UPPER MACUNGIE TWP, Pa. - Connecting with the community is an act of devotion in Islam.
Mohammad Elshainawy, religious director at the Jesus Son of Mary Mosque in Upper Macungie Township, says it’s hosting its first open house on Saturday.
“We know that the Jesus Son of Mary Mosque sounds like a riddle to a lot of people, and they come in and ask us to explain what that means. ‘Are you like the Jesus Muslims?’ ‘Is this a specific type of Muslim?’” he said.
“This was deliberate, this was by design. It was intended as a conversation starter,” Elshainawy said.
This is but one way that the congregation is trying to make people feel more comfortable about entering a mosque for the first time.
The open house is another way.
“To acquaint them with Islam, perhaps dispel some misconceptions about it, develop some appreciation for it, all of these are desired goals we hope we can attain some or all of them through this open house,” he said.
Elshainawy says their sister mosque in Whitehall Township, the Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley, has had really good community response to past open houses.
“This is really a hub for us to invite our neighbors which is an act of devotion in Islam in and of itself, and feed them some of our ethnic foods from all over the world,” he added.
Visitors will get to tour the mosque’s education center which is home to a Sunday School, Qur’an School, and Arabic classes.
All are welcome to the open house which runs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 9. Masks are required.
You can find more information about the event on their website: www.iecpa.org.