Owatonna.com
By WENDY REUER
[email protected]
OWATONNA — Muslim society in Owatonna now has a place to call home.
The Center for Somalian American Muslim Society opened it doors to neighbors and members of the community Thursday, after taking possession of what was the Christian Family Church on the corner of St. Paul Road and 12th Street Northeast.
Christian Family Church senior pastor Tim Peterson said the sale is pending until the deal for Heritage Hall — the former transportation museum Christian Family Church proposed buying as its new site — is finalized. Peterson handed the building over to the Muslim organizers on Tuesday. Christian Family Church will be holding services under a tent outside of Heritage Hall beginning Sunday at 9 a.m.
Olad Ahmed, one of the organizers for the center, said the first Somalian immigrant came to Owatonna in 1996, during a period of great civil unrest in Somalia. Since then, immigrants have been living and working in the community but this center will not only serve as a mosque for worship but as a place where the Muslim Society and the community can come together and share in a growing understanding of Muslim culture.
“I know you’ve been looking for a long time. I’m very thrilled and excited you’ve found a home,” Owatonna Mayor Tom Kuntz told the organizers.
The grand opening comes at a very important time for Muslims, with Ramadan beginning on Saturday/early Sunday morning.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, when the Qur’an was revealed to the prophet Muhammad. During this time of worship and reflection, followers must fast from dawn to dusk and are encouraged to read the entire Qur’an. Ramadan can last 10 to 29 days. The length of the Ramadan is dependent on the lunar cycle.
Organizers of the center stressed residents may see Muslims coming and going from the mosque at odd times of the day and night during Ramadan, and not to be alarmed.
Muslims — who pray five times per day — during Ramadan, also gather and engage in prayer or the reading of the Qur’an from 2 p.m. until 3 a.m.
Former Owatonna Mayor Pete Connor, who lives in the neighborhood, said he is very happy to see that the Muslims of Owatonna will have a place where they can not only worship but help outsiders gain a greater understanding of their faith.
“It is much easier to look at the differences than similarities,” Connor told the organizers. “There’s a lot of things we don’t know and I look forward to getting to learn more about you.”
Habiba Harum maintained that not all the information provided by the media and Internet regarding Muslims is accurate.
“I believe every faith, whether you are Muslim, Jewish, Christians, I like to say we are people of books,” Harum said.
She added there are those in every faith that leave a black mark on the population, but the majority of Muslims are simply living peacefully as they abide by their religious laws.
“There are fanatic people in every faith,” Harum said.
The Christian Family Church previously served as a polling location for the city of Owatonna.
Harum and Ahmed said the center’s committee is discussing how it will continue to provide a voting location but will meet with city officials within the next few days before making a final decision.
Wendy Reuer can be reached at 444-1565.