Carmel leaders, the Al Salam Foundation, Muslim members and those from other faith communities and the public broke ground on the city's first mosque near West 141st Street and Shelborne Road.
After years of overcoming legal challenges and governmental hurdles, more than 200 people gathered excitedly Saturday to break ground on the Islamic Life Center in Carmel.
The road to this point was not a straight line and showed the clash that can occur as cities become more diverse. While city, community and religious leaders largely supported the project, many Carmel residents of different cultural and religious backgrounds in nearby upscale neighborhoods protested against it, saying they were largely concerned with property values.
The mosque will serve northern areas including Carmel, Westfield and Zionsville. Center member Sadaf Kheiri said it will especially provide much-needed space for Jummah — which is a congregational gathering for prayer — on Fridays and during holy months. It will also be a community center for potlucks, Quran study, basketball games, interfaith meetings and open houses that welcome people of all beliefs, she said.
So a group of about six people with similar desires convened, forming the foundation in a small rented space off 96th Street. Members grew quickly and more space was needed. But unlike meetings on approvals for other places of worship, public meetings about the proposed 28,000 square-foot mosque were packed by Carmel residents. Many of those who opposed the mosque's construction lived in nearby neighborhoods, saying they feared for impacted property values and increased traffic.approved the plan to build the mosque, prompting a lawsuit that stifled but did not halt the process.
During the past decade, Carmel has welcomed various places of worship, including a Jewish synagogue, a Greek Orthodox Church, a Mormon temple and an Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church.