Oshkosh, WI USA: Local Muslim group plans mosque on city's west side

The building of Muslim worship sites and community centers has at times been contentious across the country, as in the debate over a proposed Muslim community center that would be two blocks from ground zero in New York City.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Northwestern | Local News
By Jeff Bollier | October 14, 2010

After close to 20 years of daily prayers and services in a basement, a Muslim sect in Oshkosh is excited to close in on creating their own mosque.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, commonly referred to as Ahmadi Muslims, has an accepted offer to purchase the former Seefeld funeral home at 300 N. Eagle St. The group wants to convert the location into a mosque and community center that would host daily prayers, a Friday service and a variety of other events. The mosque and community center would serve about 45 local members that comprise 13 households in the area.

The group plans to host a neighborhood meeting to discuss the proposal with neighbors and concerned citizens at 6 p.m. tonight at the former funeral home on Eagle Street.

Umair Ahmed, the group's general secretary, said Ahmadi Muslims attending the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh formed the Oshkosh sect about 20 years ago. Slowly, the group has grown to the point where a member's basement can no longer accommodate the entire group.


"We have been looking at other properties, but this was the first one that meets all our needs from day one," Ahmed said. "It feels awesome. We're thankful to God we've found such a place. It's one thing to offer prayers from home, but another to have a place of your own to worship."

Ahmadi Muslims reject terrorism in any form and are the only Islamic organization that believes the messiah returned in the form of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who claimed to be the metaphorical second coming of Jesus during his life from 1835 to 1908. Ahmadi Muslims believe Ahmad was sent to end wars, condemn bloodshed and that "jihad by the sword" has no place in Islam, according to an Ahmadi Muslim press release.

There are about 10 [sic] million Ahmadi Muslims worldwide.

Ahmed said members have extended personal invitations to neighborhood residents to attend tonight's meeting so they can find out more about the group, its members and its involvement in the Oshkosh community. Ahmed said members have participated in disaster relief drives for Haiti and Pakistan, adopted a mile-long stretch of State Highway 21 to clean up, volunteered for blood drives, conducted food drives for Father Carr's Place 2B, delivered Thanksgiving meals for Father Carr, helped build homes with Habitat for Humanity and volunteered at Christine Ann Center for Domestic Abuse.

"We hope that when we tell people about our involvement at (tonight's) meeting that people will realize we believe in and participate in our community," Ahmed said. "We hope the mosque can further ties with our neighbors and becomes a channel for interfaith dialogue."

The proposed site is in a busy portion of the city. It's across the street from Oshkosh West High School, while to the north Red Arrow Park is home to baseball diamonds, a skate park, Pollock Community Water Park and a disc golf course.

Still, Immanuel Lutheran Church Rev. David Pagel said neighbors have expressed concern that outdoor activities at the proposed community center would disrupt the privacy and peace of the neighborhood.

"As a Christian, I can't agree with their views, but as an American, they have a right to worship there," Pagel said. "We're more concerned with it being a community center than a mosque. We're more concerned with what a community center would do to the peace and privacy of our neighborhood."

Pagel said there is concern the activities would be more extensive than his church's fellowship hall, which hosts funeral dinners, potlucks and other events throughout the year.

"A lot of the neighbors have come and talked to me about it," Pagel said. "They have a right to worship there. But they are concerned about drainage on the site and outdoor events."

Doug Seefeld, of Seefeld Funeral and Cremation Services, said the offer to purchase the building is contingent on the group securing a conditional use permit from the city. He said he expects tonight's meeting to be the best way for people to find out more about the group.

"The story they have shared with me for their proposed use will be very neighborhood friendly," Seefeld said. "Their presentation tomorrow night should clarify that in terms of times of day, numbers of participants and types of activities they plan to have there."

The building of Muslim worship sites and community centers has at times been contentious across the country, as in the debate over a proposed Muslim community center that would be two blocks from ground zero in New York City.

Northeast Wisconsin is no different. In May, more than 120 people showed up at a meeting of the Wilson Town Board in Sheboygan County to express concerns about a mosque.

There, the debate revolved around freedom of religion and some residents' concerns the mosque could attract extremists. The Wilson Town Board unanimously approved a conditional use permit for the mosque.

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Religious Studies Professor Kathleen Corley thinks Oshkosh and Northeast Wisconsin will show more tolerance than other areas of the country toward members of the Islamic faith.

"I think we're a pretty tolerant community although the attack on the Neenah mosque was a surprise since they've lived there in peace for a very long time," she said, referring to the burglary and vandalism of the Fox Valley Islamic Society on Sept. 11. "One of the beauties of this country is that we're allowed freedom of religion and that doesn't just mean Christianity."

In her classes, Corley said she introduces students to local Muslims and has been shocked at their reactions.

"They're really surprised to meet a Muslim that's not a terrorist," Corley said.

Ahmed pointed out "there are black sheep everywhere and Islam is no different."

He said Ahmadi Muslims' beliefs have drawn the wrath of terrorists in the Middle East. On May 28, terrorists attacked two Ahmadi Muslim mosques in Lahore, Pakistan, killing 89 members of the faith.

"When we engage in dialogue with people, the reactions have been positive," Ahmed said. "The real message of Islam is living in peace. And we're speaking out about that."

Jeff Bollier: (920) 426-6688 or jbollier@thenorthwestern.com.


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