After about 6 days in Baltimore, U.S., on Saturday invited friends to the Al Huda Mosque in College Park, Maryland. Quite deh, all the streets, stretching is still collecting continue to sleep. Baltimore across the street from the non-toll freeway with urban forest greenery on either side of the road. During the trip, this friend told me about Al Huda mosque aktvitas in the. Among them, in addition to be used for prayer, also for teaching children. The mosque was once a church. But was later bought by the Muslim community in College Park.
Muslim Cheerfulness in Washington DC, U.S. Just love, it turns out this mosque can not be used for jumatan. Can not permit, because it exploded jumatan participants. Finally if you have to hire jumatan church is still active, about U.S. $ 500 every Friday, which is quite far from College Park.
So the U.S. $ 2,000 per month. Pretty expensive too well. Said the father who drove, they've tried to lobby , but still can not hold a license to jumatan at the Al Huda. Maybe different designation. Times yes ...
Mosque in College Park, Maryland. Photo by Ilyani
When arriving there, because again Saturday off, no activity nothing. Just met some summer programs are taped to the glass mosque. Oh yeah, I also met two young children who turned his father always took prayer 5 times this mesjid. The children .
Continue, Mosque also not like building a mosque, because there is no dome. Also there is no call to prayer. If azan or iqamah, enough whispers wrote, hehe. But even so, I'm quite happy to see there children study here. Understandably, the first fitting after the marriage his work ampe college teach children the Koran, tiker degree in Bandung Ganesha lawn. Although teach juz amma aka alif ba ta, but yes happy tough kids who are funny.
After of Maryland, we continued our way to Washington DC. Here could see the Islamic Center in Massachusetts Ave NW, not so far away location from the Indonesian Embassy. Sizable mosque. The mosque includes historic buildings in the U.S., because it was built since 1955.
There is a flag in the courtyard mosque donor countries, but the main one is Egypt's to a giant chandelier bronz, Turkey to the Qur'an calligraphy on the walls of the mosque, and Iran to the carpet is so soft and gentle on the feet.
Two Children in the Masjid al Huda.
Fitting was not asked, there is not a flag of Indonesia, the father said no. It turns out, I really see no flag. Mean follow donate, even if one tile time yes, hehee
Unfortunately, when we arrived the afternoon before the maghrib (maghrib 8.30), the atmosphere was so quiet. There is no activity nothing. Only if jumatan here can reach 6,000 people every Friday. If you look on the internet anyway he said no social services, wedding services (including the time was looking for a soul mate, hehe), donations of food and clothing for those who are not able to and distribution of zakat.
It was great to see the mosque in the foreign country. In just two days, I miss azan, hehe. Although some are still jammed. Pas asked, if another Eid or Eid al-Adha is a holiday?
Certainly not, replied the father who worked in the U.S. is (already green card). In fact, what's wrong with ya, give us a day off wrote the Eid feast fit a day 365 days a year. Not asked once a month ... let alone ask him once a week....