Information about this center is no longer updated. This data was last updated on 4 September 2015.
Phone: 504-887-5365Email: g2g.bridge@gmail.com
Website: http://www.jmanola.org/masjid-abu-bakr.html
[flickr_set id="72157621939330610"] History Masjid Abu-Bakr Al-Siddiq was founded in 1988 by several residents including Mr. Abdul Sattar Al-Dahir and Dr. Mohammed Suleman. Prior to the mosque's construction a group of Muslims started a Jummah prayer group which met first in an apartment building and later in the clinic of Dr. Abdul Hafiz Khan. When the clinic became too small to accommodate the growing congregation a fund drive was started to raise funds for the mosque. The group organized under the title of the Jefferson Muslim Association. Dr. Hasan Krad, a professor at Dillard University, served the mosque for many years as its Imam. Recently the congregation welcomed Mr. Abdur Rahman as its full-time Imam. Abu-Bakr Al-Siddiq is the only mosque in the New Orleans area that was built specifically as a mosque, as its geodesic dome and single minaret beautifully illustrate. Activities and Schedule Masjid Abu-Bakr Al-Siddiq follows the mandatory, five times a day prayer servies occuring every day at sunrise, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and dusk. The heart of the services consist of worship and praise to Allah. The Isha service on Friday night is the most well attended prayer session of the week. This prayer occurs around 8:00 in the evening and lasts approximately fifteen minutes. Other special services take place when celebrating holy days. The month-long daytime fast during Ramadan serves as a special time for the community to come together, share meals, and foster spiritual development. Since the mosque is filled to capacity each Friday and throughout the month of Ramadan, the Jefferson Muslim Association has acquired land for a new mosque in Kenner, to be located at the intersection of Williams Boulevard and 21st St. A ground-breaking ceremony was held at the site in May of 2004. Description The architect of the Masjid Abu-Bakr Al-Siddiq was Al-Dahab. Upon entering the mosque, an entryway leads to a washing area, a staircase, and to the main woship area. Males enter the lower-level door to enter the worship space; women enter a stairwell and ascend the stairs leading to a balcony overlooking the main worship area. Women wear traditional covering which exposes face, hands and feet; men wear long pants, shirts and sometimes a head cover. The dome-shaped ceiling gives the room a sense of volume and holds a star-shaped skylight in its center. Demographics The mosque's congregation is made up first- and second-generation Americans from Pakistan, India and a number of Middle Eastern countries. Although the mosque is located on the border of Metarie, LA and Kenner, LA, many come from Orleans Parish to worship. Immigrants and recent converts make up about twenty percent of the congregation. Men outnumber women in attending the prayer services. Hurricane Katrina Update Masjid Abu-Bakr Al-Siddiq suffered virtually no damage from the hurricane. The Imam was able to return to the mosque about ten days after the storm. Many members were forced to evacuate the area when the storm struck but the area around the mosque did not flood. Most members have been able to return to their homes. Overall, the congregation has retained most of its members since the hurricane.