re: Park51 Muslim Cultural Center
I would support the building of a mosque close to Ground Zero if the administration of the mosque believes in being inclusive and tolerant and seeks to engage in a positive and constructive manner with the non-Muslim community around them.
I think each of us knows of some mosque leaders and administrations that are inflammatory and instead of preaching a message tolerance, spout hate for others. Such an administration would be counter-productive.
I'll second sehrysh here. My take here:
(a) Yes, we should have a mosque here. And I'm sure it'll be there despite all the opposition. Its a free country. I still see women in complete burqa and men in shalwar qameez with long beard and topi coming out of the groundzero subway station and roam around. Nobody stops them. US is still the best non-muslim country to live in the world despite all what some stupid people like faisal shahzad keep on trying here.
(b) That mosque will be highly visible all the time. We, as a part of muslim community have to be very smart and careful as well as vigilant to as to who is running the admin of that masjid. Are they throwing any wrong sentiments by acting like morons or they exhibit the perfect behaviour of a good citizen/muslim proving all the anti-muslims wrong? Any foolish act here will turn let all the good efforts go in vain and then there may not be any mosque within 100 km of groundzero.
i whole heartedly agree … :k:
exactly :k:
re: Park51 Muslim Cultural Center
Sarah Palin 
aren’t there cages in Alaska.
Anyhoo… what is wrong with having a mosque near ground zero. There are muslim prayer rooms in the US congress, capital as well.
I have to agree with Sehyrish - why not present it as muslim unity center or islamic youth center. It doesn’t need to be only a mosque. It could be labeled and used for other religious and philothopical purposes
it does matter, Ground zero is the symbol of disgrace to Muslims on the name of so-called war on terror.
A BIG & Huge Mosque/Muslim Cultural center must be made in front of it. So the millions who will visit it also knows about other point of view.
That was in response to Decent in terms of getting the same sawab regardless of where the mosque is located.
I agree with Sehrysh though if the administration is going to be tolerant towards others then it would be a great asset. Again as far as Ive read the community center is meant for the community as a whole and not just for Muslims.
I would like to say
Kabaay ko pasbaan mil gaye sanam khanay se 
After all these people will turn muslim some day 
The building is near Ground Zero…not on it. And I think that first, a hearing will take place to decide if the building will be given landmark status…since it’s from the 19th century…although the architectural style is nothing extraordinary. Even if it receives the status, that still may not limit how the building is used.
Opponents, like Sara Palin, feel that the construction of a mosque would “stab hearts.” Then again…the people who died in the Twin Towers attack…were NOT only non-Muslims. They included people of various races and religions. Also, she’s making it seem as if the the building will strictly be a mosque…when that’s not the case. (Why does she bother opening her mouth? 
) According to the organizers of the project, there will be a prayer room…but the building will also include a gym, a performing arts center, and other services. And the programming is to be inter-faith and secular.
If a prayer room is only one among MANY of the building’s uses…and if it’s open to people of other cultures and religions…I don’t see a problem with it. As mentioned above, it also depends upon how the services are conducted (they can be done in an inviting or inflammatory way). I think it would show that people are moving forward and toward unity irrespective of creed…post 911 tragedy.
People don’t get this part.
I'll second sehrysh here. My take here:
(a) Yes, we should have a mosque here. And I'm sure it'll be there despite all the opposition. Its a free country. I still see women in complete burqa and men in shalwar qameez with long beard and topi coming out of the groundzero subway station and roam around. Nobody stops them. US is still the best non-muslim country to live in the world despite all what some stupid people like faisal shahzad keep on trying here.
(b) That mosque will be highly visible all the time. We, as a part of muslim community have to be very smart and careful as well as vigilant to as to who is running the admin of that masjid. Are they throwing any wrong sentiments by acting like morons or they exhibit the perfect behaviour of a good citizen/muslim proving all the anti-muslims wrong? Any foolish act here will turn let all the good efforts go in vain and then there may not be any mosque within 100 km of groundzero.
Yes. And have a US flag on the building too. :)
People don't get this part.
why not?
I'll second sehrysh here. My take here:
(a) Yes, we should have a mosque here. And I'm sure it'll be there despite all the opposition. Its a free country. I still see women in complete burqa and men in shalwar qameez with long beard and topi coming out of the groundzero subway station and roam around. Nobody stops them. US is still the best non-muslim country to live in the world despite all what some stupid people like faisal shahzad keep on trying here.
(b) That mosque will be highly visible all the time. We, as a part of muslim community have to be very smart and careful as well as vigilant to as to who is running the admin of that masjid. Are they throwing any wrong sentiments by acting like morons or they exhibit the perfect behaviour of a good citizen/muslim proving all the anti-muslims wrong? Any foolish act here will turn let all the good efforts go in vain and then there may not be any mosque within 100 km of groundzero.
Some great points there bud. I agree.
I would support the building of a mosque close to Ground Zero if the administration of the mosque believes in being inclusive and tolerant and seeks to engage in a positive and constructive manner with the non-Muslim community around them.
from what I have read , the group behind the project is all about communication and building community ties and bridges between people etc.
re: Park51 Muslim Cultural Center
Make the Masjid exactly at the ground zero and on top of Masjid reconstruct the twin tower!
Islam means peace, if terrorist have problem in understanding the meaning then they dont belong to Islam!
x2: ^Which in essence is what redvelvet mentioned and what the Imam and project administration is proposing.
None of the Muslim community, I'm pretty sure, are ideologically driven. Rather they are looking to make the bridges and show understanding. Most importantly, they are in NEED of a center there because of the growing number of Muslims within that vicinity.
many people here were just emphasizing the mosque, yet there is more to it than that. Ground Zero has no historical significance or religious one. It was just a major tourist attraction used for commercial business purposes. Its unfortunate that a horrible event had to occur there, but all the dudes here take a look at the world and where bombings are occurring every single day and that has been put back on the bunsen burner (with the whole islamo/jihadish/militant agenda (and our own people are just galvanizing the agenda ). By this, All of those places should hold much more significance than world trade center where more people are being killed and humiliated and divided than what happened here. Yes, some of our own people are to blame but you can't bash or trash the whole majority of the religion and its population and think it would be alright to associate everyone with that and the reason for not letting other assimilated or go on with the real picture of what our religion or way of life represent.
Its not to show favoritism for one side or another. Just consider both angles.
I was reading peoples' comments and one of conservative wrote"It is common Islamic practice to build a mosque at or near where they had a “victory.”" People come with all different ways, especially the conservative ones.
re: Park51 Muslim Cultural Center
Tennessee Lt Governor questions whether Islam is a religion (wrt tennessee mosque and freedom of religion)
re: Park51 Muslim Cultural Center
re: Park51 Muslim Cultural Center
Am I happy that I voted for Obama. He just gained even more respect in my heart.
re: Park51 Muslim Cultural Center
This is a needless issue.
Building a mosque so close to Ground Zero is a stupid idea.
Its like the Germans building their Embassy new Aushwitz Concentration Camp, or Japanese building their Cultural Center near Pearl Harbor, or Americans building their Embassy near the epicenter on where they dropped the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Its not politically correct but still you shouldn't do it.
re: Park51 Muslim Cultural Center
I was reading peoples' comments and one of conservative wrote"It is common Islamic practice to build a mosque at or near where they had a “victory.”" People come with all different ways, especially the conservative ones.
umm not really....
Look at Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, the Greatest Church in Eastern Orthodox Christianity was instantly turned into a Mosque when Constantinople fell to the Turks in 1453, or when the Turks turned the Acropolis into a Mosque when they conquered Greece, or the Muslims in India building their mosque near the Hindu Temple of Ram, etc.
I don't think this is what the Ground Zero Mosque is trying to do but still you shouldn't do it.
In a perfect world, the Germans would be allowed to build their Embassy near Aushwitz but many people will object to it out of sensitivity.