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Located in a neighborhood so heavily dominated by Christians, it’s rare to find the presence of other religions. Fortunately, Bay Ridge has a small yet strong Muslim community centered around Bay Ridge’s only mosque, the Islamic Society of Bay Ridge. This storefront mosque, located at 6807 5th Avenue, attracts nearly 400 Muslims everyday for prayer and is open for all 5 prayers: sunrise, morning, afternoon, evening, and sunset. This mosque can get overcrowded on special holidays such as Eid and during the month of Ramadan. Many of the Muslims who regularly attend this mosque are new immigrants; this mosque serves as their feeling of “home away from home.” The mosque’s location in the middle of commercial Bay Ridge allows the Islamic people to interact with others, but the tight connection between Muslims is clear. Since it’s establishment in the 1980’s, the mosque continues to grow in numbers as the Islamic population rises in Bay Ridge.

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The Architecture of this mosque isn’t as glamorous as other mosques within New York City, but this does not take away from the mosque’s importance. The mosque looks like any other typical building on the block, but has a banner stretching across the front, reading “Islamic Society of Bay Ridge” in both Arabic and English. It also has a beautiful wooden door in front, with the Islamic symbol of a moon crescent and a star. The inside has base-colored carpeting with dark red geometric designs (a signature Islamic design); the carpet’s designs are pointed towards the Kaaba in Mecca because that’s the direction Muslims must pray in. At the head of the mosque is a space reserved for the Imam to pray; cut out of the wall is a beautiful design colored in black and gold. While the outside of the mosque may have a very conservative construction, the inside is beautiful and filled with a wide range of colors and designs.

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The Imam – Sheik Reda Shata

Perhaps even more amazing than the presence of a mosque in a Christian neighborhood, is the Imam who leads this mosque. To the Muslims of Bay Ridge, Mr. Shata is much more than a leader in prayer; he is a counselor in their journey of life. Mr. Shata often finds himself in a struggle, but attempts to find the middle ground between the Western “American” lifestyle and Islamic beliefs. He even faces some of the same challenges and advises people based on what he’d do. The Imam often goes out in typical western clothing like a leather jacket with jeans, and takes the subway just like anyone else in New York City; these are just part of the necessities to adapt to the city life.

Mr. Shata is known for making controversial and progressive decisions. Take for example the issue with halal meat; many Muslims believe that they should only eat halal meat no matter the circumstances. However, Mr. Shata believes having a Big Mac doesn’t diminish your faith, but eating a bacon cheeseburger will. Mr. Shata acknowledges the difficulty of being faithful in a Western World, and as a result the circumstances change. Sheik Shata has also faced several other issues such as divorce, serving alcohol, and taking out mortgages. When being compared to a judge, Mr. Shata replied, “I try to be more of a doctor than a judge. A judge sentences, a doctor tries to remedy” and remedy he does.

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<<- Back to Salem Arabic Lutheran Church | Return to Houses of Worship