Posted on 07/16/2005 9:02:48 PM PDT by BigFinn
Wichita-area Muslims on Wednesday celebrated the grand opening of Kansas' largest mosque.
The event drew hundreds of visitors -- including Gov. Kathleen Sebelius -- to join the celebration and tour the facility.
The 10,050-square-foot mosque -- which has yet to be officially named -- is at 6655 E. 34th St. North and adjoins the Muslim Community Center, where Muslims had previously prayed.
The mosque includes a carpeted prayer area on the main floor, a 10-foot-high speaker's platform or pulpit, an area to wash the bodies of people who have died and an office for the imam, a prayer leader.
For Muslims, the opening of the mosque marked the end of nearly 10 years of concept planning and four years of fiscal planning. It was built at a cost of more than $800,000, debt-free.
"It's just like home," said Nabil Seyam, spokesman for the Islamic Society of Wichita. "The mosque, it is a place of worship, but it also is a place where it feels like home. There is no evil in it. It's a place of peace."
Eileen Farhat, left, prepares to give Gov. Kathleen Sebelius a tour of the new Wichita mosque on Wednesday.
As part of the grand opening ceremony, there were readings from the Quran. Muslim leaders and Sebelius gave speeches to a standing-room only audience of several hundred inside the community center.
Sebelius told the group she was impressed with the facility not just as a faith center, but as a community center and education center. There is a school inside the building.
After the speeches and readings, visitors were allowed to tour the mosque. Visitors removed their shoes as they entered the carpeted prayer area. Women were given scarves to cover their hair.
After the tour, Sebelius said she hoped the visibility of the mosque would prompt non-Muslims to visit and learn more about the faith.
"I'm a big believer that the more we learn about one another, the more we learn how much we have in common," she said. "People tend to view each other with a little suspicion until they figure out these are parents and professionals and community leaders. I think this is great."
Assem Farhat, president of the board of trustees for the Islamic Society of Wichita, saw another positive in having such a large mosque in the city.
"It improves the attractability of the city to Muslims" from outside the city, he said. "They would be more likely to consider Wichita."
Following the tours, people gathered in the community center for refreshments.
At one table sat Sharfuddin Shah, the former president of the board of trustees for the Islamic Society. He moved to Dallas last year before the mosque was complete, so seeing the finished building was important and special.
"It's very nice," he said. "I was glad to hear it was finished and glad to see it finished."
They started a LONG time ago..Just wait..What happened in London will happen here this year..Mark my word
Time to arm ourselves.I doubt the govt will protect us . The Dems will be still b*tching about some guy kicking a Koran ,trying to slander Bush while we're all dead. The country is MAD.The Dems are totally off the charts insane.
The RINOs refuse to support any conservative Republican who runs for office. The RINOs gave us the first elected Democrat Representing the 3rd District in 43 years because a conservative Republican beat a Liberal in the Primary. Totally disgusting!
Yikes!!! You think visiting their mosques and donning their Muslim garb is a great way to 'integrate Muslims into American society'? Actually the complete reverse is what happened in this story, they have integrated the governor into Muslim society.
So how many churches are in the whole Saudi Arabia?
The Guv. is decked out in Muzzie head gear. Sickening! Is she a Dim or Rino?
They're not dumb, they've been blinded by their own greed and lust for power so they can't see the larger picture. This little trip to the mosque was for publicity's sake, and to drum up the Muslim, 'minority' and liberal votes for next election.
I enjoy reading the Bible, and I've read many passages where God has (spiritually) blinded his people as chastisement for straying away from Him. It's as though He is saying: "If you don't need Me any longer then go ahead without Me, and find out what it's like to live a willful and God-less life".
What horror movie was that scene in?
This is insane. Europe allowed the Muslim virus to infect their continent for the last 30+ years, and the result is murder, bombings, and terror.
What the heck are we doing in this country? Haven't we learned SOMETHING from Europe's experience?
And, I might add, it's about damned time...
I beleive she is a Dim and I'd like some Kansas Freeper to explain how a normally sensible heartland state elected her to anything. I do hope her opponent has the sense to plaster that hokey picture all over next campaign, intertwined with images of 9-11 and 7-7.
"which has yet to be officially named"
Social Islamic Center of Kansas: SICK
In the world of prophetic taglines, that one's right down my alley...
"There is no evil in it. It's a place of peace."
The place isn't evil, it's the people who are in the place that are evil.
OMG....so....are they "moderate Muslims?"
They don't exist, it's strictly a rumor.
Yes.
For now.
But only until Phase 3 of their mosque-building project is complete...
...that involves stocking the magazines in the sub-basement.
"Looks like in the background of the picture, there ARE women NOT wearing the hijab."
I want to know why women's rights groups aren't jumping all over islam for forcing women to wear clothing that men are not required to?
Great tag line. Now I know where i saw that before. Thanks, Marine Dad.
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