However, as the proposed start of the building’s construction approaches next month, the center has proven a divisive addition to the Solon city landscape among some residents. Opposition for the project has taken the shape of a circulating petition, which currently sits at nearly 900 signatures.
Issues cited in the petition include the city’s inadequate notification process of residents near the center’s proposed site, increased traffic proving detrimental to the surrounding area and a discrepancy with the definition of a “community center.”
“A Community Center is not a house of worship. A walking foot bridge is not a house of worship. A gymnasium is not a house of worship. A development of this size should not be approved in a residential area,” the petition says.
However, Solon’s mayor, Edward Kraus, says that the CVIC adequately followed the process to gain approval to build on the land and would be held to the standards of any other religiously-affiliated space built in the city.
“There were particular variances associated with the site and the site plan was approved,” Kraus told Scene. “If you own the property you’re allowed to build on your property. Now, they still have to comply with every city regulation and code just like any other religious institution.”
The potential mosque comes at a challenging time for practitioners of Islam in America, following political moves targeting Muslims, including a controversial travel ban. One of the petition’s signers writes, “I’m signing based on the history of other countries. The Islamic Center is more than a building of prayer, but a strategy construction for jihad. If they came to America, let them become Americans or return to their home country.”
Masroor Malik, one of CVIC’s board members, says the type of comments present on the petition, even if only representative of a small faction of the community, illustrates the need for a center.
“I think people have not really looked at Islam or studied Islam or know a lot of Muslims,” he said. “So what we’re trying to do with [the center] is create interfaith activity to educate the community and build a strong relationship.”
The proposed center consists of a 41,700 square-foot total build out on six acres of land, including a 182-space parking lot. The project’s ground-breaking date is currently aimed at May 15, and would be completed in six different phases. Should that date be reached, the Chagrin Valley Islamic Center (CVIC) expects services to begin in at least a year and a half.
Currently, the plans for the center include regular Friday congregational prayers, children and community activities, and cross-programming with nearby churches and synagogues. This interfaith programming would invite community members of different religions into the center to help create a greater understanding of Islam.
Mayor Kraus encourages the use of the center for these purposes, citing the potential benefit Solon would receive from the creation of a gathering place for residents of Islamic faith.
“Religious life is very advantageous to the community,” he said. “Many religious institutions get involved in non-profit work and helping others. There’s obviously a great benefit that we derive from that.”
Despite the petition and the number of people who have signed it, Malik says the CVIC continues to be driven by the desire to provide Solon’s Muslim community with an avenue for spiritual fulfillment and community outreach.
“In a day and age on social media when you can always get a lot of numbers, does it really reflect the sentiment of Solon population? I highly doubt that,” he says. “We have looked at it as noise and we’re just marching ahead.”
However, Malik says that the CVIC is willing to have an open dialogue with anyone opposed to the center. He hopes that these conversations would help give insight into the contributions of the Muslim community in Solon and the necessity for a suitable gathering space.
“We are an integral part of Solon and the community at large,” he says. “We want to make sure the people understand it’s just another faith. It’s not a separate society.”
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This article appears in Apr 4-10, 2018.
Solon Islamophobia rears its ugly 900-headed monster.
” A walking foot bridge is not a house of worship. A gymnasium is not a house of worship. A development of this size should not be approved in a residential area,”
Meanwhile, Pioneer Memorial Church, which is in Solon, has a basically all of those things and is in a residential area. Such bigotry among the those 900 people!
This is how Islamic enclaves begin. More Muslims will move to this area and more Muslims and their deliberately ignorant sympathizers will hold elected offices where they can work to advance Islam and Sharia law. Former residents will move away as their culture is replaced by bizarre fashion restrictions, crime, and an alien ideolgy based on the teachings of acnotorious warlord and pedofile. Non-muslim residents that stay will be outbred by the Muslims by 5 to 1 (per Islamic teachings) and will quickly become the minority.
This is the path of Islam and has been for 1400 years. Don’t deceiver yourselves or your readers. Muhammed was the great deceiver. Ask Aisha, his 9 year old bride.
john hickman–as opposed to Mormons doing same thing (recent tv series illustrates this). ANY evidence that Muslims are partaking of child brides? NOT! As community center, it may attract worshipers outside Solon, so where are you getting this ‘takeover”? There is zero evidence that Muslims indulge in crime greater than non-Muslims. And if you actually read the Bible, the Old Testament/Jewish traditions were just as restrictive as Sharia (ex: adultery punishment was fine for man and stoning for woman). In fact not too many years ago, Orthodox Jews stoned female tourist in Jerusalem for alleged ‘immodest” dress. Give me one example of Sharia law being implemented anywhere in US.
Fedman, are you not aware of the massive Muslim invasion taking place in Europe disguised as a migrancy crisis? Have you not heard of the grooming gangs in the UK who target minors? These are Muslims. Their religious text commands readers to engage in brutal Acts of violence towards homosexuals, women, animals, “unbelievers”, Jews, Christian’s.
Are you not aware of the Islamic practices in your own community? Honor killings take place in places like Rocky River and Lakewood. Muslim doctors in the US have been arrested for performing FGM. Are you not aware of the teen that stabbed his friend and friend’s mother after converting to Islam and watching Islamic militants behead people online. Are you not aware of the knife, acid, vehicle attacks plaguing and society that has let Islam in.
When Islam is in the minority they behave and clamour for minority rights until they are in the majority at which point they eliminate any minorities.
We’re not talking about archaic laws and practices of Judaism or the Bible here. We are talking about the dangerous cult of Muhammed the murderer that is practiced with violence and abuse today.
Well we can start by suggesting all of the petitioners go back for a college degree where one can only hope their eyes open to a broader cultural/religious perspective. Lack of a good education is at the core of every racist idiot out there. Unless you have done a comparative study of the Quran and other religious texts/ have a doctorate in the subject please dont enlighten the rest of society with your half assed knowledge (which unfortunately weve time and again seen in islamophobic slandering articles /cartoons ) by which undoubtedly you are not bringing anything eye opening to the table. And by the way, any time you relate yourself to a phobia (islamophobia in this case obviously) you know the problem resides in your own mental capacity rather than the thing itself. Cheers
There is no such thing as islamaphobia. We are right to be cautious of those practicing Islam.
Q’ran 8:12
“I will cast terror into the hearts of those that disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every finger tip of them.”
There are many many violent verses in this book. This is the book they are teaching to the people that go to the mosque. The mosque should be surveiled carefully by law enforcement and citizens. New converts to Islam should be monitored. Beware parents, if your teen suddenly converts to Islam, they are no longer your beloved child but servant to Islam who may act as such.
Hmm. Hide yo kids hide yo wife? The verse in particular is where God is recounting His instructions to the angels to help fight against the enemy in the battle of Badr. It was a battle where An ARAB sect of racists traveled cities in order to slaughter Muslims in an offensive attack. And the muslims fought on the defensive. Greatly Outnumbered this verse recounts how they won the battle by divine help from Angels. Although the verse itself is butchered and not entirely correct thanks to the person who chose to use it in identifying Islam with violence.
Now lets talk about islamophobia.
It is when an insecure person has no group to identify with so creates a common enemy in order to find a place in a brotherhood of idiots.
Thanks for clearing that up Elektra. Many people take our verses literally when we are just telling stories.
More people need to realize that we don’t treat the Quran as an instruction manual. Rather it is like a history book of good advice from ancient times. No sane person would ever read the words of the Quran and think that they were meant to carry out the violent actions that are described in some places of the book.
Muslim are attacking Christians around the world as they have since Muhammed created the violent ideology. Look at Cyprus last night.
These leftist SJWs like Elektra think that by defending muhammeds perverse and wicked teachings that they can ignore the violence that is specific to the religion of Islam.
The Middle East is a wasteland. Europe is falling. Islam is the bottom. Don’t let America fall next to Islam.
Please dont taint our community with your anti-Muslim views. Your perspective is extreme right-wing xenophobic propaganda and doesnt represent the majority of Solon residents. Cherry-picking certain passages from a holy text does not convince anyone but rather highlights your prejudices.
As a person that lived in a little place called Poplar, one bus stop from Tower Hamlets in London, England… I can assure you that Solon will become just as Tower Hamlets has in less than 10 years. Soon your children will not be safe in their schools. Soon your daughters will be harassed for not covering up. Soon your little girls will be molested and raped by muslim men. You think i’m wrong… but I have seen with my own eyes what happens when “good muslims” outnumber good non muslims in an area.