MUSLIM COMMUNITY CENTER TO ESTABLISH MUSLIM COMMUNITY LIFE
By Ayesha K. Mustafaa
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The San Francisco Muslim Community is facing the concern of how the city of San Francisco is “pricing out” Muslims and others due to exorbitant housing and living cost.
These challenges have only given resolve to their 44-plus-years of existence and all that has been sacrificed to establish Muslim community life. The San Francisco Muslim Community Center (SFMCC) was founded in 1978 by African American Muslims who identify with the leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed (America’s Imam), whose scriptural insights brought great clarity to those seeking to apply the teachings of Al-Islam to chart their course within American society.
And in 1981, the SFMCC was incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3) religious corporation, exclusively for religious purposes which include educational and social services addressing the comprehensive needs of its Muslim constituents in the San Francisco Bay Area and to the serve the needs of humanity-at-large when it is feasible and within the scope of our mission.
That is the distinguishing marker of this community of Muslims – it builds to serve the “humanity-at-large,” not just its own existence for its members. The foundation of the Muslims from which this SFMCC evolved had at its core “reformation” of the downtrodden human beings – many like themselves who have to overcome great adversities and setbacks to be restored to human excellence.
The SFMCC’s initial service focused on the African American practitioners of Islam but has expanded to include the diverse Muslim population of San Francisco – including Arabs, Africans, Pakistanis, indigenous converts of Europeans, Latinos, and many other backgrounds. From it perhaps the “model community of humanity” will be established.
There are two masajid in close proximity of a facility the community now hopes to secure – the Muslims of Vallejo with a Jumuah attendance of about 200 and the Fairfield area masjid with a Jumuah attendance of about 100 believers.
The SFMCC now prepares to expand to Vallejo, California, with the purchase of a facility to serve as Muslim Community Center at 444 Alabama St., Vallejo (zip 94590). This center will serve a wider community concern, addressing the needs for youth – creating a supportive environment for Muslim youth – “immigrants” and “new converts” – leading the way to stable family establishment.
SFMCC notes that it has officiated over 150 marriages, a place where hundreds of converts and reverts to Islam have learned the fundamentals of the Muslim faith through classes and studies which enable adherents to have functional knowledge and application of the requisite of Islamic social and ethical behavior.
Emphasis is also on spiritual duties, such as bearing witness to Allah, prayers, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage.
At its former location, where it has rented for approximately 31 years, never from the believers’ thoughts have been to actively seek more accommodating property acquisition to better serve the needs of a vibrant and growing congregation.
There, they will host services and special programs, have facilities as a public hall and religious conference center to conduct seminars and conferences to educate the public as well as the interfaith communities.
In 2006, the SFMCC purchased a rental property (5-bedroom house), which it intends to use to leverage equity towards the purchase of this new property. For this purpose, it is actively seeking a buyer.
Its current Masjid/center property is zoned for schools, public assembly as well as commercial restaurants, as long as they are not fast food. However, according to the community leadership, they are “looking for a dignified affordable place of worship in close proximity to San Francisco State University and San Francisco City College.”
(The current SFMCC and the proposed SFMCC)
ABOUT SFMCC’s leadership: Imam Abu Qadir Al-Amin is a pillar around which the community of indigenous Muslims have established themselves in the faith and in the communities from which they came – making a positive impact on the overall environment to benefit all.
He is associate director/program director of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco and the Re-entry Council, a member of the African American Muslim Insight Council (AAMIC) with Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC.)
He was program director of CJCJ’s Supportive Living Program, a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Facility for 20 years in operation, and Program Director of Cameo House – transitional housing for 11 women with two children each.
He has lectured/ given presentations at Univ of California-Berkeley, San Francisco State, San Francisco City College, Stanford University, Yale University as well as numerous high school and community gatherings. He attended Arabic Studies at San Francisco State University in 1979.
He is a representation of the community he serves, accepting Al-Islam in 1967. He was appointed by his leader, Imam W. Deen Mohammed in 1980 as Imam in Oakland, Calif., and elected as Imam of SFMCC in 1984 to presently.
He has been a business presence in the community, owning bakeries in Cupertino, Pacifica and Oakland and has owned the Bismillah Books in San Rafael and the Great News Bookstore.
As the CPC (Collective Purchasing Conference) member, he represented its founder Imam W. Deen Mohammed in overseas purchases/negotiations with trips to Thailand (three), China (five), Mexico (two) and throughout the continental USA.
Imam Al-Amin was featured in the 1988 documentary on ABC’s 20/20 and on the McNeil Lehrer Show. He was part of the advisory to the warden at San Quentin Prison from 1989 to 1996, on the advisory committee on homelessness for San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and a member of the San Francisco Interfaith Council from 1996 to present.
He was invited to Kenya as a guest of the UN Aid and Reachout Rehab in Mombasa, has visited Nairobi, and Malindi representing the SFMCC and Imam W. Deen Mohammed.
He made Hajj in 1988, Umrah in 1990 during Ramadan, led a delegation on Hajj in 1995 and another trip on Umrah during Ramadan 1997.
He is married to D. Hafsah Al-Amin and they have four children – Qadir, Saidah, Bilal, Darisah; five grandchildren – Nailah, Shaniah, Ryad, Idris, and Razariah.
The current 13,000 sq. ft. facility he and the SFMCC operate houses a masjid, classrooms, commercial space, a halal restaurant, computer lab, recording studio at 4760 Mission St., San Francisco, Calif. 94112.
To make donations by the July 1, 2022 click the Donate tab on their website or click here: https://givebutter.com/sfmcc
For more information, go to https://sfmuslimcommunitycenter.org/ or contact Imam Abu Qadir Al-Amin, Imam SFMCC, via email at aqaintl@aol.com, or call (415)424-8793.
“We Cannot Stop Now!”