No secrets at Houma mosque

Past writers can help our spiritual walk now
June 28, 2016
Terrebonne General teaches prevention at summer speed camps
June 28, 2016
Past writers can help our spiritual walk now
June 28, 2016
Terrebonne General teaches prevention at summer speed camps
June 28, 2016

Outside, the sun made its final descent from Houma’s Saturday skies, on what for some was a special evening.

Inside a dozen or so men and three boys stood facing east in a windowless room, as their spiritual leader, Sheikh Benyahia Abderazak, led the evening prayer. As one, they prostrated themselves on the elaborate rug upon which they had stood, then stood, then repeated the process.


(To see exclusive video of that prayer, click here)

The night was special because they and other Muslims had entered the final 10 days of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting, prayer and reflection, renewal and forgiveness. During these last 10 days, those who wish may remain in the holy place for additional prayers morning and night.

Prior to evening prayer at the Islamic Center of Houma on Industrial Boulevard, the faithful gathered in an anteroom, where they ate dates as the first step in the breaking of the day-long fast. After prayer they returned, for a joyful feast of traditional foods.


“Ramadan is my favorite month,” said 8-year-old Aman Khali, a student at Lisa Park Elementary School, who sat with his cousins Ibrahim, 11, and Ahmad, who is 10 years old. He was about to go to the buffet-style table for seconds.

His uncle, Mamoon Kahlil, is a convenience store owner who lives in Houma.

“You must learn patience,” the uncle says.


The general mood in the mosque is a combination of reverence and levity.

Non-Muslim guests are treated with deference. They must be served first. They are introduced.

One of the boys, Ibrahim, asks a visitor how old he is – 30 – whether he is married – no – and does he live with family or anyone, to which the answer is “no.”


“Are you lonely?” the boy asks.

“No,” the visitor answers. The boy gives a quizzical look. It is not the answer he expected.

FEAR AND LOATHING


Other people of late have had questions about the mosque. On Facebook pages Google maps have appeared, pinpointing its location.

“Bomb that s—,” one post states in response. Another Facebook post asks how such a place can be allowed.

“Can someone explain to me why is there a terrorist center off of Industrial Boulevard


in Houma the Islamic Center of Houma come on now about time we do something,” writes a Belle River resident, Travis Aucoin. “I’m ready.”

Asked about the post through text messages, Aucoin said he meant no harm but has concerns about what he refers to as “the Islamic camp in Houma.”

“Number one there’s no women and children, there’s just all middle-aged men. That throws up a flag. These are people that have a potential to be soldiers. The way it looks in the news lately they are just sitting in spots like this, waiting for the order from whoever it may be to carry out whichever horrible thing they are there for,” Aucoin said. “I’m very worried about the community. My wife travels that area a lot so does (sic) a lot of other family members and friends.”


Somehow, Aucoin is under the impression that the mosque is masquerading as a “refugee camp” but is really a “training base.”

There is no camp. Nobody lives in the mosque, which does hold regular religious services, and special ones such as Saturday night’s breaking of the Ramadan fast.

Aucoin acknowledges that “maybe I am paranoid,” but maintains that he is merely suspicious and cautious.


A series of posts from a Golden Meadow man about the center are more chilling than accusatory. “This is my ground zero,” one states.

A LOT OF GOOD FRIENDS

Some of the faithful have seen the posts. But they also note that there are more posts from people of good will, some even chastising the negative ones.


Mamoon Kahlil, a native of Jordan, said he moved here in 2003 from Chalmette, in part because he was impressed by the warmth and welcoming nature of Terrebonne locals.

“I don’t blame anyone who has the wrong idea,” Kahlil said. “Some of them just follow the media and blame one person’s deed on everyone else. We have a lot of good friends here.”

Muslims in Houma and New Orleans note that the center on Industrial is a very small gathering place, and the only one in the Bayou Region. There are eight Islamic Centers in the greater New Orleans area, where the registered owner of the property is Westbank Muslim Association, a non-profit in good standing, is based.


Its directors include a medical doctor and professor of medicine who works for the Ochsner health system, which operates nearby Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center, Dr. Mahmoud Sarmini. Karim Taha owns a successful middle eastern restaurant on Frenchman Street in New Orleans. According to published reports, he and a brother in-law once owned another business in the New Orleans area that went up in flames in 2003.

Officials never classified the cause but the family harbored suspicions that it may have been deliberately set due to their faith or nationality.

Yamal Ismail owns a candy, nut and confectionary business in Harvey; Nabil Abukhader is a professor at Delgado Community College.


Another board member is principal of a New Orleans area Islamic school for children and another is a highly accomplished and FAA-recognized commercial pilot.

ALL ARE WELCOME

Facebook posts about the center appear to spike higher with news of terrorist attacks or those perceived as such. This was the case after the ISIS attack in Paris, the San Bernardino, Calif., shootings and, most recently, the slaughter of gay men and lesbians in Orlando, Fla.


Local Muslims try to give perspective to their lack of relation, connection or approval of crimes committed by ISIS or the “lone wolves” who claim allegiance to its tenets. To some it is wearying, noting that Christians are not called upon in the same way to distance themselves from the Ku Klux Klan, Jerry Falwell or the Crusades. But they answer the questions because more than anything, they want neighbors to know that they have no secrets.

“ISIS is not Muslim,” says the mosque’s imam, Abderazak. “They have killed more Sunni than all Christians or Jews or Shia combined, and I am Sunni.”

He maintains that his Islam stresses peace with neighbors of all faiths.


He also confesses that, at times, when he goes to the mosque for morning prayer, there is a bit of nervousness.

“I was concerned but I didn’t have anybody coming to the mosque in a threatening way,” Abderazak said.

As he dished out a healthy portion of lamb to a visitor Saturday night, Kahlil spoke of hopes that people with concerns or questions about his holy place will not fear to ask, even to visit. Abderazak agreed.


“This is not my house, or the members’ house,” Abderazak said. “God owns this house; this is God’s house, and all are welcome.”

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