There has been a lot of talk in the past few months about the so-called Mosque at Ground zero. This media-promoted name is enough to make any red-blooded American protest. But if you examine further, you will find that this is not what is going on at all.
This building is not going to be a mosque. It is to be a community center. Sound like semantics? Not really. A mosque is a building used for Muslim worship, education and the settling of disputes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosque). While prayer space will be available on one of it's 15 floors, it is primarily a community center. It will boast a 500-seat auditorium, conference rooms, library, banquet room, classrooms, gym and pool. (http://www.cordobainitiative.org/?q=content/frequently-asked-questions)
The proposed building is not at the location of ground zero, but two blocks away. It is not even visible from ground zero.
This project, named the Cordoba Initiative, is being spear-headed by Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. He is a Sufi Muslim, author of the book What's Right with Islam is What's Right with America, and Imam of Masjid al-Farah in New York City. His life's work has been to serve as a bridge between the faiths. Sufi Muslims are a minority in Islam. They are a mystic sect and are not accepted by many Sunni and Shia Muslims. The terrorists on the planes on 911 were Sunni Muslims from Saudi Arabia but, more importantly, they were religious extremists.
No comments:
Post a Comment