The President's Corner

The Grand Mosque at the Islamic Center of Cleveland on West 130th Street on Parma's far west side.

As a social studies teacher in a local public school for over 20 years, I have had the honor of teaching thousands of students from very diverse religious backgrounds, including various denominations of Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism, among other faiths. Interaction with these wonderful students and their families reminds me of what makes America the greatest, the strongest nation on earth – our diversity. This month, I continue my series covering Parma’s many places of worship by reporting on my recent visit to the Grand Mosque at the Islamic Center of Cleveland.    

On the one year anniversary of September 11, 2001 (before I entered local public service), I was invited by some of my students to speak at the Islamic Center. It was during that visit and subsequent invites to the annual Iftar dinner, celebrating the end of Ramadan – the month of fasting that is very much like Lent for Christians – that my better understanding and appreciation of my Muslim friends and neighbors began.  We can learn a lot from kids. 

As you turn onto the property of the Islamic Center of Cleveland off of West 130th Street on Parma’s far western boundary, one is struck by the beauty and majesty of the Grand Mosque.  With its massive golden dome, smaller dome and two high minarets, it is quite a marvel.  It is truly one of Parma’s many religious gems.  Like in my past visits, I was welcomed as a friend by Imam Fouad Al-Saeed, who has led the congregation for about a year and a half. We spoke for over an hour and, as in my previous interviews of religious leaders for this column, I came away with not only a lot of new knowledge, but the wish to know more, as well.

The Imam moved from the San Francisco area to Parma in September, 2014.  One of the points he drove home to me in our talk is the diversity of his flock. “We have members whose families have lived in America as early as the 1800s. . . We also have families from all over the world, including Puerto Rico, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Africa, Ireland, Palestine, Italy, Romania, Albania and many other places.  Several of our congregants are also former Catholics, Mormons, and Orthodox Christians, among others,” the Imam mentioned.  “We do not close our door to anyone,” he added.  “Muslims are your doctors, military veterans, teachers, police officers, dentists, intelligence officials, you name it,” he added.

One of the messages that the Imam emphasized in our talk is that there are many similarities that Islam, Christianity and Judaism share. For instance, the three religions claim a common lineage to Abraham and are, therefore, referred to as the Abrahamic religions and are monotheistic, meaning they worship one god. Further, Muslims believe that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and will return to battle the Antichrist. The three religions also share the same common values as encapsulated in the Ten Commandments of the Bible. 

One of Imam Al-Saeed’s favorite quotes is “Hear from me, do not hear about me.”  He believes that the many stereotypes perpetuated about Muslims can be debunked by education and one-on-one contact. This is why the Islamic Center welcomes educational tours of the Grand Mosque and hosts understanding Islam classes, which are open to all who wish to learn more about the practices and beliefs of Muslims. In fact, just in the past month or so, over 30 schools have toured the mosque.

“I think we should respect all people and work to protect the rights our Founding Fathers guaranteed in the Constitution,” Imam Al-Saeed stated. “How can we export democracy, if we do not practice it at home?” he added.  “We are all Americans and we are all created equal, as it says in the Declaration of Independence, and we need to stand up for that,” he suggested. As an American government teacher, I could not agree more. 

To find out more about the Grand Mosque at the Islamic Center of Cleveland, visit their website at www.iccleveland.org.  In closing, I wish to thank Imam Al-Saeed for taking the time to be interviewed for this article. Best wishes to him and the members of the Islamic Center of Cleveland. To all who read this column, Asalamu Alikoum - peace be upon you. 

Sean Brennan

Parma City Council President Sean Brennan

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Volume 8, Issue 4, Posted 4:38 PM, 04.06.2016