Green Bay Mosque Aims For Acceptance

Local Muslims are working to clear misconceptions that exist about their faith, inviting community members to their place of worship.

The Green Bay mosque of the Islamic Society of Wisconsin and other mosques nationwide regularly host open houses to strengthen community outreach and diminish hostility toward Muslims.

Non-Muslims are invited for a tour of the mosque, a lecture on Islam, a question-and-answer session and to witness prayer.

Though the mosques are always open to the public, the Green Bay mosque at 1512 Velp Ave. hosts a regular open house every few months specifically to increase community discussion.

Similarity between Islam, Christianity and Judaism was a focal point. The words of Islam may be different from other religions, but Tyrone Caldwell, a member of the congregation, says “the message is the same.”

Peter Kellogg of Green Bay said it’s important for different cultures to try and better understand one another.

 “This was a most excellent conversation,” said Kellogg, a retired University of Wisconsin-Green Bay professor. “So many people make Islam sound intolerant, when in fact, they’re particularly tolerant, more tolerant than most.”

The question-and-answer session affirmed that, Kellogg said.

 “There are many misconceptions about Muslims and Islam,” he said. “But I felt a real warmth today.”

Mohamed Zakarya of Green Bay, one of the mosque’s leaders, said Islam is about submission to God and peace.

 “It encompasses everything in life,” he said. “It’s a way of life.”

The five daily prayers are completed “under any circumstance, at any time,” Zakarya said. “Every single act is an act of worship.”

Caldwell of Appleton described some of the faith’s basic teachings and rituals and showed off features of the mosque that may be unfamiliar to non-Muslims.

The Wudu room is one of those features; Muslims cleanse to ensure purification before prayer. Wudu is completed in a specialized place to cleanse, designed for washing the mouth, nose, arms and feet, before each prayer and handling the Quran.

Caldwell said men and women are segregated during prayer because “we’re here to focus on one thing — God.”