US Documentary Explores Mosque Problems
"Where is the young generation?" asks Imam Shamsi Ali, Huffington Post reported on Monday, December 9.
"They are moving away, and they are not coming back."
In the upcoming film "UnMosqued", the director Ahmed Eid tries to highlight the growing need for reform in many of the mosques in America.
Travelling across twelve states, the makers of the film have documented problems in hundreds of mosques across the US.
According to the website of the film, “the purpose of the documentary is to engage a group of people who have been disconnected from their local mosque and explore the various reasons that have led to this sentiment.”
The film, coming in 2014, focuses on the reasons who many Muslim youth, second or even third generation, have felt judged or unwelcome at a mosque.
It also highlights the need of mosque leaders to do more effort to attract and retain the youth.
"You go to the masjid, and so many masjids speak their own native language," a young Muslim said.
"Whether it's Arabic, Bangla, Urdu, Turkish and our children have a hard time understanding this message."
According to The American-Mosque 2011 report, “3/4 of all mosques are dominated by one ethnic group. In most cases this one group is either South Asian, Arab, or African American.”
Though there are no official estimates, the US is home to 7-8 million Muslims.
An earlier Gallup poll found that the majority of Americans Muslims are loyal to their country and optimistic about their future in the United States.
Source: On Islam
