Photo Details

August

The Islamic Center of Greater Toledo, in addition to providing for the religious, cultural, and educational needs of its members, is also known for its equal and vibrant representation of women. Imam Farooq Abo Elzahab, shown here with his wife and grandchildren, presides over the more than 30 nationalities at the center.

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The first Muslim immigrants arrived in the Toledo, Ohio, area from Syria and Lebanon. That was in the early 1900s, and by the late 1930s, they had established the Syrian American Muslim Society, with the first Islamic Center built in 1954. It didn't take long for the community to outgrow the center, and the current center, built in an architecturally classic Islamic style, was the first such mosque in North America. It opened officially in 1983, and in 2001, a full-time Islamic school was in session.

Over 30 nationalities are represented among the center's current membership. In addition to providing for the religious, cultural, and educational needs of its members, the center is an important bridge to the community at large. The Islamic Center of Greater Toledo is known for its equal and vibrant representation of women and also its diligent following of democratic and constitutional processes.

Imam Farooq Abo Elzahab is the spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo. His studies in Arabic and theology at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, led him to many years of teaching in Egypt, Pakistan, and the United States. In 1998, he became the second Imam of the center, following the Imam A.M. Khattab, who was a revered leader from the center's early days.

You can learn more about the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo at www.icgt.org.

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