Diyanet Center of America

Diyanet Center of America
The DCA's campus is built in the Ottoman style
Established 1993 (1993)
Founded at Lanham, Maryland
Coordinates 38°59′02″N 76°50′38″W / 38.98389°N 76.84389°W / 38.98389; -76.84389Coordinates: 38°59′02″N 76°50′38″W / 38.98389°N 76.84389°W / 38.98389; -76.84389
Parent organization
 Diyanet
Website diyanetamerica.org

Diyanet Center of America (DCA) is a non-profit organization based in Lanham, Maryland serving the needs of the Muslims in the Washington Metropolitan Area.[1] The center holds regular Friday congregational prayers, Ramadan dinners, religious holiday celebrations and various other social, cultural, and religious activities.[2]

The center benefits from its proximity to the nation's capital, various federal and state institutions, and schools.

The complex consists of five main buildings, an underground parking garage, and a geothermal well field on a 15-acre site. The five buildings are a mosque constructed using 16th century classical Ottoman architecture, a cultural center building, a guest house, a fellowship hall with a restaurant and shops, and a recreational building housing a Turkish bath, an indoor pool, and a sports center.[3][4][5]

History

The organization was established as the Turkish American Islamic Foundation in 1993, and as the scope of services expanded it was renamed to the Turkish American Community Center (TACC) in 2003.[6] After the completion of a comprehensive construction project, the center was renamed to its assumed business name of Diyanet Center of America, which receives major support from Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), an institution of the Government of Turkey.[7] The result of the construction project is a small village that will be an important cultural hub for all visitors and residents of Washington DC area.[8]

Affiliated mosques

Paterson Mevlana Mosque Paterson NJ

In the media

The local Muslim population was excited about plans to establish a new complex.[9] However, the center also came to the attention of some anti-Islam factions and evangelical groups with opposition pages on their websites.[10][11][12][13][14][15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Organizations Representing Turkish Americans and the U.S.-Turkey Relationship in the U.S.
  2. ↑ Services
  3. ↑ "Turkish American Cultural and Civilization Center". transtech.org. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Turkish-American Community Center - Hassa Architecture". hassa.com. Archived from the original on 6 July 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Preliminary Plan 4-10006
  6. ↑ Turkish Coalition of America. "Directory by State". tc-america.org. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
  7. ↑ About Us
  8. ↑ What Is DCA
  9. ↑ [the local Muslim population was excited 'A Symbol of Friendship' : Turkish PM Lays Stone for $100M Masjid Complex In Maryland]
  10. ↑ Turkey Stakes Claim in America With $100 Million Mega-Mosque
  11. ↑ $100 million mega-mosque coming to this state
  12. ↑ Maryland Blessed With $100 Million Turkish Mega-Mosque
  13. ↑ Oh, MARYLAND! Turkish government has begun construction on a $100 million ‘mosquetrosity’ in Maryland
  14. ↑ Muslims Begin Construction On $100 Million American Mosque
  15. ↑ Barack Hussein Obama will join Turkish president Recep Erdogan at the opening of a new $100 million Turkish mega-mosquetrosity in Maryland
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