Islamic Society of Baltimore

Coordinates: 39°18′13″N 76°44′53″W / 39.303531°N 76.747926°W / 39.303531; -76.747926

Islamic Society of Baltimore
Basic information
Location Catonsville, Maryland
Affiliation Islam
Leadership Imam(s):
Muhammad Zahid
Website https://isb.org/
Architectural description
Architectural type Mosque
Date established 1969
Direction of façade northeast

The Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB) is a mosque and religious community center in Northern Catonsville, in Baltimore County, Maryland, home to Masjid Al-Rahmah, Al-Rahmah School, and the Al-Rahmah Quran Academy. The society was founded in 1969 by the local Muslim community and is known for President Barack Obama's visit on February 3, 2016. Today, the society serves around 3,000 people.

History

The Islamic Society of Baltimore was founded in 1969, by three Muslim doctors.[1] They, and several Muslim families, met weekly on the campus of Johns Hopkins University.[2] As the Muslim community grew, they needed a larger facility.[3] So in 1982, the society purchased an 8-acre lot off Johnnycake Road where the present Masjid Al-Rahmah was built in 1984.[4] A few years later, a small housing complex was built adjacent to the mosque, and by 1987, a full-time K-12 primary school, Al-Rahmah School, was established. The Al-Rahmah Sunday school was founded in the next decade and the multi-purpose hall was built in 1996.[3] In 1999, scholar Qari Muhammad Zahid started and is currently the director of the Al-Rahmah Quran Academy.[5] In 2003, Mohammed Adam El-Sheikh, who has been an imam at the mosque from 1983-1989 and 1994-2003, left the mosque.[6]

Barack Obama's visit

Plans for former president Barack Obama to visit the society were announced by the White House on January 30, 2016. White House officials say that it was "to celebrate the contributions Muslim Americans make to our nation and reaffirm the importance of religious freedom to our way of life", which is likely related to the combat of Islamophobia. Several people have derided the visit, such as Zuhdi Jasser, who said, "As a Muslim American I’m just insulted, this is disgraceful that this is one of the mosques — or the mosque — that [Obama has] chosen to visit", during an interview on Fox & Friends.[6]

Barack Obama made the visit on February 3, 2016, marking his first presidential visit to a mosque in the United States.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ Ian Duncan; Jonathan M. Pitts; John Fritze (February 2, 2016). "Mosque to host Obama grew from tiny gathering to influential congregation". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  2. ↑ Jack Jenkins
  3. 1 2 "About ISB". Islamic Society of Baltimore. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Islamic Society of Baltimore". Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Qari Muhammad Zahid". Archived from the original on October 24, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Jack Jenkins (February 3, 2016). "The Smear Campaign Against The Mosque Obama Is Visiting Today". Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  7. ↑ Rachel Zoll (February 3, 2016). "Obama will make first visit of his presidency to a U.S. mosque". USA Today. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  8. ↑ "President Obama's remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore". Baltimore Sun. February 3, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
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