From Old to New
مِنَ القَدِيمِ إِلَى الجَدِيدِ
From our old home to a new beginning
Founded in 1999, lost to fire in 2009, and rising again — the story of how our community is rebuilding its masjid.
فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
“For indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease.” — Surah Ash-Sharh 94:5–6
Our journey
From a rented apartment to a new center
Every chapter of our story was written by a community that refused to give up.
Mid-1980s
West African Muslims begin arriving in the Bronx in significant numbers.
Late '80s – '90s
Elders organize Dhikr sessions and preside over community ceremonies.
Masjid Deyau
A rented ground-floor apartment on Jessup Avenue becomes our first home.
1999
We buy and renovate our own building — the Islamic Cultural Center is born.
Sept 17, 2009
On the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, the center is tragically consumed by fire.
After the fire
Declared unsafe by the NYC Building Department, the old building is demolished.
Rebuilding
A six-floor center is planned — Phase One will house the Masjid, Islamic school, library and offices.
Today
Alhamdulillah, $800,000 has been raised. Together, we are building the new Islamic Cultural Center.
Then & now
See the transformation
Our old center, and the new home we are building together, insha'Allah.
The old center
October 2006
Our original masjid on East 166th Street
The front entrance of the Islamic Cultural Center at 371 E. 166th St., with its familiar green awning.
October 2006
The old center from the street
A street view of the original building, before the 2009 fire.
October 2006
Our first photo gallery
The old center as it appeared on our original website's photo gallery.
The new center
Construction
The new building rises
The block walls and steel frame of the new center going up, floor by floor.
Renovation
A bright new interior
New ceilings, lighting, ventilation and large windows — the interior takes shape.
Renovation
Ready for the prayer hall
Walls painted and the hall prepared for its new carpet.
Renovation
A new marble entrance hall
Marble floors, wooden doors and a chandelier welcome worshippers into the new center.
Today
Our new prayer hall
Alhamdulillah — the finished prayer hall with its new carpet, ready to welcome the community.
Today
Rows for congregational prayer
The new carpet's prayer rows, ready for the jama'ah.
Today
The community gathers again
Alhamdulillah — our community filling the new prayer hall together once more.
The completed building
The new Islamic Cultural Center
The finished center, with its minaret and rooftop terrace, giving our community a lasting home in the Bronx, insha'Allah.
إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَٰجِدَ ٱللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ
“The mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day.”
Surah At-Tawbah 9:18
Call to Prayer
حَيَّ عَلَى ٱلصَّلَاةِ
Hasten to prayer, hasten to success.
Next prayer
Dhuhr
04
hrs
47
min
08
sec
Help us rebuild
Be part of the new chapter
Every contribution brings us closer to completing our new Masjid, Islamic school and community center.
Donate Now