In America mosques are much more than a place where Muslims perform their prayers. They are rather centres considered the community’s spiritual home, cultural and social hub and political awareness centre all in one. The basic functions of Islamic centres particularly in America are to accommodate the religious, spiritual, social and civic needs of its members,” Imam Mahdi Bray, Executive Director of MAS Freedom Foundation said. These mosques are engaged in the triple service of Da’wah, education and community services. Abdus Sattar Ghazali, a California-based writer and scholar, maintains that mosques and Islamic centres play a very important role for the American Muslim community. He said many Islamic centres have spacious halls where community members can hold their social events. Some Islamic centres have Islamic schools where Muslim kids study from kindergarten to high school.
The basic role of the Islamic centres in America is not only to serve the spiritual needs of the community but to serve as a hub for socialisation. He believes mosques play a key role in healing the historically deep socio-ethnic divides within the Muslim community.