Joplin mosque raises half its rebuilding goal in 2 days

A fundraising campaign for the fire-ravaged Joplin, Missouri mosque has raised half its rebuilding goal in only two days.

The mosque has raised $126,000 of its $250,000 goal in an online campaign that's attracted nearly 1,000 donors, many of them anonymous. A suspicious fire early Monday morning razed the mosque. This last blaze followed an arson attempt caught on tape five weeks ago that the FBI is still investigating.

When asked about the fundraising response, Navid Zaidi, assistant treasurer of the Islamic Society of Joplin says: "It's really awesome." Zaidi, who is a physician, told Yahoo News that finding rental space for the congregation during Ramadan and the rebuilding itself will be a big project. The mosque is insured against fire, but the congregation is raising extra funds for a security system and to help potentially rebuild within Joplin city limits, instead of in the more remote location where it used to be. Some Joplin residents are also organizing a "Neighbors" rally in support of the congregation to be held Aug. 25, the Joplin Globe reported.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Zaidi's position in the Islamic Society of Joplin.