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Mosque planned in Wausau
A group of central Wisconsin Muslims is trying to build a mosque in the Wausau area and hopes to have construction complete within the next two years.
Adeel Aslam, a member and general secretary of the Islamic Society of Central Wisconsin, said the Muslim community in the region has grown since the first mosque, Masjid Al-Noor, opened nine years ago in Marshfield.
The group now is large enough to support a second house of worship, he said.
About 15 families are regular members of the Marshfield mosque, which draws Muslims from the entire north central part of the state.
The Wausau area has about 30 Muslim families and a new mosque would also draw members from Stevens Point and areas to the north, Aslam said.
“It has been very difficult for them to have to travel to Marshfield and other cities that have a masjid (a mosque) to attend prayer and services,” he said.
The Rev. David Klutterman of Wausau’s St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, who long has been involved in the city’s interfaith efforts, said he welcomes the group to Wausau’s faith community.
“It represents that Wausau and this area will have representation of the larger world and therefore the challenge will always be before us to somehow see what unites us instead of divides us,” Klutterman said.
“Their presence will allow us to be in dialogue at a local level,” he said.
While Islam, Judaism and Christianity have differences in faith, there are many similarities, he said.
“Seeing faith being lived out locally amongst neighbors is always helpful,” Klutterman said.
Source: www.marshfieldnewsherald.com