Souvenir on Baitur Rahman Mosque USA Inauguration — Page 35
Mosques and Ahmadiyya Centers in the U. S. A. Historical Dateline 1982-1994 Hatrat Mirta Tahir Ahmad, Khalifatul Masih IV, makes an appeal to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Communic, in the United States to build new mosques and Islamic outreach centers in five cities, namely, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles , New York, and Washington, D. C. The projected cost is $2. 5 million. The community responds enthusiasticall,. National Mosque Committee and Local area Committees are formed. A National Mosque Fund is established; pledges and contributions start. A property ~s purchased in Philadelphia, Pennsykania fo r $42,000. Selection process for the National Mosque site starts. B1 August, a total number of 301 individuals pledge $1. 3 million and donations of $18 7, 000 are received. One Ahmadi member completes building a mosque in Tu cson, Arizona at a cost of $ 11 0,000. Thi s is known as th e Y ousuf Mosqu e. ln Glen Ellyn (a C hicago suburb), Illinois, a res id ential property on a 5-acre parcel of l and is acqui red fo r $290,000 and is used as a place of worship and a mission house. ln Chicago, an adjacent house to the first Ahmadiyya mosque at Wabash Avenue is purchased fo r $20,000 fo r future extension of the mosque. ln Detroit, Michigan, a building on a 7-ac re parcel of land is purchased for $125,000 to be used as a mosque and a mission house. ln Boston , Ma ssachusetts, a 2-ac re parcel of land is donated to the Movem ent fo r cons tru ction of a mosque. ln York, Pennsylvania, a two-story building is acqui red fo r $40,000. Its upper story is dedicated to be the Noor Mosque and the ground level is used as an Islam ic o utr each center and a librar y. In New York, a school building is purchased for $450,000 and dedicated as Baitul Zafar Mosque and a mission house. In Zion, Illinois, a mission house is acquired for $42,000. A 4. 75-acre parcel of land is p ur chased near Los Angeles; plans are initiated to build a mosque with a 10,920 square feet con st ructed area. In New Orleans, Louisiana, a building is purchased fo r $43,000 to be used as a mosque and a mission house. A 9. 6-acre parcel of land is purchased /err $300,000 in Montgomer'J Count) , Maryland, 5 miles outside Washing- ton National Beltwa1. Khuddamul Ahmadiyya starts cleaning up the area. Ahmadi architects and consultants work closely with the National Mosque Committee to develop plans and designs /err the Washington National mosque. Hatrat Khalifatul Masih IV visits the U. S. A. and lays down foundations at both the Los Angeles and Washington mosque sites. Meanwhile in Dayton, Ohio, a residential house 1s purchased fo r $20,000 as the missionary's residence. In Pittsburgh (a San Francisco suburb), Ca lifornia, a property is acquired for $250,000 to be used as a mosque and a mission house. In Clifton, New Jersey, a property is purchased fo r $240,000, and is dedicated to be a mosque and a mission house. Hatrat Khalifatul Masih IV visits the U. S. A. during the Ahmadiyya Centenary Celebration. The l. . ajna (Women Auxiliary) Organitation of New York pledges $30,000. One individual member from the Los Angeles ]ama'at donates $100,000. Hatrat Khalifatul Masih IV adds a personal gift of $3,000. Masjid Bait-ul-Hameed is complete in Los Angeles, California, at a total cost of $1. 3 million. On August 7, H azrat Khalifacul Masih lV inaugurates the mosque.