Encyclopedia Of Detroit

The Islamic Center of America traces its history to the 1940s when the growing number of Muslims in the Detroit region brought Imam Mohammed Jawed Chirri from Lebanon in February 1949. Almost immediately, however, a factional rivalry forced him to depart the area in 1950 for Michigan City, Indiana. In 1954, he was persuaded to return to the area and become the leader of the newly-formed Islamic Center Foundation Society. Imam Chirri soon had to face the difficult task of building a new religious center. With contributions from President Nasser of Egypt, and community contributions and loans, the first religious center built specifically as a mosque in Michigan was begun.

On September 20, 1963, the Center opened its doors on Joy Road in Detroit. By 1967, the Center had already outgrown this space and began the building of a new religious center on Ford Road in Dearborn, near the Center’s already existing grade school, the Muslim American Youth Academy.

The Islamic Center’s new 120,000 sq. ft. mosque opened in May 2005. It is reputed to be the largest mosque in North America and the oldest Shia mosque in the United States. The Shia Arab population forms the major worshiping group, but Sunnis also pray there, and people of all faiths are welcome. The mosque has space for 1,000 individuals at prayer time.

The mosque includes a vast meeting hall that can be divided into several smaller rooms, an industrial kitchen, a spacious prayer room, mezzanine, offices, meeting rooms, and a library. Glazed brick was used to veneer two decorative domes at the main entrance and the round mosque at the center of the building. In addition, two 110-foot towers called minarets were erected.

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