Ramadan day 3 Plano Masjid

DAY
3 – PLANO MOSQUE, SUNDDAY,
JULY 22, 2012

Plano Masjid, 6401
Independence Parkway, Plano, TX

Experiencing
Ramadan.

It’s the 3rd day of Ramadan, and Plano Masjid was my
destination. Most of the people involved in building of the mosque were part of
the Richardson Mosque eons ago, as Plano grew and filled every piece of land
that there was with homes, so did the growth of Muslim population. Now there is
another Mosque on the east side of the town called EPIC, East Plano Islamic
Center.

Plano is one of the most progressive cities in the area and took
off in mid-to-late eighties. It is also one of the top ten safest cities for
single women, no; it was # 1 at one time, Mayor Pat Evans took joy in correcting
me. Former Mayors Jeran Akers and Pat Evans were part of many a events including
Unity Day USA. Indeed, we got 4 Cricket play grounds when Jeran Akers was the
Mayor and I was President at North Texas Cricket Association then. Pat Evans has
been a part of the Unity Day since 2005. I have met the new Mayor but yet to
develop relationship.

Imam Yaseen Shaikh posted great messages on the
face book;

“Reminder:
Community Iftaar at Masjid does not mean we sit with our family and friends of
same ethnic background to breakfast. It means we breach the barriers we have
created and create a bond of brotherhood and sisterhood by building friendships
and relationships with brothers and sisters beyond our ethnic background during
these If tar’s. Please try to sit with somebody you don’t know, break bread
together, build friendship, bond, and then invite them and their family over for
Eid. Many Muslim’s feel isolated on Eid because they are not Desi or Arab. Let’s
change this.”

Indeed that has been our effort as well, to visit every
mosque of every denomination, to know each other and familiarize with the
uniquenesses of each other. Quite a lot has been written in the last two years
on this Blog. Except the actual prayers, the ritual prayers, most other
practices differ from community to community.

Plano
Masjid Probably is closer to Richardson Mosque in its practices, I am using the
word probably because I have not been a part of this mosque, but I do know many
of my friends who are a part of this mosque to make that
assumption.

I
was pleasantly surprised to see a large number of young people during the time
of Iftaar, but at the prayer, there were two rows of adults. I was wondering
where they came from. They were not at the Iftaar and of course, I did not
check if there were two different venues for Iftaar. Normally all people sit
together and break the fast.

In
the kitchen where they were making plates with dates and fruits, it was good to
see an adult asking the teens to wear the gloves to handle the food. Indeed,
yesterday at Richardson Mosque, each one in the food supply and service was
wearing gloves.

Neither
yesterday, nor today, there were napkins to wipe the fingers. I have found this
to be a common practice among most of the homes as well, napkins is the last
thing on their mind, collectively as well as individually. I wiped it on my
sleeve, no, I am just kidding. I wiped inside of my pant pockets.

Mike
Ghouse is committed to doing his individual share of building cohesive societies
and invites you to the 8th Annual Unity Day USA on Tuesday, September 11, 2012.
Details at www.UnitydayUSA.com, it’s an event that builds bridges and uplifts
every American.