Islamic center of Irvine
Background information
A local Muslim community was responsible for founding of the Islamic center of Irvine (ICOI). This was in 2004, in the Irvine city, California. The center has is immense with an average attendance of approximately 5000 Muslims per week .It offers various services from senior workshops to youth services and sometimes sporting activities. In the Orange County, it is one of the most respected centers. It is also regarded as one of the most valuable buildings in the Orange County . This county also has the largest population of Muslims in America. The center allies with different churches and signed an alliance pact with Saddleback Church. The center also organizes kids camping once in every month. This program is always accompanied by various activities for children including learning. The center is a nonprofit organization. The center was founded to bring knowledge of the Muslims and their cultural practices across the globe and drive the Muslim society in the worship and prayer for Allah’s sake. The ICOI has a vision which includes provision of a comprehensive program and a versatile facility for the intellectual, moral, and spiritual growth of its patrons. The center also functions a source of reference for Muslim culture by giving academic opinions and accommodating a library for its readers. It also prepares the youth to be examples of excellence in the American community. It endorses an affirmative picture of Muslims by vigorous partaking in social matters and input to the welfare of the American society . It takes part in the dialogues of interfaith with the objective of endorsing appreciation, respect and understanding of the society. It also addresses matters of environmental welfare and communal justice while offering moral direction on matters that affect the society. It facilitates customary religious services like commemoration of yearly events, Friday congregational worships and daily prayers.
My experience
I went to the center on a Friday during prayer and worship day. Numerous Muslims within Orange County came to attend the event. They attended the event with their friends and families. Most of them were dressed in black clothing while the rest were dressed in white clothing. The women had covered their faces. During this day, they reversed their worship acts to something that was quite diverse. They bowed down and rose up while they said the word “Allahu Akbar”. Both the women and men sat on bended knees with their bodies supported by their legs. They would socialize with their friends and families as part of their routine of worshipping. They also came with their children for worship. Everyone shared the astounding spirituality that was accompanied by the prayers and worship. This accounted for the act of worship, which included the act of augmenting the level of good endeavors of Muslims.
During my visitation to the center, I also interacted with some Persian people who organize Hajj packages annually. These people communicated in Farsi, and they had no attempt to speak in English. During this time, I got an opportunity to experience the pure Muslim culture with my heart and eyes. I also heard the philosophical discussion of the shi’a Islam. During this day, I also had an encounter with a popular imam. This day was a quite a holy day for Muslims. I thought that perhaps I should have waited to come another day. However, I think I made the right choice to come that day because it gave me a chance to interact with the true Muslims.
I hardly knew what I would expect during my visitation, but I have to admit that my experience was exciting. I recognized the Husain bin Ali and how the Caribbean islands used to celebrate his martyrdom. I learned the main ruptures between the Shi’a and Sunni when I heard about the tale of Husain Ali. I came to understand why he was quite a significant figure in the community of Muslims. One remarkable thing about this service is that I was given a box that was full of food. I wanted to reject it at first by admitting that my intention was to just visiting and not eating. I thought that it would be rude of me to accept the food because I am not a Muslim. The Muslim convinced me to take the food because I had already attended the service for spiritual and physical nourishment and by their tradition; I was already one of them. The Muslim seemed friendly, and this made me to take the box. The food was quite tasty, way tastier than all the pizzas and hamburgers that I had eaten before. I could hardly describe or identify what the food was, but the taste alone made me eat it as if I had not eaten for a whole week. At one point, I realized that I had arrived a little late. Everyone was dressed in black, and I felt like I was lost in place because I was the only one dressed in blue jeans and a white T-shirt. I realized that Muslims must always put on these black clothes because of the service and their cultures too. This made look and feel out of place. I felt quite guilty.
The music that was playing in the background was cool. I almost lost myself in the music. The songs lifted me up and I could feel that the songs spoke to me. Perhaps this is why I fell in love with the “qawwali”. Although I could hardly understand the words, I felt that the songs moved me to the beautiful place of the souls. I noticed that the “qawali” words were spoken in powerful and deep tongues. Music seemed to be quite significant in the cultures of Muslims. They always played music while they prayed. The music sought of brought God close to them.
I also came to understand that the Muslims value art and this was evident in their dressings and their bodies. The women decorated their hands and feet with colorful artworks. The art looked like tattoos, but I believe that it was possible to remove them. I am not sure of the medium that they used to color themselves, but I believe that it was neither a tattoo nor paint. I also noticed that they had the same weird smell. It was not a bad smell; it was just weird.
Analysis of my observation
After observing the events that took place at ICOI, I learned many things about Muslims and their cultures. Muslims are deeply religious because they follow their religious practice to the latter. I had read and heard a lot from people that Muslims often fast for a month. This means that they go without food for a whole month while they pray. I am not that deeply religious, but as some point I thought that this was insanity. I respect their cultures a lot, but I think that some practices are just not normal. I remember the last time I slept without food was when I was a child, and that happened because I was alone in the house and the house help had travelled back home. I did not know how to prepare food, and I had to sleep hungry. My experience of sleeping hungry for a whole day taught me how uncomfortable one can feel when hungry. This was just one day and the Muslims can go without food for a whole month, while they pray. Even if I were a staunch Muslim, I would hardly survive two days. This taught me that Muslims value their cultures more than anything else does. In my culture, it is almost like suicide to sleep hungry. My parents always ensure that I eat until I get satisfied.
Comparison of my experience with my readings
My experience with the Muslim character that served me food in a box proved to me that Muslims are friendly. I have watched many movies and read a lot of fantasy books regarding Muslims. These stories have often depicted Muslims as terrorists and evil people in the society . However, after my experience at the ICOI, I realized that this is just propaganda that is spread by people who dislike Muslims.
Works Cited
Al-Qazwini, Moustafa. Discovering Islam. Irvine, Calif., U.S.A: Islamic Educational Center of
Orange County, 1999. Print.
Bennett, Philip. Covering Islam: A Challenge for American Journalism. Irvine, Calif: Center for
the Study of Democracy, 2008. Print.
Bill, James A, and William R. Louis. Musaddiq, Iranian Nationalism, and Oil. Austin:
University of Texas Press, 1988. Print.
Read, Jen’nam G. More of a Bridge Than a Gap: Gender Differences in Arab-American Political
Engagement. Irvine, Calif: Center for the Study of Democracy (ORU, 2007. Print
