LOGAN – On Saturday, October 18th, the Logan Islamic Center, Cache County Islamic Society, and Muslim Student Association of Utah State University, jointly hosted the community for “The Jesus Exhibit,” an in-depth display regarding the life of Jesus Christ and the role he plays in the Islamic faith.
The Jesus Exhibit at Lundstrom Student Center on October 18th
The traveling exhibit was created by the international non-profit Islamic Education and Research Academy, otherwise known as iERA. According to local Muslim and volunteer Mohamed Abdullahi the goal of the exhibit is to provide education about Islam and help foster interfaith understanding.
“Islam hasn’t had the most positive outlook, especially in the media,” said Abdullahi. “Events like this help bridge that gap and show Americans who may have had just one view of Islam, that Muslims are normal people and we believe in many of the same things. When you walk through the exhibit, you’ll see so much that will make you say, ‘Oh this is exactly what is in the Bible. I understand this.’ And then there are going to be things that are slightly different.”
According to the exhibit, Muslims believe that Christ was a great prophet and teacher, but not the son of God. They believe Christ was sent by God, or “Allah,” as he is known in the Islamic faith. They believe Christ was born of Mary by virgin birth. Mary is greatly esteemed in the Islamic faith, being mentioned in the Qur’an more than Jesus or the Prophet Mohammed. Muslims believe Christ performed many miracles under the permission and power of Allah and lived a life of love and kindness. They do not believe he was crucified on the cross, but was rescued by Allah and taken up to Heaven. They believe that in the last days, an evil anti-christ will rise up and Christ will be sent by Allah to defeat him. Christ will then become a ruler for a time, continuing the charity and goodness he lived by while on Earth.
The five pillars of Islam are as follows, and it is perhaps the third in which religious followers might find the most universal commonality.
- The testimony of faith that there is no other god but God and that Mohammed is the final prophet
- Establishing the practice of the five daily prayers
- Giving alms of charity
- Fasting from dawn until dusk during the month of Ramadan
- Making the pilgrimage to Mecca, for all who are able
“When we have someone who is of lower socioeconomic class or has fallen down on their luck show up at the mosque looking for help, we help them,” said Abdullahi. “We’re a very small community. We don’t have the funds, but we figure out a way to help people when they need help. And that’s because it’s a pillar of our faith.”
The Logan Islamic Center.
The Logan Islamic Center at 748 N. 600 E. was founded by USU students who were searching for a place to pray and practice their beliefs. They were able to secure the funds to purchase the current center and it is now the oldest mosque in Utah, having been in continuous operation since the 1970s.
The mosque has become the spiritual home for many Muslim refugees over the years, while the majority of the daily worshippers are still USU students.
“A lot of these students come from Muslim-majority countries where their daily lives revolve around the mosque,” said Abdullahi. “There’s a mosque on every corner and you hear the call to prayer. Coming to the center gives them a sense of comfort because they feel like they are at home when they are with the Muslim community.”
While it has served its purpose for decades, the Muslim community has outgrown the Logan Islamic Center. Looking towards the future, the goal is to find a new place they can grow into. Along with a new mosque, the Logan Islamic Center and the Cache County Islamic Society have some other important goals for the future.
“We want to help any Muslim who wants to make Cache County their home, fit in better,” said Abdullahi. “We want to help our neighbors better understand who we are and the beliefs that we hold, so that if something ever did happen – God forbid – people don’t jump to stereotypes and pre-conceived notions.”
While education to combat stereotypes and pre-conceived notions continues to be a priority, Abdullahi has high praise for the Cache Valley community he grew up in, including members of the valley’s most prominent faith: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“I’ve known a lot of people who moved here as adults,” said Abdullahi, “and there is not a better place than Utah for Muslims to live. This is mainly because the community is conservative and they share a lot of the same family values. The LDS community is incredibly welcoming and understanding.
“They show up when you have community events. Your LDS neighbors come check on you and you are going to check on them. That is the type of life these Muslims lived back home, where the entire village helped raise their children. A lot of those same values are here.”
While the Muslim community waits for a new mosque in the future, the center at 748 N. 600 E. in Logan will continue to provide a safe haven for Salah, the five ritual daily prayers, along with opportunities to study the Qu’ran. For those interested in learning more information about Islam or becoming involved in charitable causes, visit https://www.loganisc.org/ or https://www.ccislamicsociety.org/. There is also an open invitation to participate in a Friday sermon.
“We might be a little tight, because we’re running out of space,” Abdullahi said, “But you’re always welcome.”