A different place for prayer
East Plano Islamic Center offers relevant message rooted in history
Kevin Cummings
Staff writer, Plano Star Courier
On Friday afternoons, the melody of the call to prayer at the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) resonates over worshipers as they enter the mosque. Some kneel silently in prayer, while others read on the teachings of Islam from a bookcase that lines the walls before Imam Nadim Bashir gives his khutbah, or sermon.
In the Quran, it says “Those who believe and do good deeds — the Gracious God will create love in their hearts,” Bashir and the diverse, reverent group of followers offer services and small group studies to help create a thriving Muslim community in the area, as well as keep a religion rich with history relevant in modern society.
“What we began to see in our Muslim communities was that there are some places in America where it’s starting to become more Muslim vibrant communities, Bashir said. “What we saw was that there are a lot of people moving into the community, but what happens is that they come to the mosque, and because they don’t know anyone they come they pray and they just leave.
“What we learn from Prophet Muhammad and how he developed a community was that he took everyone in, it didn’t matter what race you were, it didn’t matter your financial status; he just created a community. That’s what we also believe in, is no matter what your financial statue is, your social status, your nature, whoever you may be - we want to welcome everyone in our community, and that’s what a community should be doing.”
To help create a sense of family and welcoming, EPIC created its Ansaar Program. The Islamic term ansar translates to helpers, which is what Bashir said the program is about. Muslims moving to the community are matched with other families at the mosque that have similar familial dynamics. Newcomers are also given welcome baskets help about local residential and schooling options. Bashir said the program is rooted in the history of Islam, when Muslims migrated around 612 from Mecca to Medina in modern-day Saudi Arabia; once they arrived in Medina, they were welcomed and made to feel at home.
According to Bashir, the number of Muslims moving to the area has increased over the last two of three years, many of them moving to the area and EPIC are from other states, drawn to Plano due to its diverse population and nationally recognized school district. The Metroplex is also home to many distinguished Muslim speakers, he said.
“The whole idea was people come in they should get adjusted and they should feel like they’re at home right away rather than going through this adjustment period,” Bashir said. “Muslims who live in different cities where there’s not a vibrant community, they feel like that for our children, in order for them to grow up with some type of Islamic identity, want to live in a community where [they’re] able to have those services.”
EPIC also offers small group studies that focus on the Quran, the life of Muhammad and what it means to be a Muslim in today’s society.
Bashir said that many non-Muslims may have a negative perception of the religion due to conflicts going on in the Middle East and elsewhere, but is quick to point out that Imams across the country and world openly condemn the acts of an extreme few. He said the classes at EPIC help followers learn about how to apply lessons from Muhammad’s life and the Quran to their daily lives.
“We do understand that his times were different than ours, but what can we take from his life that we can apply? That’s a study in itself,” he said. “If you don’t try to make it relevant to the audience, they cannot connect with it.”
One of the most important things about the classes, Bashir said, was to especially let the children know that there is nothing wrong with their religion and for them to be proud of their identity.
“Overseas ... religion has become symbolic for power in some places, or it’s like dominance over the other ... even in the Quran, it’s against our religion to force Islam upon anyone else,” he said. “You can live in harmony and you can coexist ... and you should, so you can work with one another. The environment that we live in is perfect, because we can help each other out and understand about our religions. We can disagree, that’s fine, but we should coexist in peace.”