Snoqualmie Mosque members invite you to ‘Meet your Muslim neighbors’ at Jan. 28 event

What is the Islamic faith really all about? You can find out firsthand at a community event coming up in Snoqualmie.

Valley residents are invited to “Meet Your Muslim Neighbors,” 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 28, at Timber Ridge Elementary School.

The event, part open house, part presentation is similar to one held a year ago by the Snoqualmie Muslim Association, to a great response from the community.

“We have received so much feedback from that event,” said Mujeeb Mohammed, Association Director of Religious and Interfaith Affairs. “People liked that kind of environment and the experience. Many of them had never met a Muslim in their lives.”

That first event drew a standing-room only crowd to Snoqualmie’s City Hall, where Islamic scholars, as well as other faith community leaders, delivered a message highlighting similarities among the mosque members and other community members. The outreach was inspired by a trend of anti-Muslim rhetoric being promulgated throughout the U.S., and the world the previous fall.

“It comes down to lack of knowledge and information, and then taking a public stance,” Mohammed said in explanation of the rhetoric.

In response, the mosque’s first action was to educate.

“There is a great emphasis on education and learning in Islam,” he continued. “And applied knowledge is wisdom, right?”

Knowledge is what people continue to seek about Muslims and their faith, he said.

“They said, ‘Tell us more about the teachings of Muhammad… and why do some people do violence in his name?’”

Questions will be answered as part of the upcoming event; community members can submit questions in advance by email to masrioc@snoqualmiemosque.org, or at the event.

The Snoqualmie Mosque and its 35 families are already actively involved in many forms of community service, in accordance with the teachings of Muhammad. Many of the women are involved with the Snoqualmie United Methodist Church in an interfaith dialogue group meeting monthly, and many of the men help with counseling teens and children at the Echo Glen Children’s Center in Snoqualmie. They also support various homeless programs, including the Snoqualmie Valley Winter Shelter and Tent City, and community events, like the photo booth at the first July 4 celebration last summer.

“Last year, we realized, we have to expose ourselves more to the community,” Mohammed explained.

The meet and greet will be another opportunity to do so. Among the speakers scheduled are Monty Wright from Snoqualmie Valley Alliance, and Islamic scholar Alaa Badr, who led an entertaining discussion on, the teachings of Islam, sprinkled with references to famous Muslims and Disney princesses last year.

“People have demanded him again,” said Mohammed. “He is a celebrity!”

The first hour of the event, 10 a.m. will be a series of presentations centered on the topic of “Fostering a Strong and Healthy Society,” followed at 11 a.m. by informal networking, plus questions and answers.