An Interview with Imam Omar Abu Namous, the Islamic Center of NY
by Pola Rosen, Ed.D. and Marylena Mantas

Rising high above the rounded dome with its shining gold crescent is the minaret calling Muslims to prayer five times daily, in the midst of bustling New York City. The largest mosque in the region, with its granite fence and large verdant grounds, encompasses almost a square block, from 96th Street to 97th Street along Third Avenue.

Inside the carpeted interior, one leaves shoes in a cubicle, and enters a brilliantly tiled interior where men are silently praying on knees and prostrating themselves toward the east. The eastern wall contains a niche, Al Mihrab, with an inscription from the Koran reading So turn your face in the direction of the sacred mosque of Mecca. Each mosque has a different inscription in its Al Mihrab.

In discussing the recent tragedy at the World Trade Center, Imam Omar Abu Namous, head of the 4,000 member mosque, underscored the importance of “peace, security and mutual love among people. We have to work on that.” The Imam feels we all have to launch a campaign to increase understanding and love. He reminded us that the prophet Mohammed used to receive Christian delegations in his own mosque even if they came to argue. “We should do the same in our contemporary times and should take the initiative in building bridges,” the Imam stated.

“Imam” linguistically means a leader of any kind. The current meaning is limited to spiritual leader. There are about 100 mosques in the greater NYC area, according to the Imam. “Muslims have been presented in an unfavorable light by the media. This has created a readiness on behalf of the population to accuse Islam,” according to the Imam. The previous Imam just departed for Egypt because his children were threatened in front of their own home. Imam Omar Abu Namous continued, “We worship the same God as Christians and have the same values.”

In referring to the men who committed the heinous crimes in New York, the Imam said it was not proven that they were Muslims. Actually, “people who commit crimes have no religion,” he said. “These people don’t represent any faith. They did this on their own. They are deeply frustrated and have lost all hope in justice.”

The Imam has lectured to Muslim school groups on tolerance and good relations with Christians. “Our interests are interwoven because many Muslims and Christians have intermarried. In emphasizing the family unit, Sundays at the mosque are social gathering days. Invited speakers have discussed Muslims in the United States and Islam and America, among other topics. The Imam indicated that he would be willing to speak to American school groups to further understanding of the Muslim religion.

When asked whether El Siglo de Oro, the Golden Age of Spain when Muslims, Christians and Jews lived in harmony, could ever happen again, the Imam answered yes, through education.

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