About Us
Demographics
The ICCA has a diverse and growing membership. It is clear that the center has grown considerably since it opened in 2001. In the early days, there were only a few members attending evening prayers. Today, Imam Khalid is present to lead the five daily prayers and a growing number of members are attending prayers at the masjid, especially the evening prayers. During Ramadan, our nightly Iftar and Taraweeh programs attract many members. Our community members live mainly in the Fayetteville area.
Affiliation with Other Communities/Organizations
The ICCA is not formally affiliated with any national or international organizations. However, the community participates in an informal network of communication between the Atlanta area masajid.
Administration
The center is organized as a non-profit corporation. There are seven members on the Board of Directors, including a President, Treasurer and Secretary In addition, there is one Facilities Manager, who is responsible for the daily needs and maintenance of the center. The Board of Directors meets monthly to discuss the daily operation of the center, upcoming activities, and other events. All of the positions are voluntary.
History
The Islamic Community Center of Atlanta was founded in November 2001 by a couple, Dr. and Dr. Faiyez. Before the center was founded, the Muslim community in Fayetteville did not have a designated place for worship. Dr. and Dr. Faiyez decided to donate a building with a spacious interior to be used as a community center for prayer and classes.
Once the building was purchased, the small group of participants who had been gathering at home began reconstructing and renovating the building to become an appropriate place for Muslim worship. Most importantly, a mihrâb (a niche constructed inside the wall) was established to orient the congregation to Mecca using an astronomer recommended by Al-Farooq Masjid of Atlanta who calculated the exact latitude and longitude of the center and sent an astronomical chart to to use in conjunction with a vertical column in order to establish proper orientation to Mecca.
Several other renovations were also made to the original space. A wall was constructed to contain the Qibla, and several screen partitions were installed to separate the prayer areas for the men and the women. Also, a prayer rug was installed in the center of the building. The prayer rug is red and marked with small boxes that run parallel to the mihrab. By standing in the boxes with their heels to the back line, worshippers organize themselves into straight lines and stand shoulder to shoulder.
Men and women worship in the same room at ICCA, but they are separated. The men line up at the front of the worship space, while the women line up at the back of the rug behind the men. Finally, members modified the existing bathrooms to accommodate required ritual ablution (washing the hands, face, mouth, and feet before prayer). The space includes an area to bathe the feet and marble stools for comfortable seating.
Activities and Class Schedules
The ICCA sponsors many educational programs. The ICCA is open daily for salat, the five daily prayers, and worshipers gather before or after the prayers to discuss community matters. Many community members also participate in religious education. Examples of the educational offerings are listed below.
The center is also available for special occasions. During Ramadan, the ICCA has a unique way of breaking the fast. Once the community gathers together, each member eats a single date and then the community celebrates with a buffet-style potluck dinner. The men, women, and children all eat dinner together, and visitors from other faiths are invited to join them.
