Muslim Center of Greater Princeton
Muslim Center of Greater Princeton, 2022.
Historical Overview
Standing at 2030 Old Trenton Road is a large mosque. This structure - the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton - is both a house of worship and community hub, emblematic of West Windsor's transformation into a multiethnic and multicultural community.
In 1996, an organization called the Institute of Islamic Studies (IIS) moved into an East Windsor office building at 379 Princeton-Hightstown Road after leasing space along Route 1.[1] Over the next two decades, the congregation began to outgrow the site. So, in 2011, they proposed to develop a property off Old Trenton Road to include “a house of worship, multi-purpose hall, offices, a daycare, kitchen, social area, spiritual leader housing, and healthcare facility" for the general area's estimated 400+ Muslim families.[2]
After months of impassioned town debate, the plans were refined and approved. Ground was broken in 2014[3] and the building opened in 2018.[4] In 2019, Imam Adryinka Muhammad Mendes observed in that “the Muslim Center (had) grown more diverse over the past (year) … before, (it) was mostly a Pakistani-Indian community … now, (there were) lots of African Americans, Egyptians, white Americans, Puerto Ricans, West Africans, and Turks.”[5]
At the time of this writing (2022), the Muslim Center now serves many roles. It of course offers worship and education and promotes interfaith coordination. It has hosted social clubs, summer camps, and athletic groups, as well as weddings, fundraisers, plays, and even a bazaar. Its Free Clinic is open to all and has helped many during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its Social Services provides support to members struggling with domestic/substance abuse, insurance/housing issues, and more. Its “Hunger Van” aims to serve 1,000 meals per month. And the congregation currently coordinates vital support to Afghan refugees.[6] Today, the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton indeed embodies our town’s multicultural, multiethnic, and community-oriented identity.
In 1996, an organization called the Institute of Islamic Studies (IIS) moved into an East Windsor office building at 379 Princeton-Hightstown Road after leasing space along Route 1.[1] Over the next two decades, the congregation began to outgrow the site. So, in 2011, they proposed to develop a property off Old Trenton Road to include “a house of worship, multi-purpose hall, offices, a daycare, kitchen, social area, spiritual leader housing, and healthcare facility" for the general area's estimated 400+ Muslim families.[2]
After months of impassioned town debate, the plans were refined and approved. Ground was broken in 2014[3] and the building opened in 2018.[4] In 2019, Imam Adryinka Muhammad Mendes observed in that “the Muslim Center (had) grown more diverse over the past (year) … before, (it) was mostly a Pakistani-Indian community … now, (there were) lots of African Americans, Egyptians, white Americans, Puerto Ricans, West Africans, and Turks.”[5]
At the time of this writing (2022), the Muslim Center now serves many roles. It of course offers worship and education and promotes interfaith coordination. It has hosted social clubs, summer camps, and athletic groups, as well as weddings, fundraisers, plays, and even a bazaar. Its Free Clinic is open to all and has helped many during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its Social Services provides support to members struggling with domestic/substance abuse, insurance/housing issues, and more. Its “Hunger Van” aims to serve 1,000 meals per month. And the congregation currently coordinates vital support to Afghan refugees.[6] Today, the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton indeed embodies our town’s multicultural, multiethnic, and community-oriented identity.
Bibliography
- "Mosque Plans Submitted in West Windsor." West Windsor and Plainsboro News (Community News Service). March 4, 2011.
- Ibid.
- "Amid a Sprit of Diversity, WW Mosque Breaks Ground." West Windsor and Plainsboro News (Community News Service). July 25, 2014.
- "Muslim Center of Greater Princton sees strong growth in first year." West Windsor and Plainsboro News (Community News Service). May 16, 2019.
- Ibid.
- “Muslim Center of Greater Princeton.” MGCP. Accessed August 30, 2023. https://www.themuslimcenter.org/.
