TIME LINE

 

          This time line was done on Sunday, March 6, 2006 at our Family Day Service (every First Sunday of the month congregants come to the Masjid with the families they bring a meal, juice and dessert) there were forty-five congregants at this Family Day.  What follows is our time line:

 

1983

American Muslim Center – six families met once a week.  Imam Warith Deen Umar was the leader then.  All the members were apart of Imam Warith Deen Mohammed’s community.  They met once a month on Sundays.

 

They purchased a piece of property in Otisville.  It was three acres.  The name that they chose for this group is “Tie your camel.”

 

There was no Masjid in the Midhudson Valley at this time.  Although, there were Muslims were meeting in the Poughkeepsie area, and Muslims meeting in the Wappinger Falls area.

 

1984

The six families continued to meet.

 

1985

Imam Salahuddin M. Muhammad moves to the Middletown area with his pregnant wife Fonda and son Sharif.  He is hired as a NYS Chaplain.  Imam Muhammad and wife Fonda join the Islamic community.

 

1986

Imam Warith Deen Umar takes on a new position in Albany New York, and the community elects Imam Salahuddin M. Muhammad as their leader.

Under the new leadership, the community changes its name to Masjidul Jihadul Akbar.  The Muslims met at the New Imam’s house for Jumu'ah services on Fridays.  Jumu’ah is established.  More people are joining the community and we needed to find somewhere else to meet to accommodate the people.  The community started meeting in the City of Newburgh at the N.A.A.C.P. building on Liberty Street.  The Muslims started having Sunday “Talim” services and weekend school for the children.  There were a lot of activities going on with the children.  Another member was hired as a NYS Chaplain Malik Shabazz.

 

1987

Imam Muhammad completes the necessary paperwork to become incorporated and tax-exempt.

January 8, 1987, the Masjid became incorporated, as a non-profit religious organization. The families began to get real tight. New members continue to come/mostly Muslims who migrated to the area.  June 25, 1987, received letter of determination for tax-exempt status.  We met in the park because we could no longer meet at the N.A.A.C.P. building.

The community had a big event called “I Appreciate My Wife.”  This banquet brought quite a few Muslims into the area from New York City and the surrounding areas.  More Muslims joined us after this event.  Imam Muhammad introduced a concept to the community called “Project T.E.A. M.”  To establish a Masjid as a fundraising idea.  The community was busy trying to raise money for the establishment of a Masjid.  Flyers were generated and ads were put in the Muslim Journal newspaper that said “Wanted 100,000 right minded people to contribute $1.00 toward the establishment of a Masjid in Orange County, New York.  The dollars started rolling in.

 

1988

·      Met in Beacon Community Center across the river/eventually rented a storefront on Main Street in Beacon (167 Main St.).

·      Held Jumu’ah on Fridays/Sundays talim services and weekend school – more believers joining us, as far away as Peekskill and liberty, New York.

·      Started United Talim (meeting w/other Islamic communities – Poughkeepsie, Monticello, Beacon – Qasim Muhammad a congregant opens a Halal meat store in Beacon on Main Street near the Masjid.

·      Events – I Appreciate My Spouse Banquet/Fundraising.

·      Events – Family Day – each family brings a dish, drinks and dessert the first Sunday of the month.  Sometimes we had guest speakers. This continues to be a monthly event.

 

1989

·      Interfaith Dialogue, we met with various religious leaders in the community building bridges of understanding.  This dialogue happened pre 9/11.

·      Project T.E.A.M. banquet held, to raise money for the Masjid.

·      African American/Latinos, Caucasian/Moroccan/Pakistani, Muslims from other Countries started to join us.

·      An outside person name Dawud Adib came to speak for a weekend, and brought in salafi influence –the community started to change somewhat. – Community begins to split.  Some of the ideas caused some of the Muslims to drift away from the ideas of Imam W.D. Mohammed.

 

1990

·      Started radio broadcast (Focus on Al Islam WGNY 1220 on the AM dial)

·      Imam Muhammad, Hafiz Abdur Rahim & Hamin and Melody Rashada go on Hajj to the Holy City of Mecca.

·      On the international set Iraq invaded Kuwait on 8/2/90

 

1991

·      Communities come together to bring Imam W.D. Mohammed to Poughkeepsie.

·      Baitual Nasr Established (The House of Help), a non-profit organization started by Muslims to teach, Violent behavior awareness, substance abuse awareness and human development in Poughkeepsie.

·      Melody Rashada (a woman) becomes treasurer of the Masjid.

·      The Leadership is questioned/vote taken/1 month new leadership – (Although the Imam won the vote he resigned and the Assistant was the Imam for one month).  A new vote was taken and Imam Salahuddin M. Muhammad returned to the position. This was a time of great tension.

·      On the international set Gulf war, coalition forces begin bombing Iraq.

·      2/27/91 Kuwait is liberated from Iraq.

 

1992

·      Our Masjid experiences its First split – now there are two Masjids in the City of Beacon. The Assistant - Imam left with five families and started their own Mosque.

·      We purchased a warehouse on nine tenths of an acre in The City of Newburgh (5/19/92)).  We used creative financing to avoid paying interest.

Hamin & Melody Rashada found our new home (25 Washington Terrace). We had our first Janazah (funeral ceremony) First Aqeeqah (baby naming ceremony) and first wedding ceremony (Neeqah) on our property.

·      The first Renovation of warehouse turning it into a place of worship (Masjid).

·      Muhsinah Shabazz the elder sister in the community began selling fish sandwiches after Jumu’ah to help raise money for the Masjid.

·      Jenanah Amatullah Muqsit a woman becomes Chair Person of Board of Trustees.

 

1993

·      Some members decide to open a Mosque in Peekskill – five to six families leave. The Masjid continues to grow.

·      In NYC 2/26/93 first World Trade Center bombing by so-called Muslims.

 

1994

·      Egyptians start coming into the Masjid.

·      Some believers decide to establish a Masjid in Middletown – three or four family’s leave.

·      A Balloon payment $175,000 is due/Mosque only has $35,000.  Montgage renegotiated, several Muslim businessmen come to Mosque’s aid – gives us $40,000 – we paid $75,000 and paid the rest in monthly installments.

·      Started father & son breakfast every other week/as well as a yard sale every week. Utilizing the property that we owned.

 

1995

·      Two Muslims’ mothers took shahadah.  The assistant Imam (Hamin Rashada’s) Mother and the chairperson of the board of trustees (Jenanah A. Muqsit’s) mother.  This was a very happy moment for the entire community.

·      Hamin Rashada became a New York State Chaplain.

·      Some Egyptians broke off and went to the Beacon Masjid, they didn’t agree w/our position on woman being in leadership or praying behind the men on the same floor.

 

1996

·      Two more New York State Chaplains hired Sisters/Sana Shabazz/Jenanah A. Muqsit.

·      April 28, 1996 we installed the first Muslim Chaplain at America’s finest Military Academy (West Point) Imam Jihad Abdullah.

 

1997

       More Muslims are joining the community. October 11th and 12th we held a big Dawah (propagation) weekend at the Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.  This was a collective effort of all the Mosques in the area as well as some from NYC.

 

1998

·      Melody Rashada became a New York State Chaplain.

·      First Tarawih Prayer w/ Hafiz of Quran at our Masjid (for the month of Ramadan). Hafiz Muneer, who prayed for the continuous growth of the Masjid.

·       The balance of what was owed was paid off.  The Masjid was free and clear. Allah u Akbar!!!

 

1999

       The community continued to grow. We held another Project T.E.A.M. fundraising event.

 

2000

        Imam Muhammad and his wife Fonda and Assistant Imam Rashada and his wife Melody go on Hajj to the Holy City of Mecca.

·      Great influx of many more Muslims from other countries.

·      Shaikh Reda a graduate of the University of Al Azhar, a Hafiz of Qur’an – Came to work w/us – stayed at Masjid – was paid to teach Quran and give classes.

 

2001

·      Muslim Community continues to grow.  The majority of the Muslims are from other Countries now.

·      April 28th we had an appreciation dinner looking back at fifteen years.  We showed appreciation for all those who assisted in maintaining the Masjid..

·      On the international set November 9th War on Afghanistan – Taliban/war on terror.

·      A lot of Muslim bashing was going on in various cities around the country. The Muslim community in Newburgh received no death threats or harassment, on the contrary the community received a great out pouring of support from the Jewish and Christian Communities – the Jewish women offered to go to the super markets with the Muslim women, if they were afraid to go out.  Over all the Islamic Community did not experience any negative feedback.  We believe this was because we had initiated interfaith dialogue back in 1989.

 

2002

·      Major Program started Patriot Day (this Program was set up to recognize men and women in our community who go above and beyond the call of duty in terms of giving service. At the first event we recognized two Police Officers in our community—Asadullah Burgoes and Sufyana Mahmood.

·      Imam Muhammad and community participate in Memorial for those lost on 9/11/01 with local religious leaders and their communities.

·      Shaikh Reda leaves – goes to Florida to become Imam over a community down there.  We were not paying him enough to keep him.

·      Masjid receives major renovations and is also painted inside and outside.

 

2003

·      Shaikh Ibrahim comes to us from Morocco by way of Florida.  He is a Hafiz of Qur’an and leads the prays five times a day at the Masjid.  After a few months the Shaikh leaves and goes to Connecticut to be an Imam over a Masjid.

·      Ahmed Rahman (a Pakistani) – becomes the Masjid Treasurer.

·      Big appreciation BBQ for Imam who had just returned from hip surgery. The Mayor gave Imam a Proclamation for his leadership of seventeen years.

·      11/12/03 – name changed from Masjid Al Jihad Al Akbar, Inc. to Masjid Al Ikhlas, Inc.

 

2004

·      Feeling fine at 40 – group started by the sisters. The sisters have regular programs for sisters.  These classes were religious as well as social gatherings.

·      A Pakistani family moves to area their son (Uthman Khan) is Hafiz of Qur’an.  The Hafiz is seventeen years of age.  He starts teaching the children the Qur’an.

·      Two Muslim doctors purchase property next to Masjid.

 

2005

 

8/25/05 Imam participated in unveiling of monument for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King/also Street named after him in the City of Newburgh.

·      Groundbreaking ceremony/Mayor, other public officials, and clergy attend and give support to expansion of Masjid.

·      The two Muslim doctors gift a portion of the property they purchased to the Masjid. The Masjid’s property is increased.

 

2006

·      Building/Construction – All the framing work is done. The Masjid spends $250,000.00 for this work and runs out of money.  We need to do more fundraising to complete the construction project.

·      Melody Rashada and Fonda Muhammad started an Activities Committee – To get children more involved in activities like bowling, etc.

·      The name on the Masjid Deed is changed from Masjid Al Jihad Al Akbar, Inc. to Masjid Al Ikhlas, Inc.  The additional property is added to the deed.

·      Radio Broadcast/put in hands of Sister Kelly Champion /we also changed to a new station (name changed from Focus on Islam to Light on Islam).

·      Over the twenty plus years that I have been the leader of the Masjid we have had seven treasurers and four Assistant Imams.  The treasurers were John Marino, Harold Hasan, Melody Rashada, Asadullah Burgos, Abdul Wahid, Sana Shabazz, and Ahmed Rahman.  The Assistant Imams were Harold Hasan, Hamin Rashada, Jihad Abdullah and Asadullah Burgos.

 

2007

 

 In June we had our Grand Re-opening celebration of the completion of the building of the Masjid.  In total over $500,000.00 was spent to complete the Masjid.

 

2008

·      In   February 2008 we hired Imam Mohammed Ahsan Waris to assist Imam Muhammad in the community.   Imam Waris leads all the daily prayers.  He is Hafiz of Qur’an and is an Alim.  He is our resident Scholar.

·      We had our first Annual Health Fair and Blood Drive sponsored by our youth.

·      We started a 90-day pilot weekend school program.  This program is a Sunday school program.

·      Hafiz Uthman Khan started a brothers meeting as a group on Friday nights.

·      Because of the success of the 90-day pilot program we officially started our weekend school in September.  The named of the Weekend school is “The Islamic Learning Academy of Newburgh.”

·      The radio broadcast is canceled and the community is looking into the possibility of Pod Casting.