USA: Mosque makes plans for former synagogue

The congregation has created a prayer area on the second floor, upgraded rest rooms, painted and landscaped. This summer, some air conditioning will be added, and outside painting will be done.

Photo by Mary Klaus / The Patriot-News
Akram Khalid, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Harrisburg,
stands by a mural at Hadee Mosque.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: The Patriot-News
By Mary Klaus | March 08, 2012

Three years ago, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Harrisburg bought an uptown Harrisburg Lutheran church and turned it into a mosque.

This winter, that same group of Muslims bought a Jewish synagogue two blocks away and plan to use it for a variety of programs to help the community.

Members of Hadee Mosque don’t just talk about being ecumenical, they practice it.

“Our motto is ‘Love for All, Hatred for None,’ ” said Akram Khalid, president of the York/Harrisburg Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. “We have the same message as Christians and Jews. We respect other faiths. We want to help the community.”

The area’s newest congregation of Muslims has been doing that ever since the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community bought the former Lakeside Lutheran Church at 245 Division St. and turned it into the Hadee Mosque.

After moving in, the mosque held a community open house, guided tours, a reading from the Holy Quran and a free luncheon.

Since then, Hadee Mosque has hosted the annual community interfaith service of Thanksgiving, held a community blood drive, helped clean up Italian Lake, helped flood victims and opened its doors to other faiths needing a place to worship.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community recently bought the fire-damaged Chisuk Emuna synagogue at 437 Division St. Khalid said the former synagogue will be used for humanitarian purposes.

“Our options range from education programs to social programs,” he said. “First, we have to replace the roof. We are part of this community and want to help it. We are part of Humanity First, a charitable trust fund established to promote and safeguard human life and dignity.”

Khalid said that Hadee Mosque now has about 300 active members. Since purchasing the former church, the congregation has kept the former sanctuary as a multipurpose conference room that holds up to 500 people.

The congregation has created a prayer area on the second floor, upgraded rest rooms, painted and landscaped. This summer, some air conditioning will be added, and outside painting will be done, Khalid said.

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


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