Mosque Interview:
Date of Interview: November 3rd
Time of Interview: Approximately 1PM
Person of Contact: Imam Yassir Chadly
Question: When was your site founded?
Yassir Chadly: 1991
Q: Who were the founders? Was there anybody of particular importance?
YC: Shayykh Hishan Kabbani founded the mosque in 1991, then we moved locations 3 years ago.
Before we were renting, and then we bought this new place, where the mosque is currently located.
Q: How did the mosque derive its name?
YC: Iman = faith, masjid = place where you put your forehead down.
Q: What demographic do you primarily serve? (any particular ethnic group, converts, youth, etc.)
YC: There is a mixture of people, the mosque is very diverse.
Q: What is the size of your community and how active would you say it is? What is unique about your community?
YC: Two days a week of activities. Friday is for regular prayer and on Saturday there is the Sufi chanting. On Friday there are about 100 people and on Saturday there are 30-40 people usually.
Q: Is there a high level of gender separation within your mosque?
YC: Women pray behind the men, other than that there is no separation. This is not a discotheque, we don’t want the women’s butts in the air in front of the men while praying.
Q: What kind of community engagement do you have? (interfaith, community outreach, open house, etc.)
YC: We don’t have interfaith activities. We just have one person who handles media, and one person who does the financial things. We are famous for being a Sufi mosque, which means we have the chanting before we pray
Q: Is your site affiliated with any other mosques?
YC: We are not affiliated with any other mosques.
Q: Has there been any press from outside sources about your mosque?
YC: After 9/11, we had some press. We have also had some press because we are specifically a Sufi mosque.
Q: Do you have any information about the location or prior occupants of your site?
YC: It was previously and office building, such as a real estate company, or a salon. We demolished all the walls, and made it into one room appropriate for prayer.
Q: Are the members of your mosque involved in any community projects?
YC: No.
Q: What events do you or have you participated in?
YC: Some people go to outside events. They go to events in the part, celebrations. I participate in interfaith events by myself to represent the Muslim community. Sometimes all the mosques in the bay area meet at our mosque to talk about how to work together as a community.
Q: Do you offer any community services? (schooling, newsletters, marriage services, counseling services, youth programs, etc.)
YC: We don’t offer any formal services, but we try to help people. We do a lot of weddings, or help people who want to dissolve their marriages. We help with legal counseling, getting people out of prison or helping parents whose children have gone to prison, things like that. We try to help people who need a place to live. We don’t have official services, but we try to do as much as we can.
Q: Have there been any significant milestones? (moving, purchase of a bigger building, zoning permit, etc.)
YC: We moved from our first location, to this one that we own.
Q: Does your mosque publish any materials?
YC: We do not publish anything, but my wife records talk with a camera and makes CD’s of those talks. We bring them on Fridays to give to people. We also have podcasts on our website.
Q: Have you been involved in any important legal cases?
YC: No.
Q: Have you as a community experienced discrimination or hate crimes?
YC: After 9/11, we were worried that people might do something, but so far, no.
Q: How long have you been an Imam for this mosque?
YC: Since 1991
Q: Are you originally from the Bay Area?
YC: I am originally from Morocco.
Q: What do you like best about this mosque?
YC: I like being with the people with people who have faith. It is important to be with people who are similar to you and to have the support of those people
Q: What are your hopes for the future of the mosque?
YC: I hope that we will be good mirrors that will reflect sunshine and light. We want people to know we are not full of hate or mischief, we will not harm people. There must be love and respect, both, not one without the other.
Q: Any other information that you would like to share?
YC: We want to wish you more light and happiness, and that your future will be successful.
Date of Interview: November 3rd
Time of Interview: Approximately 1PM
Person of Contact: Imam Yassir Chadly
Question: When was your site founded?
Yassir Chadly: 1991
Q: Who were the founders? Was there anybody of particular importance?
YC: Shayykh Hishan Kabbani founded the mosque in 1991, then we moved locations 3 years ago.
Before we were renting, and then we bought this new place, where the mosque is currently located.
Q: How did the mosque derive its name?
YC: Iman = faith, masjid = place where you put your forehead down.
Q: What demographic do you primarily serve? (any particular ethnic group, converts, youth, etc.)
YC: There is a mixture of people, the mosque is very diverse.
Q: What is the size of your community and how active would you say it is? What is unique about your community?
YC: Two days a week of activities. Friday is for regular prayer and on Saturday there is the Sufi chanting. On Friday there are about 100 people and on Saturday there are 30-40 people usually.
Q: Is there a high level of gender separation within your mosque?
YC: Women pray behind the men, other than that there is no separation. This is not a discotheque, we don’t want the women’s butts in the air in front of the men while praying.
Q: What kind of community engagement do you have? (interfaith, community outreach, open house, etc.)
YC: We don’t have interfaith activities. We just have one person who handles media, and one person who does the financial things. We are famous for being a Sufi mosque, which means we have the chanting before we pray
Q: Is your site affiliated with any other mosques?
YC: We are not affiliated with any other mosques.
Q: Has there been any press from outside sources about your mosque?
YC: After 9/11, we had some press. We have also had some press because we are specifically a Sufi mosque.
Q: Do you have any information about the location or prior occupants of your site?
YC: It was previously and office building, such as a real estate company, or a salon. We demolished all the walls, and made it into one room appropriate for prayer.
Q: Are the members of your mosque involved in any community projects?
YC: No.
Q: What events do you or have you participated in?
YC: Some people go to outside events. They go to events in the part, celebrations. I participate in interfaith events by myself to represent the Muslim community. Sometimes all the mosques in the bay area meet at our mosque to talk about how to work together as a community.
Q: Do you offer any community services? (schooling, newsletters, marriage services, counseling services, youth programs, etc.)
YC: We don’t offer any formal services, but we try to help people. We do a lot of weddings, or help people who want to dissolve their marriages. We help with legal counseling, getting people out of prison or helping parents whose children have gone to prison, things like that. We try to help people who need a place to live. We don’t have official services, but we try to do as much as we can.
Q: Have there been any significant milestones? (moving, purchase of a bigger building, zoning permit, etc.)
YC: We moved from our first location, to this one that we own.
Q: Does your mosque publish any materials?
YC: We do not publish anything, but my wife records talk with a camera and makes CD’s of those talks. We bring them on Fridays to give to people. We also have podcasts on our website.
Q: Have you been involved in any important legal cases?
YC: No.
Q: Have you as a community experienced discrimination or hate crimes?
YC: After 9/11, we were worried that people might do something, but so far, no.
Q: How long have you been an Imam for this mosque?
YC: Since 1991
Q: Are you originally from the Bay Area?
YC: I am originally from Morocco.
Q: What do you like best about this mosque?
YC: I like being with the people with people who have faith. It is important to be with people who are similar to you and to have the support of those people
Q: What are your hopes for the future of the mosque?
YC: I hope that we will be good mirrors that will reflect sunshine and light. We want people to know we are not full of hate or mischief, we will not harm people. There must be love and respect, both, not one without the other.
Q: Any other information that you would like to share?
YC: We want to wish you more light and happiness, and that your future will be successful.