Letter to the editor

Dear Mr. Editor:

I am writing on behalf of the Islamic Society of Norman, a unique, tight-knit community of Muslims with diverse backgrounds from all over the world. As you may know, we have recently begun rebuilding our mosque, which is located on Lindsey Street. We began construction in January of this year and have continued through the fall and summer. It is a big step for us, as the previous mosque, which had been standing for over seventeen years, was inadequate to serve our community’s needs. The project, which began early this year, is estimated to be finished by the beginning of 2012.

Our mosque, known as Masjid An-Nur, was the first founded in the state of Oklahoma and was originally made of two remodeled homes from the 1950s. The first house was purchased in 1976 when Masjid An-Nur was first founded. The mosque not only caters to the Muslim students at the University of Oklahoma but the Muslim community of Norman as a whole. We are the only existing mosque in the city of Norman.

I would like to recognize the Norman community in their support of our mosque. The positive feedback we have been getting is simply overwhelming. So many people have approached me or written in to us after expressing their excitement about our mosque. We are extremely pleased, to say the least. As a member of the Norman community for my entire life, it was a wonderful thing to see my fellow citizens giving us such a positive response. Needless to say, we are very thankful of the community and its support. Hopefully, once the mosque has been completed, we will be able to open our doors to the public

Thanks,

Uzma Sandhu