Islamic Center of Riverside

The Islamic Center of Riverside is a mosque in Riverside, California. Built in 1979,[1] Friday services regularly attract over 1,000 worshipers.[2]

History

The mosque is a member of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California network of mosques. The site, close to the University of California Riverside campus, was chosen to enable the mosque to serve university students as well as the wider community.[1] Along with 23 other "Islamic Centers" in California, the mosque has held an annual open house offering Californians an opportunity to learn more about Islam in the wake of the September 11 attacks.[1][3] The mosque is known for its "interfaith efforts and welcoming atmosphere."[4]

The building, by architect Shakil Patel, was erected in 1979–80.[5]

The Islamic Center organizes an annual ceremony, held at the Riverside Convention Center. During the ceremony, all Muslims from the Inland Empire who are graduating from high schools or college are honored, and cash prizes are awarded to top students in several categories.[6] Members filled 50 cartons with relief supplies and raised over $15,000 for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.[7]

Mustafa H. Kuko became imam of the Center in 1998.[8][9] At that time, only about 2% of those attending the Center were American-born; by 2012, about 15% were.[8] In June 2014, Kuko told The Press-Enterprise that the Center has worked hard to prevent young people from connecting with terrorist propaganda. He said that the press "overlooked what we have been doing in our communities for many years... We have been talking to our communities. We have been talking to our families."[10]

2015 San Bernardino attack

Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the shooters in the 2015 San Bernardino attack, and neighbor Enrique Marquez, who is currently under investigation in relation to the attack, attended prayers at the Islamic Center of Riverside along with one of the victims of the shooting.[9][11][12][13] Farook and the other shooter Tashfeen Malik, who were married abroad, held their wedding reception at the Islamic Center of Riverside.[14] Farook abruptly stopped attending the center in 2014 following his marriage.[13] The Center's director did not recall ever hearing extremist ideology from Farook, and stated that if such ideas were known, they would have tried to stop it, as Farook's actions betrayed the principles of Islam.[15] The Islamic Center of Riverside held a prayer vigil on the Friday after the shooting, extending sympathy to the shooting victims and condemning the attack.[16][17]

2017 Allegations of Anti-Semitism

On July 21, 2017, Iman Mahmoud Harmoush delivered a speech at the Islamic Center of Riverside, which was later posted by the Center on YouTube. According to a translation by MEMRI, Harmoush stated: "Oh, Allah, liberate the Al-Aqsa mosque and all the Muslim lands from the unjust tyrants and the occupiers...Oh, Allah, destroy them; they are no match for you. Oh, Allah, disperse them and rend them asunder. Turn them into booty in the hands of the Muslims.” Harmoush also stated that the migration of Jews to Israel was part of a plot “to take over that beautiful land in the way that we all know, with killing, crime and massacres.” He further claimed that Israel intends not only to take control of Palestine but also seeks to capture the cities of Mecca and Medina. Harmoush later claimed that his words had been misinterpreted by "politically-motivated people who fish in dirty water." [18] [19][20][21][22][23]

References

1. Keck, David (October 16, 2011). "Riverside: Islamic Center celebrates with an open house". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
2. "San Bernardino Massacre: How the Key Figures Converged". New York Times. December 18, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
3. Olson, David (October 16, 2014). "Open Mosque Day set at Inland Islamic centers". The Press Enterprise. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
4. Gazzar, Brenda (December 13, 2015). "American Muslims seek answers in wake of San Bernardino terror attack". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
5. "Islamic Center of Riverside". MIT. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
6. Potts, Michael W. (August 4, 2006). "Islamic Center of Riverside Honors Students with Awards". India-West.
7. Miller, Bettye Wells (January 10, 2005). "Tsunami donations at record pace: Aid ; Some organizations fear the unprecedented response will lessen funds for local charities". The Press-Enterprise.
8. Olson, David (March 27, 2012). "Younger, U.S.-born Inland imams emerging". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
9. Nagourney, Adam (December 3, 2015). "Couple Kept Tight Lid on Plans for San Bernardino Shooting". New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
10. Downey, David (June 7, 2014). "Anti-Terror: Inland Muslims wary of being targeted by federal initiative". The Press-Enterprise. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
11. "The Islamic life of the California shooter left no clues, say mosque leaders". Religion News Service. Reuters. December 4, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
12. Blankstein, Andrew (December 8, 2015). "San Bernardino Shooters Practiced for Attack a Year in Advance". NBC News. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
13. Thomas, Dexter (December 3, 2015). "San Bernardino shooting suspect stopped attending mosque two years ago". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
14. Kimitch, Rebecca (December 3, 2015). "What we know about San Bernardino mass shooting killers Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik". San Bernardino Sun. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
15. "Leaders of mosques where California shooter prayed say rampage betrayed Islam". Reuters. Reuters. December 3, 2015. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
16. "Local Muslims Fear Backlash from San Bernardino Attack". ABC7. December 4, 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
17. "Shock at San Bernardino attacker's former mosque". BBC News. December 5, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
18. American imams apologize after videos verify jihadi rhetoric against Jews by Rowan Scarborough, The Washington Times - Wednesday, August 2, 2017.
19. California Imam Mahmoud Harmoush Prays for Allah to Destroy the Jews: They Are After Mecca and Medina, MEMRI, Clip No. 6135 (Transcript), July 21, 2017.
20. California Imam Mahmoud Harmoush on Antisemitic Sermon: It Was Misinterpreted by Politically-Motivated People Who Fish in Dirty Water, MEMRI, Clip No. 6166 (transcript), August 4, 2017.
21. Riverside imam accused of anti-Semitic sermon that called Jews ‘tyrants’ by Stephen Wall, The Press Enterprise, July 31, 2017.
22. Riverside imam stirs criticism after sermon calling Jews 'unjust tyrants' and praying to 'destroy them' by Kate Mather, Los Angeles Times, July 30, 2017.
23. Riverside Imam Accused of Anti-Semitism After Saying Jews are "Unjust Tyrants", NBC Los Angeles, July 31, 2017.