Today in class when we were discussing the Islamic Society of North America it really got me thinking about my experience of different Muslim communities. As I am from Plainfield, Indiana I know a fair amount about the Islamic Society of North America and I drive by it almost every time that I’m out and about. I’ve visited at least once and I know several people from my high school who were Muslim and commonly attended the prayer services held there. However, Plainfield is a prominently white suburban area and I think this definitely influences the types of families that attend there. Many of the Muslim families in Plainfield are upper class and even though they’re Muslim, they’re still very similar to many of the conservative Christians in Plainfield. However, this is completely different from the Al-Fajr mosque where I volunteer for my ICR. As this is a lower income area the type of people who attend are much different from the Muslims in Plainfield. The people at all Al-Fajr are all very friendly and welcoming and they’re very humble. This is a bit different from Plainfield where the Muslims act more like a typical christian. However, both areas also have their similarities. Both are very tightly woven communities and it seems like everybody knows each other. I think it’s important to realize that most Muslim communities have their differences, but many of them also have their fundamental similarities.
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