Though the Islamic Society of Central New York is several hundred miles from a proposed mosque near ground zero in New York City, the debate is important to local Muslims. Many feel the intense controversy has hurt the image of Muslims in America.
Yusuf Abdul-Qadir is a board member of the Islamic Society. Though he says the Society has not taken a formal position, he supports efforts to build the mosque. Abdul-Qadir says it's "the only way we can bridge the gap between the Muslim community and the non-Muslim community is to do these sorts of things."
Imam Hasan Yamini of the Abdullah Islamic Center on Brighton Avenue feels it would be best to find another location for the mosque farther away from ground zero. "They should consider the environment in regards to where it is being erected... consider the ramifications and the sensitivity that people have in regards to that area."
A New York Times poll released Friday found that while two thirds of New Yorkers agree with the right to build the mosque, they also feel it should be placed somewhere else.
Imam Yamini feels opposition is getting out of hand and it would be better for islamic leaders to back away. "Don't fan the flames of division...back away and take a different stance, make a different move."
But Abdul-Qadir says, "They need to stand firm. They need to hold firm to this... because 10, 15 , 20 years we'll all look back on this when history will judge us and say that was a terrible part of our history...but it's a good thing we took the stride to move forward."
Abdul-Qadir says the debate over the New York City mosque is important locally because there are now 15-thousand Muslim families in Central New York and they too will have to build a larger Islamic Center.
