Nearly a decade ago, I reconnected with a childhood friend whose parents, as did my own, attended the nightly Ramadan lectures at our local mosque and left us to run freely in the mosque’s recreational room for hours at a time.

I asked if she still attended the mosque, not quite registering the sensitivity of the question, and her response sticks with me still.

With a maturity beyond her age at the time, she sought more than just a prayer space; she looked to the mosque for security and encouragement. She had instead come to feel judged, unaccepted, and at odds with the older generations that dominated mosque leadership.

Her story is personal but not uncommon. Many who turn away from the mosque or who feel disenchanted by its congregants describe similar reasons.

Others describe reasons that are less personal but equally as important, such as inappropriately designed or even nonexistent sections for women, inaccessible entryways, and programming that caters to one group and neglects others.

In my discussions with colleagues, mentors, and friends, I have found five critical issues shared among mosques to varying degrees:

Lack of equitable female and youth involvement, particularly in leadership;
Exclusivity, mainly along ethnic or racial lines;
Poor breadth and reliability of offered services;
Lack of transparency among leadership; and
Poor quality control in mosque-led initiatives.

The root causes of these discontents are multifactorial, dynamic, and complex, not unlike how mosques vary so widely in philosophy, leadership, diversity, and function.

The fact that mosques exist in today’s sociopolitical climate to provide Muslim Americans with a familiar space is a tremendous blessing. But these challenges nevertheless merit serious discussion, serious investment, and focused improvement.

There is great value in the mosque as an institution beyond prayer. When tuned to its community’s needs, the mosque becomes a learning space, a protective fortress, a safe haven for the vulnerable or lonely, and a dispatch for favorable social change.

So it is with great sincerity that I introduce and welcome you to this platform. The main objective is to identify and attempt to bridge gaps that exist between what Muslims expect from a mosque and what mosques are prepared and designed to offer. Put another way, I plan to explore how to make the most out of our mosques here in the United States.

I hope not only to relate these reflections and ideas to the ever-shifting cultural, social, and political sands of Muslim America but, just as ambitiously, I also hope this platform will provide fresh insights into some of the most fundamental and pressing challenges facing mosques and their congregations today.

Sami Kishawi