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"Ground Zero Mosque" Might Drop That Pesky "Mosque" Bit
By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 30, 2011
Modified Mar 30, 2011
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By
John Del Signore
Published Mar 30, 2011
Modified Mar 30, 2011
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The so-called "Ground Zero Mosque" might just say the hell with it and not be a mosque after all, one of the project's co-founders told reporters yesterday. Daisy Khan, the executive director of the American Society for Muslim Advancement, has, along with her husband Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, long been one of the public faces of the controversial project, which hasn't yet raised any money and is still basically just an inflammatory idea. Speaking at a luncheon yesterday, Khan revealed that she and her husband are contemplating, instead of a "mosque," an "interfaith cultural center," instead of the predominantly Islamic facility originally envisioned.
Khan reportedly said her new project was "larger in concept" than what's now proposed for the location, but could still be built on Park Place if Sharif el-Gamal, the developer in charge of the property, wants it. (A huge 'if'.) She also said she's been meeting with the families of 9/11 victims and that her new idea could include a conflict resolution center, adding that the story of the 9/11 families "will be housed in our center... We want the center to be about long-term healing."
But Gamal, the real estate developer who dismissed Rauf as the project's Imam in January, has sought to sideline the couple's participation in the project, and has previously said that "Imam Feisal and Daisy Khan will not be speaking on behalf of Park51, nor will they be raising funds for the project." Though he is a former protege of Rauf, Gamal has often disagreed with the Imam and his wife about the project's mission. And yesterday Khan seemed to indicate that her new plans could proceed in a different location, telling reporters, "We had the vision. We still have the dream. The location is not the dream, my friend."
The Times reports that Gamal has "always favored a more down-to-earth approach, focused on providing much-needed downtown facilities like an indoor swimming pool, and prayer space for the large population of Muslims who work in the financial district." But the controversy surrounding the project has made fund raising difficult, and the Times notes that Park51's application to the IRS for tax-exempt organization has been under review for six months without a decision.
Tagged
9/11
daisy khan
ground zero mosque
mosque
park51
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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