USA: Midstaters greet opening of Muslim Mosque in Harrisburg

Muslims and non-Muslims should “come back to our commonalties and forgot our differences. Let us help one another. Let us feel that we are all brothers and sisters.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Patriot-News | PennLive
By Mary Klaus | December 12, 2010

Franklin Kury finds religion fascinating, whether his own or another.

So after reading a story in The Patriot-News about a sect of Muslims opening a mosque in uptown Harrisburg, the Middle Paxton Twp. man visited it Sunday morning.

He seemed impressed.

“The Islam religion is very much misunderstood,” he said at the Hadee Mosque, which now occupies the former Lakeside Lutheran Church at 245 Division St. “This is a sect of the Muslim religion that reaches out to others in peace. They shouldn’t be stereotyped.”

Kury, a member of Pine Street Presbyterian Church, joined people of many faiths in welcoming the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Harrisburg.


Ahmadiyya Muslims believe that Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian is the long-awaited messiah and the metaphorical second coming of Jesus. The community believes that Ahmad came in 1835 to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and re-institute morality, justice and peace.

There are about 20,000 Ahmadiyya Muslims in the United States, including communities in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, York, Chambersburg, Silver Spring Twp. and now Harrisburg.

The community’s open house on Sunday, offering guided tours, a reading from the Holy Quran, speeches and a free luncheon, turned into an ecumenical expression of good will.

Naseem Mahdi, national vice president and missionary in charge of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, spoke of the commonality among the religions.

“The Holy Quran teaches us to believe in the prophets of the Bible,” he said. “Abraham is mentioned 69 times in the Holy Quran, Moses 136 times, Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, 34 times and Jesus 25 times.”

Mahdi said that Muslims and non-Muslims should “come back to our commonalties and forgot our differences. Let us help one another. Let us feel that we are all brothers and sisters.”

He condemned those who commit violent acts in the name of Islam, saying they are not following Islam taught by the Holy Prophet.

“How can you accept that any religion is here to kill innocent people? We are peace-loving,” he said.

Civic and religious leaders welcomed the community, with state Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, R-Susquehanna Twp., noting: “We are always pleased to welcome a community of faith. We need more faith. Faith leads to harmony.”


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