Muslims in lower Manhattan who have prayed in a crowded basement or in the streets say they are not looking for confrontation with opponents of a new mosque. They simply need the space.
Some New Yorkers traumatised by the September 11, 2001 attacks have emotionally opposed a proposed Muslim community centre and mosque two blocks from the site of the World Trade Centre.
Stuck in the middle are Muslims who work in downtown Manhattan and need a place for daily prayers."You know how many Muslims are in this area? On Friday the street used to be packed, and we had a pass from the police to block the streets," said Saad Madaha, 32, a consultant originally from Ghana who prays at Masjid Manhattan in a narrow basement beneath a night club.
"I would like to see a mosque that looks more like a mosque. I would like to go and pray and have full concentration in my prayers and not have music bashing me in my head."
Peter Awn, a professor of Islamic religion at Columbia University, said a study he was part of found Muslims in New York rarely worshiped in their neighbourhoods.Downtown Manhattan suits their needs because it is well connected by public transportation and has a large concentration of jobs, for example, in the Wall Street area."The downtown place is perfect because it would be a hub for people in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and if you work downtown it's a great place to pop in for noon prayers if you are observant," Awn said.
Some New Yorkers traumatised by the September 11, 2001 attacks have emotionally opposed a proposed Muslim community centre and mosque two blocks from the site of the World Trade Centre.
Stuck in the middle are Muslims who work in downtown Manhattan and need a place for daily prayers."You know how many Muslims are in this area? On Friday the street used to be packed, and we had a pass from the police to block the streets," said Saad Madaha, 32, a consultant originally from Ghana who prays at Masjid Manhattan in a narrow basement beneath a night club.
"I would like to see a mosque that looks more like a mosque. I would like to go and pray and have full concentration in my prayers and not have music bashing me in my head."
Peter Awn, a professor of Islamic religion at Columbia University, said a study he was part of found Muslims in New York rarely worshiped in their neighbourhoods.Downtown Manhattan suits their needs because it is well connected by public transportation and has a large concentration of jobs, for example, in the Wall Street area."The downtown place is perfect because it would be a hub for people in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and if you work downtown it's a great place to pop in for noon prayers if you are observant," Awn said.
