By Wade Coggeshall
PLAINFIELD — There are a number of reasons why the Islamic Society of North America, the largest Muslim umbrella organization in the country, is based here.
It started as a student association in 1963 at Gary. As it continued to grow, adding chapters throughout Indiana and the Midwest, its founders established a committee to find a location for its headquarters.
They wanted it to be in a central location. Since Indiana is known as the “Crossroads of America,” the state seemed a natural choice.
Officials also wanted the center somewhere that didn’t have a huge Muslim population. They feared doing so might divert focus and energy from the religion’s national agenda. Islam is a growing movement in Indianapolis, but nothing like what it is in Chicago, New York, or L.A.
Couple that with Indiana’s cheap cost of living and Plainfield’s proximity to an international airport, and ISNA’s location on 24 sprawling acres just south of town has been a good fit.
The ISNA now represents the interests of more than 100,000 Muslims in the U.S. and Canada. The headquarters draws about a thousand visitors annually from both here and abroad. Altogether, the ISNA oversees between 400 and 500 chapters.
That doesn’t mean Plainfield is just an address for them. The society is part of many local civic engagements and activities. That includes partnerships with both the town government and the Plainfield Community School Corporation.
The ISNA has been the target of crime in the past, however.
In 1981 the center’s warehouse, which housed its Student Muslim Book Store, was burglarized and set on fire. Damage was estimated at $5,000. The Muslim Student Association had experienced vandalism in the past, but not to this extent.
In 1984 an unknown subject fired four shots from a .30-caliber weapon late one night at the ISNA. The bullets pierced two sections of a large window on the center’s southside, sending broken glass around the prayer area. An ISNA spokesperson at the time said fortunately no one was in the building at the time. Sometimes late-night prayer meetings or activities are conducted.
Another important alliance for the ISNA is with other faiths.
The center maintains alliances with many local faith groups and participates in various seminars and workshops. Associations include the National Council of Churches and Union for Reform Judaism. A conference with Midwest Catholic Bishops was once convened to discuss religious topics. Last year a historical meeting between Muslims and Baptists was conducted in Boston for a similar purpose.
The ISNA wants to introduce its culture to other religions to enhance the relationship and bring a better understanding of the Islamic faith. Its leaders also want to dispel the misperceptions and stereotyping of Islam. That includes condemning any and all acts of terrorism done in the name of Islam. The ISNA co-sponsored the Fatwa (religious ruling) Against Terrorism and Extremism that was endorsed by more than 120 American Muslim groups.
Almost half of the ISNA’s constituency is American by birth. In the foundation’s time, Islam has grown from a minor religion to a major creed in the U.S. A high-water mark was when Dr. Ingrid Mattson, the first Muslim female to lead the ISNA, delivered a prayer at President Barack Obama’s inauguration.
There are now more than 3,000 mosques and more than 500 Islamic schools in the United States.
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Online:
www.isna.net
wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com
