Al-Taqwa Islamic Center
The Northeast area of Kansas City, Missouri is home to a large Muslim community. For many years, the faithful had no nearby place to worship or study Islam. In 2003, Al-Taqwa Islamic Center was established as a nonprofit, faith-based organization. Thanks to fundraising efforts from Muslims in Kansas City and across the United States, we raised enough money to purchase a suitable structure for our masjid and center.
The American Indian Community Organization building at 1340 Admiral Boulevard was the perfect site for our Al-Taqwa Islamic Center. This building is in the heart of the inner-city Northeast Muslim Community, just south of the intersection of Independence and Paseo boulevards. Because Its central location, just east of Kansas City’s central business district and near the Downtown Loop of the Interstate highway system, Al-Taqwa Islamic Center serves as a convenient and much needed place for Muslim community to worship. Since the Muslim community first purchased the building in 2003, Allah has blessed them generously. They have repaid the debt of $270,000.00 in full and have completed many renovations.
This religious facility owns all the land free and clear of any debt. In acquiring and upgrading the property, the Muslim community has acted as their own developer. We thank Allah for helping us establishing this Center for the Muslim faithful. We will continue to strive to make Al-Taqwa Islamic Center of Kansas City, Missouri a jewel in the Crown of Islam and a refuge for Muslims arriving in this country or beginning in their faith.
Al-Taqwa Islamic Center serves as both a masjid and a community center, providing many kinds of services, such as worship, education, community events, youth programs, and family affairs. The majority of the people who benefit from our Center are newcomers to the United States. Most have fled persecution and warfare in their countries of origin. Presently, we are planning an extension of the Center building and a new Islamic School on our campus.
The City of Kansas City has ambitions to improve commercial and living conditions on the east side of Downtown through its “East Village” project; if this area grows like other trendy areas of Downtown, Al-Taqwa Islamic Center will be a pearl crowning an area visited by many people who have no knowledge of Islam.
Services Provided
Al-Taqwa Islamic Center of Kansas City, Mo. Inc. is the place Muslims in the Northeast area come to worship and find help for problems. We currently serve more than 6,000 Muslim immigrants, many of whom came here first as refugees. Here, in Masjid Al-Taqwa, we have many important activities in the service of Islam. We use the property for education, religious worship, family counseling and community gatherings. Our facilities also serve as a play area for our children, who enjoy basketball, soccer and other activities. Currently, 500 children and adult men and women regularly attend the Masjid Al-Taqwa Islamic School seven days a week.
- The Center provides services Seven days a week for the community.
- On Saturday and Sunday, the services last from 8 am-10pm.
- Monday through Friday, the services last from 1 pm-10pm.
- We hold adult classes from Saturday to Wednesday after Asar and Maqrib prayer.
- We have lectures on Thursday and Friday after Maqrib.
- We have non-Muslim group discussions from 12:30pm-1:30pm as needed.
Education
The education function is most essential to preserving our faith and heritage. We are very concerned about our young people. Many Muslim families live in nearby public housing developments, where traditional Muslim values take a backseat to American popular culture. While we certainly do not wish to dissuade them from adapting to the United States, we want them to remember that it is by the grace of Allah that they are here. It is important that they learn about the Islamic culture of their homelands.
There are three classes for the children ages 5-9. And the other three are ages 9-12. Three more classes 13-17 ages. Subjects that are being taught include, but are not limited to, the following.
- Arabic alphabet (reading and writing),
- Towheed ,
- Hadiith
- Fiqhi,
- Tajwiid,
- Arabic grammar,
- Sira of the prophets,
- Five pillars of Islam and how to make ablutions and praying.
Our attendance has increased, making it difficult to accommodate all our students. Due to lack of space, some classes that don’t have a classroom. The students must study on the floor, or in the prayer rooms. That is why we need to expand the masjid and build the new Islamic school.
Family Services
A very important feature of the Al-Taqwa Islamic Center is the Family Counseling service. People from the Muslim community often come to us with family problems. This includes parents who might file for divorce and potentially leave their children on the streets. The Al-Taqwa Islamic Center brings family members together to resolve their differences according to Islamic principles. The Center staff counsels people who have personal issues, such as recovering from the civil war in their home country. We relieve their anxiety and pain and bring them closer to the community.
Our Center is very open to law enforcement. If something out of the ordinary occurs, we are in close contact with the police force. We advocate our peaceful nature. The hate crimes that are happening are forbidden and nowhere found in Islam. They go against everything we believe in. Our religion teaches us to respect everybody, no matter what their religion may be.
Youth Programs
Al-Taqwa Islamic Center is very proactive in dissuading our youth from violence and keep them safe. Our staff organizes group dialogues among youth. Our goal is to give them an opportunity to know the consequences of engaging in violent extremism. We work to discourage them from becoming involved with any violence here or any other place. The youth discussion topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Youth Radicalization & Terrorism,
- Drug & Alcohol Abuse,
- Crime Prevention and Awareness,
- Hate Crimes,
- Value of Education.
Field Trips
Our children’s health and well-being are vital to the community. We encourage participation in sports and social events. It is not unusual to find young people playing basketball outside our Center. We hope by offering healthy activities that, by the grace of Allah, our youth will avoid the temptations of drugs, gangs, and sexual activity that is so rampant in the inner city. Every two months, the kids go on field trips and do outside activities such as:
- Swimming
- Hiking
- Soccer
- Volleyball
Community Service
- Iftar during Ayamul-Bayt three days every month.
- Iftar during the first 20 days of Ramadan and Iftar and Suhur during the last 10 days of Ramadan.
Emergency Assistance
Al-Taqwa Islamic Center provides Emergency Assistance to the new refugee families or the needy local people who seek help from our Center. The Northeast area is home to many low-income families. Government assistance and/or low wages do not always get them through the month. Al-Taqwa Islamic Center is often the only charitable help they can rely on. The types of assistance we provide include:
- Cash assistance.
- Utilities,
- Medical,
- Transportation to work,
- Food assistance.
Family Affairs and Matrimonial Services
Al-Taqwa Masjid advises and reconciles family members. We provide Islamic matrimonial services to meet the needs of the community.
Future expectations
Allah has blessed us greatly. Our success has brought with it other needs. We continue to expand our religious, educational and community services. As more people attend the mosque, we need to accommodate our growth. It has become increasingly apparent that our current facility is inadequate for our future needs. We primarily need a larger place that fits our community needs. Our community deserves a building that can host education, worshiping, celebrations, weddings, and events that are central to our identity as Muslims. Expanding our center is the ideal way to realize our Mission of bringing Islam to the people of Kansas City.
First, one of the biggest issues at this moment is the lack of space. We are seeing a great demand for Islamic classes for children. Such classes are invaluable to help our children resist the temptations of popular culture and street life. Unfortunately, Al-Taqwa Islamic Center does not have room to accommodate the growing need. Many students sit on the floor in the prayer hall to study because of the lack of classrooms. In addition, over two hundred students are on the waiting list for admission.
Secondly, our prayer hall is not large enough to accommodate all the worshipers, especially the women’s section during the Ramadan. Kansas City, Missouri fire codes limit the capacity of the Masjid for services. We do not wish to constrain the use of the Masjid because of governmental regulations. Yet, we also do not want our worshippers to feel crowded and at risk in case of emergencies.
For example, when the hall becomes overcrowded during the Ramadan, the women worshippers must go outside of their hallway to pray. This can also lead to some risks, such as blocking the exits should a fire or other calamity take place. It is one of the main reasons why the Masjid needs an expansion.
Our plans for a multi-million-dollar, multiple-use facility.
Now, we have a new vision to promote the study of Islam in Kansas City. In what is now a blighted parking lot to the east of the Masjid, there is space to build a new Islamic school.
We will build an Islamic School to include a preschool and K-12. This would be used not only for Islamic study but also as an institution of learning. The local Kansas City School District is no longer accredited by the State of Missouri. Children receive a poor education and safety issues exist. Think what possibilities there are to create a new, uplifting learning environment for those who wish to study our faith! We will provide children in the poorest neighborhoods of the city with a quality education, one that is guided by the Islamic faith.
We plan to enlarge the Al-Taqwa Masjid to include a prayer hall, bookstore staff offices, a multi-purpose hall, a computer lab, library, study rooms, and canteen/lunchroom. We have already completed our design plan and are ready for its implementation. We will expand the Masjid to the west, over the existing parking lot. That will allow our prayer hall to accommodate 400 worshippers during daily prayers. The basement level will still open to the north. It will have an area devoted for the women. The existing basement will still provide the washroom (ablution) area, the kitchen, an office and daily care area for small children. There we can teach them fundamentals of Islam, like the five pillars, blessings, ablution and other principals. We plan to increase the number of classrooms to 12, raising our capacity to 180 children.
While the community has obtained many benefits from previous donations, there is still much more to be done. We need to look outward to the greater community as well. The Muslims of northeast Kansas City need a larger Masjid for worship and a school to provide quality education. Let us show the blessings of Islam to our city. Help us to expand the existing facility for education, religious worship, community gatherings, parking, and a play area for our children.
Support Our Next Step
We have an ambitious plan; that is true. Yet, it is a well-thought-out plan for steady growth. We already have a significant investment in our Center, having purchased the property and made improvements to our building and parking lot. We want to send the message that Islam is here to stay in northeast Kansas City. We want our children to receive a quality education, in accordance with the principles of our faith. Al-Taqwa Islamic Center of Kansas City, Mo. must be a beacon of hope for Muslims and those who are interested in our faith.
The next steps of building an Islamic school and expanding our Masjid is a well-measured stride toward our success. We know that we will not be disappointed with the generosity of those who share our love for Islam.
We have a proven track record and a vision for our future
You have seen our renovations of the Masjid and the parking lot. Here is another improvement. Our youth had no safe place to play. The local parks and streets are infested with gangs, drugs, and prostitutes. Al-Taqwa Islamic Center of Kansas City, Missouri had to create a protected recreational area. We were able to accomplish it through substantial donations from the faithful.
Al-Taqwa Islamic Center has been blessed with the support of many unstinting donors. Praise Allah! We continue to need your financial assistance to make the dreams of our community a reality. The cost for the improvements to our Masjid alone will be $900,000.00. Be a part of our growth and the growth of Islam in Kansas City. Please, contribute charitably to this very important cause. Al-Taqwa Islamic Center of Kansas City, Missouri will grow into a state-of-the-art complex as we progress one step at time.
Make your checks out to “Al-Taqwa Islamic Center” and write “Masjid Expansion” or “Islamic School” on the memo line. Please send any contributions to:
Al-Taqwa Islamic Center of Kansas City, Missouri
1340 Admiral Blvd.
Kansas City, Missouri 64106
May Allah bless you for your kindness and helping us establish a centerpiece for our Islamic faith in the immigrant neighborhoods of Kansas City.