Harford County Muslims Collect Funds for First Masjid

Approximately 250 people attended the fundraiser, which featured special guests Imam Siraj Wahhaj, Imam Johari Abdul Malik and Ustaz Omar Baloch, resident scholar of the Furqaan Institute of Quranic Education in Chicago.  Approximately $111,000 was raised that night, far below the night’s goal of $300,000.  A sum of $390,000 is needed by January 29th to buy a 3-bedroom house with 5-acres of land, the future destination of Masjid Al-Falaah.  

Masjid Al-Falaah, under the legal entity of Harford County Education Society (HCES), first came into existence on the first of Ramadan 2007 in a garage in Edgewood, Maryland.  Instead of commuting 25 minutes to Masjid Al-Noor and 45 minutes to Masjid Al-Rahmah, the small community was able to offer an entire Ramadan’s worth of Taraweeh prayers in a location close to their homes.  They were also able to establish regular prayers as well as Jumuah prayers at this location.

Now the county’s Muslim community of approximately 100 families regularly convenes in a rented office suite in Bel Air, MD, and has become even more active at this location.  Many families attend weekly family nights, with dinner and a lecture, and approximately fifty students regularly attend a fast-growing Sunday school.  “Without a center, we don’t have a voice.  We need to have a place of our own,” voiced Dr. Rehan Khan, one of the founding members of Masjid Al-Falaah. “To quote Allama Iqbal, ‘We should pray for a sun of our own.  You can’t depend on borrowed rays of light.’”

Harford County Education Society has signed a contract for the 3-bedroom house and land in Abingdon, Maryland, about 7 miles from Bel Air and 12 miles from Havre de Grace.  Because the economy is suffering, the Society took advantage of reasonable land prices to purchase land central to Harford County’s Muslims.  However, if the society is unable to pay the contract’s terms of $390,000, they will lose the contract.  The future land of Masjid Al-Falaah is located 3 minutes away from exit 77B off of Interstate I-95, serving as the first Masjid located between Maryland and Delaware and also making it very convenient for travelers.  Another unique feature of Masjid Al-Falaah is that it is the only Masjid serving Aberdeen Proving Grounds.  According to Khan, a base reassignment will bring at least 50-60 additional Muslim families to the area, making the need for a bigger space even greater.

With events such as a Ravens football game and the march for Gaza in Washington, DC the same day as the fundraiser, the turnout could have been a little better.  Money still needs to be raised to meet the terms of the contract.  Thus, another fundraiser for Masjid Al-Falaah will be held on Sunday, January 25th at Shahi Grill in Baltimore, MD.   Please support this growing Muslim community by making your checks payable to “HCES - 2107 Laurel Bush Road, Suite 101 Bel Air MD 21015.”