The opening of first phase of new Burmese mosque south side was officially celebrated on Sunday, May 24.
Last Sunday, more than 2,000 people attended the opening of Masjid Noor ul-Islam mosque in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It is the first time in more than forty years that a Burmese mosque is built in the world.
The Wane reports that planning and construction of the mosque, named “the Light of Islam” in English, took altogether five years. The local Burmese Muslim Education and Community Center started the project in 2010. The costs of building the mosque, $600,000, were covered mainly with donations.
This is the first phase in a five-phase project. The first phase includes prayer space and a parking lot with room for around 150 men to pray in front of the building. There’s a special section for women too, and both men and women can wash up in specially designated ablution rooms.
The latter four phases, also to be funded primarily with donations, will include classrooms and more prayer space, with the total cost being approximately $1.1 million.
Ye Win Latt, a spokesman for the local Burmese community, described the event as “historic”, reminding of the persecution that Muslims have had to face in Myanmar, previously known as Burma. In recent years, more than 30 mosques have been destroyed in Myanmar.
The opening of the new #Burmese mosque on #FortWayne's south side was officially celebrated Sunday. http://t.co/8nLg4UU1Ok
— news-sentinel.com (@newssentinel) May 26, 2015
According the Ye Win Latt, there are about 7-8,000 Burmese living in Fort Wayne, of which around 2,000 are Muslims. Because of the historic nature of the mosque opening, hundreds of people from outside the state borders attended as well. Previously the local Muslims have gathered to worship in several apartments rented by the Burmese Muslim Education and Community Center.