Ibrahim Khalilullah Islamic Center (IKIC)
Address: 43140 Osgood Drive Fremont, CA 94539 USA Phone: (510) 488 - 4695 Fax: (510) 651 - 0122 Email: [email protected] For more information: http://www.ikicenter.org/ |
The Ibrahim Khalilullah Islamic Center (IKIC) is located at 43140 Osgood Drive in the city of Fremont, CA in Alameda County 94539 (data). The community center was established in 1996 and was recently moved to the new location in 2008.
Bringing a Sense of Community to "Little Kabul"
It's a Friday afternoon and there are approximately a hundred Muslims gathered around in a corporate office parking lot greeting each other. They are gathering for Jumaah, the weekly prayer on Fridays that Muslims gather and pray together. This is a time where many Muslims take time in their day, their busy schedules, and devote time to their spirituality and their community.
The Ibrahim Khaililullah Islamic Center, IKIC, has made this possible for a large amount of Muslims living in the area since 1996. The IKIC) was first established in 1996 by elders of the Afghan community. Since there is a relatively large population of Afghans residing in Fremont (commonly known as “Little Kabul”) the elders decided to build a mosque in order to establish a space for preserving similar religious beliefs and building a community. Through donations, and a demand by the local Muslim community, they have managed to collect enough money to move from store front to having their own building, which they had a grand opening for in 2008.
The IKIC currently has over 600 monthly members, and is welcoming to all. However, it primarily served as an excellent support, and communal system for the local Afghan community, since Fremont is currently home to America’s largest Afghan community. Since the past 2 years though, ever since the Mosque has opened its new site, local Pakistani and African muslims have been joining the mosque as well, expressing that the mosque has always made them feel welcome. The mosque is currently led by its president, Mohammad Seddique Zarabi, and its board of 11. They have various committees from Financial, and Operational, to Education and Youth Programs.
This new found vigor in their new establishment, and with the leadership of the elected Mohammad Seddique Zarabi, the mosque has been able to start events and programs that outreached to the community. Every month they host a family dinner night at the Mosque, and Muslim speakers are invited to speak at different events. During the month of Ramadan they have khatams (Persian Islamic artwork), and nightly iftars, which is the act of breaking ones fast in the month of Ramadan. The provide College Preperation seminars, community nights, and Marjaan sister groups. They also provide youth cultural and language classes. Finally, and very importantly, they provide funeral services, and members of the mosque are guaranteed a spot on the cemetery, with a khatem placed there.
Their most recent and key event that they hosted was in October 13th. Before getting into what the event is, background information is important to recognize. Afghanistan has had a tumultuous past, especially within the past century and how it was a battle ground as a proxy war between the US and USSR during the Cold War. This has had some devastating effects, and just recently a list of 5000 Afghan victims of human rights abuses by the Russian backed Kabul Administration between 1978-1979 has been revealed. The Mosque hosted an event for mass condolences for those 5000 called, Fateha and Mass Condolences for 5000 people.
This leads to the next part where the Mosque, all though has been growing in membership, has always been at an uphill climb for change. The Mosque itself is unique in the fact that it was founded by refugees. This is beyond honorable in the fact that these people have struggled in their own country, most likely struggled to get to America, and even while here have struggled to find a place and form a community. The new Mosque, since it is in a corporate sight had to go through some long renovations just to make it look and feel like a Mosque. On a scarier note, the Mosque in December of 2012 had a white man enter stating that he had a gun and was going to kill four people. Fortunately when confronted, the man drove away, and no one was injured. The most shocking thing to learn, was that in Fremont, Farsi was not allowed for high school language credit until September of 2013. The board of directs and members of the IKIC, with the Afghan community worked tirelessly till the Fremont trustees approved Farsi for High School credit, and IKIC was instrumental to the entire process.
The new activity within the community, and the many new events bring hope to this mosque and its services it provides to the Afghan community. It not only serves as a place of worship, but as a communal center for Afghans in the area; as a force of change for the better in Fremont; and a place where you will feel welcome regardless of where you are from. With newer programs being created all the time, and more community outreach, great things can be expected from this Mosque, and as some members wish to be involved more, more workshops for the members are certainly to be expected.
The Ibrahim Khaililullah Islamic Center, IKIC, has made this possible for a large amount of Muslims living in the area since 1996. The IKIC) was first established in 1996 by elders of the Afghan community. Since there is a relatively large population of Afghans residing in Fremont (commonly known as “Little Kabul”) the elders decided to build a mosque in order to establish a space for preserving similar religious beliefs and building a community. Through donations, and a demand by the local Muslim community, they have managed to collect enough money to move from store front to having their own building, which they had a grand opening for in 2008.
The IKIC currently has over 600 monthly members, and is welcoming to all. However, it primarily served as an excellent support, and communal system for the local Afghan community, since Fremont is currently home to America’s largest Afghan community. Since the past 2 years though, ever since the Mosque has opened its new site, local Pakistani and African muslims have been joining the mosque as well, expressing that the mosque has always made them feel welcome. The mosque is currently led by its president, Mohammad Seddique Zarabi, and its board of 11. They have various committees from Financial, and Operational, to Education and Youth Programs.
This new found vigor in their new establishment, and with the leadership of the elected Mohammad Seddique Zarabi, the mosque has been able to start events and programs that outreached to the community. Every month they host a family dinner night at the Mosque, and Muslim speakers are invited to speak at different events. During the month of Ramadan they have khatams (Persian Islamic artwork), and nightly iftars, which is the act of breaking ones fast in the month of Ramadan. The provide College Preperation seminars, community nights, and Marjaan sister groups. They also provide youth cultural and language classes. Finally, and very importantly, they provide funeral services, and members of the mosque are guaranteed a spot on the cemetery, with a khatem placed there.
Their most recent and key event that they hosted was in October 13th. Before getting into what the event is, background information is important to recognize. Afghanistan has had a tumultuous past, especially within the past century and how it was a battle ground as a proxy war between the US and USSR during the Cold War. This has had some devastating effects, and just recently a list of 5000 Afghan victims of human rights abuses by the Russian backed Kabul Administration between 1978-1979 has been revealed. The Mosque hosted an event for mass condolences for those 5000 called, Fateha and Mass Condolences for 5000 people.
This leads to the next part where the Mosque, all though has been growing in membership, has always been at an uphill climb for change. The Mosque itself is unique in the fact that it was founded by refugees. This is beyond honorable in the fact that these people have struggled in their own country, most likely struggled to get to America, and even while here have struggled to find a place and form a community. The new Mosque, since it is in a corporate sight had to go through some long renovations just to make it look and feel like a Mosque. On a scarier note, the Mosque in December of 2012 had a white man enter stating that he had a gun and was going to kill four people. Fortunately when confronted, the man drove away, and no one was injured. The most shocking thing to learn, was that in Fremont, Farsi was not allowed for high school language credit until September of 2013. The board of directs and members of the IKIC, with the Afghan community worked tirelessly till the Fremont trustees approved Farsi for High School credit, and IKIC was instrumental to the entire process.
The new activity within the community, and the many new events bring hope to this mosque and its services it provides to the Afghan community. It not only serves as a place of worship, but as a communal center for Afghans in the area; as a force of change for the better in Fremont; and a place where you will feel welcome regardless of where you are from. With newer programs being created all the time, and more community outreach, great things can be expected from this Mosque, and as some members wish to be involved more, more workshops for the members are certainly to be expected.
Visual on Community Building at IKIC
This video provides a visual on one of the events hosted by Ibrahim Khalilullah Islamic Center (IKIC). Khatem Al-Quran takes place on an annual basis during the month of Ramadan. It marks the completion of the Quran during the nightly prayers Taraweeh.