KTTC
Monday July 9, 2018
ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -Rochester Muslims are thanking the community for its support after hundreds gathered for a
solidarity vigil in June when bacon was found at a downtown mosque.
Members
of the Masjed AbuBakr Al-Seddiq Mosque offered Somali tea and sweets
like sambusa — a fried or baked pastry with a beef, potato, and onion
filling — to educate the community about Islam and Muslims. Some
members say they understand the misconceptions that have colored public
perception of Islam since 9/11, and they're hoping the gathering will
serve to build a religious bridge and engage members of other faiths in
dialogue.
Faduma Issa is a board member of the mosque, who baked
some of the desserts. In her culture, offering Sambusa and Somali tea is
a way to show respect and welcome a guest, she said. "That's the first
thing you bring when somebody comes to your house."
Members of the
mosque say they're proud of the community for coming together, despite
differences in ethnicities, religions, and background.
"I think together we can make a change and grow as a bigger community," said Issa.