Columbus mosque grew from storefront start because 'the community came together'

A father hurries his children along as they rush to make it on time to Asr, or afternoon prayers, at the Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center on Columbus' West Side. One of the little girls with him, wearing a black hijab, hurries along at his heels as they rush down the wide hallway and disappear into the crowd.

Soon after, an elderly man shuffles into the lobby of the mosque, donning his traditional Islamic robe and prayer cap, along with a cane in his right hand. As he makes his way to the red and yellow tape on the ground instructing worshippers to remove their shoes before entering the prayer rooms area, he utters a soft "Assalam alaikum" to other nearby worshippers.

"Wa alaikum as-salum," or "and may peace be upon you," they respond in unison.

The Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center has established itself as a pillar within the Islamic community in Greater Columbus. As the mosque heads toward its 10-year anniversary in October 2024, its leaders and members — especially its young adult members ― say they look forward to assisting the Greater Columbus Islamic community in building a stronger relationship with their faith and spirituality.

"Our mission is to provide a peaceful and family-oriented Islamic atmosphere, based on the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with the understanding of the Salaf (pious predecessors) for all Muslims. It is also to provide the necessary Islamic education for our community in general and particularly for our youth," the center proclaims on their website.

As others remove their footwear and prepare to perform the wudu ritual, where they cleanse themselves before entering the prayer rooms, they talk, laugh, and catch up with each other and the events in their lives that have transpired since the previous Friday.

Inside one of the prayer rooms for the women, young girls and older women sit and pass the time as they wait for the prayer session to start. Other worshippers are catching up on their verses from the Quran, the faith's holy book.

The center started off more than nine years ago as a community endeavor by those who saw a vision for Muslims to congregate and establish close-knit bonds. For many, it was a way for immigrants to integrate as they adjusted to a new land, a new culture, and a new community.

A small storefront and a growing need

Like other mosques in Columbus, the Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center grew from a group of people who found themselves fulfilling a growing need as the Islamic community in the city has grown. While it is difficult to confirm the population growth since it's not data that the U.S. Census tracks, in 2014 the Pew Research Center estimated the Muslim population of Ohio at approximately 1% of the state's population.

But given the age of the data, this is more than likely an undercount. The Council on Islamic Relations (CAIR) Ohio chapter estimates that the state's Muslim population is closer to around 2%, with 100,000 Muslims living in Greater Columbus alone.

Somali Americans make up a majority of the local Muslim population, and Ohio has the second largest Somali population in the United States at between 45,000 and 50,000 residents, according to estimates from the Somali Community Association of Ohio. Minnesota has the highest population, with almost 65,000.

The Columbus area has about 20 mosques, with some serving a few thousand members to smaller ones with a few hundred members, said Imran Malik, the interfaith and outreach coordinator for Noor Islamic Cultural Center in Dublin, in an email to The Dispatch.

The Abubakar Assidiq mosque started out in 2004 in a small storefront at 3437 Sullivant Ave. in the Hilltop area. Ten years later, in order to accommodate the growing Islamic community in Columbus, the group launched an ambitious fundraising campaign to open the current mosque at 591 Industrial Mile Road, located off the north side of Sullivant Avenue just east of the Interstate 270 western outerbelt.

The current mosque has more than 30,000 square feet of space and sits on approximately 10 acres of land. About 7,000 worshippers attend every week, according to Horsed Nooh, director of the Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center.

"The community came together and approved the idea to start a mosque. Before, this place was empty," Nooh said.

While many worshippers who attend live within Greater Columbus, there are also transient worshippers who while visiting or traveling from other places stop at the mosque to fulfill their five daily prayers, Nooh said.

The center also offers Quran study, social services and youth activities, and interfaith activities to teach others about the life and culture of Islam.

Young members see mosque as second home: 'We didn't feel alone'

While the elders within the Abubakar Assidiq mosque have laid the foundation, the young adult members who frequent the mosque have developed their leadership skills and sense of community under the tutelage of their mentors and each other.

For some, like Miriam Elie, 21, whose family came to Columbus from Egypt in 2014, the mosque has become a place of refuge and was vital in helping her family integrate into the community.

"For me, the mosque has been a special place, near and dear to my heart," Elie said. "It's always been nurturing. It took care of us. We had people who would help us with anything that we need."

Elie said the Islamic center helped her family adjust to their new life in the United States, providing socialization and community building. Many of the friends she's made since arriving in Columbus almost a decade ago are also regular attendees at the mosque.

"We didn't feel alone. We didn't feel isolated," Elie said.

Fowzia Mohamud, 24, said the Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center has provided young adults such as herself with a "nurturing environment" filled with mentors to guide them through life's challenges. Fowzia's parents have regularly attended events held by the mosque.

"The community has given us a nurturing environment that has cultivated us and helped us build our futures," she said.

Mohamud and her peers have also taken charge in addressing topics such as gun violence and drug use within the community, and have also held conversations about preserving the Muslim identity amid Western culture. She expressed optimism in the continuing community support among youth.

"I see the community growing even stronger, and together, continuing to solve the many problems that we face, especially with the youth."

@ShahidMeighan

smeighan@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Abubakar Assidiq Islamic Center grew from storefront, community need