Interview conducted with Lubna Hussain on Friday, November 1st at 1:30 PM:
Group: When was your site founded?
Lubna: 1999
Group: Who was/were the founder(s)?
Lubna: There were around 10-12 community members
Group: Any people of importance?
Lubna: Palo Alto city engineers, local business owners
Group: How did the mosque derive its name?
Lubna: Nick name for our prophet name of a significant chapter
Group: What demographic do you serve? (a mix of different backgrounds, primarily ethnic such as Arab/Pakistani/Fijian, African-American, convert, youth?)
Lubna: We are a multiracial community from all races across the American spectrum
Group: What size is the community, how active is it? What is unique about the community? (Is it immigrant, new, established, refugee, alternative?)
Lubna:
Group: Is your site affiliated or partners with any other mosques?
Lubna: No
Group: Are there any articles or press from outside sources regarding your mosque?
Lubna:
Group: What kind of structure is your mosque (a storefront, converted house or building, corporate space, strip mall, former church, built from the ground up)? Is there any information they can offer about the location and prior occupants? Is their historical information you can research on the address? What is the area like (residential, commercial. etc?)
Lubna:
Group: Are you involved in any projects? (feeding the homeless, literacy, women's shelter, voting poll site, etc.) I noticed a school while browsing through your website.
Lubna:
Group: What events do you have or participated in?
Lubna:
Group: What services do you offer?
Lubna:
Group: Have there been any significant milestones (purchase of a bigger building, zoning permit anything else?)
Lubna: We purchased a new property in Burlingame which will be used as a community center to halaqa classes, events etc., plan more programs. We plan to apply for a conditional use permit and change zoning for a community center.
Group: Have you published any materials?
Lubna: No
Group: Do you have any documents to share? (Proposed building plans, architectural works, historical items)
Lubna: Yes
Group: Have you been involved in any important legal cases?
Lubna: No
Group: Have you as a mosque/community experience discrimination? Hate crimes?
Lubna: No
Group: What kind of community engagement do you have? (Interfaith, community outreach, open house?
Lubna: All of the above. We invite clergy from other faiths for open houses and lectures. Students from other faiths have visited for open house, discussions, and social events.
Group: When was your site founded?
Lubna: 1999
Group: Who was/were the founder(s)?
Lubna: There were around 10-12 community members
Group: Any people of importance?
Lubna: Palo Alto city engineers, local business owners
Group: How did the mosque derive its name?
Lubna: Nick name for our prophet name of a significant chapter
Group: What demographic do you serve? (a mix of different backgrounds, primarily ethnic such as Arab/Pakistani/Fijian, African-American, convert, youth?)
Lubna: We are a multiracial community from all races across the American spectrum
Group: What size is the community, how active is it? What is unique about the community? (Is it immigrant, new, established, refugee, alternative?)
Lubna:
- Our community ranges from South San Francisco to Palo Alto
- Half the community is new generation born in America the rest are immigrants
- Not many refugees
- Mainly educated people
Group: Is your site affiliated or partners with any other mosques?
Lubna: No
Group: Are there any articles or press from outside sources regarding your mosque?
Lubna:
- San Mateo county journal
- Belmont newspaper
Group: What kind of structure is your mosque (a storefront, converted house or building, corporate space, strip mall, former church, built from the ground up)? Is there any information they can offer about the location and prior occupants? Is their historical information you can research on the address? What is the area like (residential, commercial. etc?)
Lubna:
- Yaseen is a converted building
- Previously known as Masonic center
Group: Are you involved in any projects? (feeding the homeless, literacy, women's shelter, voting poll site, etc.) I noticed a school while browsing through your website.
Lubna:
- Support relief agencies
- Second Harvest Food Distribution
- Al-Iman School (part time Sunday school based at Notre Dame HS)
- Interfaith Program
- Zakat (charity program)
- Janazah (funeral) Program
- Quran Academy –teach students age 4-14 how to read and memorize our Holy Book
- Religious and social lectures
Group: What events do you have or participated in?
Lubna:
- International Womens Day
- Eid Events at San Mateo Expo center Biannually
- Ramadan program for I month
- Eid Bazaars
- Family Night every month with guest speakers
- Annual picnics
Group: What services do you offer?
Lubna:
- Youth Program
- Sisters activities and events organized by sisters committee (Quran study group, weekly)
- Daily Prayers at masjid
- Friday prayers one at masjid and one at Belmont sports complex for larger groups
Group: Have there been any significant milestones (purchase of a bigger building, zoning permit anything else?)
Lubna: We purchased a new property in Burlingame which will be used as a community center to halaqa classes, events etc., plan more programs. We plan to apply for a conditional use permit and change zoning for a community center.
Group: Have you published any materials?
Lubna: No
Group: Do you have any documents to share? (Proposed building plans, architectural works, historical items)
Lubna: Yes
- New center flyer
- Yaseen Foundation flyer
Group: Have you been involved in any important legal cases?
Lubna: No
Group: Have you as a mosque/community experience discrimination? Hate crimes?
Lubna: No
Group: What kind of community engagement do you have? (Interfaith, community outreach, open house?
Lubna: All of the above. We invite clergy from other faiths for open houses and lectures. Students from other faiths have visited for open house, discussions, and social events.