Masjid Security: Another Issue Ignored

Last year Albert Brooks was looking comedy in the Muslim world. In similar vein, I’ve been looking for common sense and honesty in the pro-regressive movement for years now. So far, I’ve been unsuccessful, but an issue of neglect did rear its head. Last month, my local masjid received a threat, the culprit told an unsuspecting sister to “remember my face” after leaving a sealed letter on the minbar. It turned out to be a death threat, and the authorities were notified. The culprit was arrested last week. A couple of months prior, a masjid in northern California was vandalized. This, unfortunately is not “news” since attacks on masajid and Muslims have become common. The issue of neglect I’m referring to is masjid security.

For those people out there who think that absolute “freedom of speech” doesn’t come with consequences, please join us in the real world where rising Islamophobia is increasingly taking on a more virulent and physical form. Many masajid are low on funds, especially after 911 with declining donations but that doesn’t mean we cant take matters into our own hands. When I was in Chicago, our local masjid could not afford to have the parking lot cleared of snow. We decided to shovel it ourselves, and did so several times. Now if we had taken a page out of Asra Nomani’s handbook of self-promotion, there would be camera crews, controversy and calls for a “gender weather jihad” against the elements, not counting a failed run for some masjid committee.

Why hasn’t this issue ever been brought up by our self-appointed reformers? Could it be that this particular concern isn’t flashy enough to gain attention? Or is it simply that they don’t attend masajid to know or care? Some masajid can afford to hire private security services but many can not. I think its high time that we get involved directly and give whatever free time we can to our local masjids and their security.