. Are you Shi’a or Sunni? Sunni
15. Do you usually go to other mosque besides this one? No. I am used to come here and also,bring my kids here.