It was the beautiful dream of an inspiring man, who could not speak or understand English, that gave birth to an organization that kept growing to become what is today the largest mosque in North America. This is the incredible story of an institution that is much more than a place to pray. This is the story of a community haven that holds our early memories and the echoes of childhood friendships; the place where our kids had their first kaak and “ba’at, where many cried and laughed, a place that embraces the young and the old, Arabs and non-Arabs, Muslims and people of other faiths. This is the sanctuary where the new immigrants and the American born came together to find comfort from the stress of life, to worship, to celebrate, to mourn, to learn, and to grow…..This is the story of The Islamic Center of America.
The story began in 1948 when Muslims in the Detroit area felt the need to preserve their Islamic heritage, especially for their children that had no place to connect with their religion. That year while hosting a dinner for a minister in the Lebanese government who was visiting Southeast Michigan, they asked him to recommend a religious leader to serve the community and help with their goal. The minister suggested a name that some had already knew, Imam Mohamad Jawad Chirri.
After some convincing from his friends who were already residing in the metro-Detroit area, Imam Chirri made the decision to begin his journey in America. In 1949, he travelled from Lebanon to Dearborn. However, the path was not paved with ease after arrival. Social pressures forced Imam Chirri to depart the area in 1950 for a mosque in Michigan City, Indiana, where he became more integrated in the American culture and learned the English language. Few years later, a number of the Muslim families back in Detroit, who were inspired by his message, formed the Islamic Center Foundation Society. A group of them immediately went to Michigan city and persuaded the imam to return to Dearborn to lead the newly-formed society. Soon after, Imam Chirri started working to make the dream he shared with the community in metro-Detroit a reality- building a mosque on Joy Road in Detroit that would be the first Muslim religious center in Michigan.
Imam Chirri’s commitment and efforts helped fund the Islamic Center. Trying to bring this goal to life, he made a trip to the Middle East and spoke to Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser about his vision of this center in America. Abel Nasser was so moved and inspired that he wired a check for $44,000 which helped the Islamic Center Foundation Society buy the land from Ford Motor Company. With the land secured, on November 15, 1962, the community broke ground on what was known then as the Islamic Center of Detroit.
The community then came together to support the building of the mosque. In addition to a loan from the bank, many community members donated generously to this project, some loaned money, and one person even pledged his house as collateral.
The Center opened its doors on September 20th of 1963. Families began attending the new mosque regularly and it quickly became more than a building- it was a hub for the community. Religious services were taking place weekly, kids were attending classes to learn the basis of the faith, Sunday breakfasts, wedding celebrations, Eid celebrations and other social gatherings were frequent and brought people together to connect amidst a busy life.
Being so familiar with the American culture and language, it was easy for Imam Chirri to work with many other religious groups including Christians and Jews to build a strong community of interfaith network that the Islamic Center became recognized for.
Women in the community were very dedicated and played a major role in laying the foundation for a strong institution, that would be there for their children and grandchildren. The Women’s Auxiliary Club worked relentlessly, connecting with community members to donate, distributing gifts to thousands of children on Eid, and began highlighting fundraising efforts like bake sales.
The Youth, who were always the inspiration for this Center, were very involved from the early days. They formed a group that helped them to develop leadership skills, life principles, and religious identities. The Center was never stagnant, continuing to develop and grow with the generations and their needs. And in 1997 MAYA School, a full-time Islamic school for kids from kindergarten to 8th grade, began.
The late 90’s also saw a massive wave of immigrants arriving in Southeast Michigan- with this influx and many new mosque attendees from across the region, a name change was proposed to mark a new era; the Islamic Center of Detroit became the Islamic Center of America. Other changes were also on the way; the center had already outgrown its capacity and space, so a search for a bigger space began. Luckily at the time, the YMCA was selling their property off Ford Rd in Dearborn, a prime location for a community center. The land was immediately bought; and this was the start of what was to become the largest mosque in America.
Imam Chirri’s commitment and efforts helped fund the Islamic Center. Trying to bring this goal to life, he made a trip to the Middle East and spoke to Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser about his vision of this center in America. Abel Nasser was so moved and inspired that he wired a check for $44,000 which helped the Islamic Center Foundation Society buy the land from Ford Motor Company. With the land secured, on November 15, 1962, the community broke ground on what was known then as the Islamic Center of Detroit.
The community then came together to support the building of the mosque. In addition to a loan from the bank, many community members donated generously to this project, some loaned money, and one person even pledged his house as collateral.
The community was shaken to its core when it lost its religious leader, Imam Mohamad Jawad Chirri in 1994.
In the midst of these happy moments and new beginnings, the community was shaken to its core when it lost its religious leader, Imam Mohamad Jawad Chirri in 1994. While Imam Chirri had departed from this life, his legacy lived on. Community members carried his vision and continued the growth of the Center.
After several years of planning, they broke ground. The community then came together and raised the money to build an institution that would answer its new needs and accommodate the growth of its members.
On May 12, 2005, the new center, the largest mosque in North America, opened its doors.
The ICA became a haven for the community. In addition to the religious activities, it is renowned for its wide range of educational, public and interfaith programs and workshops. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people, from different backgrounds and faiths walk through its doors.
The Islamic Center of America is the place where many Muslims in the community gather – to pray and hold their services – to celebrate together the happiest life events and mourn the saddest moments -to teach their kids Arabic at Saturday School and teach them about their faith through Sunday School. Sunday breakfasts bring many families to share food and laughter and make memories. Religious programs and sermons cater to people of different ages and backgrounds, conveying beautiful Islamic teachings and wisdom. Senior programs engage local senior citizens with social, fun, and religious activities. Friday prayers draw community members from near and far, away from their jobs and busy life, for some moments of reflection and connection with their spirituality. The youth programming continue to be central and through the organization UNI, youth can represent their voices and have a safe space for spiritual, educational and social awareness. From the work planted by Imam Chirri in the early days, inclusivity and interfaith programming continue to be major pillars in the ICA and through Maya School, children, the leaders of tomorrow, are provided with strong Islamic foundation and well-rounded education.
Today, women continue to be an essential part of the ICA. Ladies Of the ICA work tirelessly to build bridges with other community organizations. They lead weekly bake sales to raise funds for the Center, which have become an embedded tradition of the ICA and something the entire community looks forward to. They also focus on assisting, empowering and raising awareness on issues within our community.
The impact of the ICA goes far beyond its walls. Over the years, it has reached out and provided services and assistance to communities locally and globally. The Center led relief efforts for Yemen and Lebanon, to help provide food and medical supplies. During the last two years of the pandemic, the ICA provided assistance to communities as they were hurting, distributing more than 36,000 food boxes to families and administering more than 7,000 vaccines.
All these programs and activities have been carried out by a group of very dedicated individuals- the ICA volunteers-who have committed countless hours to the center. This is their second family- a home that holds their dearest memories and that has given them as much as they invest in it. Working together, we look forward to rebuilding MAYA school, expanding it to a high school, and adding a needed auditorium.
Now shortly beyond our 60-year anniversary, we celebrate you. You are the heart of the Islamic Center of America. We look to the past with gratitude and pride, and we look to the future with eager anticipation.