Reopened Chino mosque stands as beacon of peace
Anwer Mahmood Khan

I will never forget April 19, 2003. On that grim day, an electrical fire gutted the Chino mosque - a prominent house of worship for thousands of Muslims, like myself, in Southern California. The massive fire was doubly tragic since on that very same day the full congregation was gathered at the mosque to mourn the death of their iconic spiritual leader, the late Mirza Tahir Ahmad, who resided in the United Kingdom. Ahmad had himself participated in the founding of our mosque in 1987 and returned to Chino to inaugurate it in 1989.

After six long years of repair, reconstruction and renovation, Baitul Hameed Mosque in Chino has officially reopened for the congregation and the public.

As a resident of Chino Valley for 22 years and general secretary of the congregation for the same time, the reopening of the Chino mosque carries enormous significance not just for me, but for all of our friends and neighbors. Indeed, the Chino mosque has stood as a beacon of peace for decades and has tapped into the best our diverse community has to offer.

Of the 13 individuals who originally laid the mosque's symbolic foundation stone in 1987, six of them were not Muslims. It may come as a surprise that a non-Muslim is laying the foundation stone of a place of Muslim worship, but it would become clear by knowing the objective of the mosque. A mosque is a place of worshiping the Almighty and Merciful God, whose existence we all cherish, and every one of us expresses our deep gratitude to our Creator, Sustainer, and the Bestower of every blessing.

This expression of gratitude and longing is what the mosques are all about. In our mosque every human being who believes in one God can worship. Another message our mosque sends to all her neighbors is that this is a house of peace and only peace radiates from its walls. "Love for all, hatred for none" is the hallmark of Baitul Hameed Mosque.

San Bernardino County has registered the mosque as an official evacuation center in the event of natural disasters. The mosque has been used by local police to facilitate medical rescues. The mosque was the starting point for a long community march to City Hall to support Nancy Reagan's now-famous "no to drugs" campaign. The mosque permitted hundreds of local Argentinean-Americans to watch a prominent soccer match as a group. The mosque has hosted large-scale blood and food drives to serve Southern California. The mosque has adopted several highways in the Inland Empire. The mosque has lent its support to community activists of all political persuasions.

Respect for all religious founders is an inherent beauty of Islam. In this vein our mosque had celebrated scores of religious founders days since its inception and every faith has dined at our tables together to cherish the teachings of their faith.

The mosque hosted more than a score of inter-faith symposia to celebrate the best of all faiths and traditions. The mosque has hosted rabbis, priests, pastors, professors and government officials. In short, the mosque has been a vibrant community center for hundreds of thousands of Southern California residents from all walks of life.

As we officially reopen the magnificent Chino mosque, we invite all of our friends and neighbors throughout the Inland Empire to share in our excitement. It is our sincere hope and prayer that this mosque continues its mission to create peace, promote tolerance and serve humanity. This indeed is the true essence of Islam. Won't you please help us in our mission?

Baitul Hameed Mosque is at 11941 Ramona Ave., Chino, CA 91710. The reopening event will be on Oct. 24, a Saturday, from 4-6 p.m. Those who are interested to attend this event and dine with us, please contact the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at chinomosque@gmail.com. We will send you a formal invitation.