Mosque Visit

Visiting the Islamic Society of Cumberland

Thank you for your interest in visiting the Islamic Society of Cumberland. Our doors are open to you, and we welcome you to come and visit us. We offer free tours, opportunities to observe any of our five daily prayers or Friday prayer service, or meet with someone to answer any questions you have about Islam. Please fill out our visit request form located in the right side panel to schedule a day and time to visit.

We are more than happy to host you and welcome you to our center and make your visit as enjoyable and pleasant as possible.

Your Personal Guide to visiting the Islamic Society of Cumberland

A usual visit to the mosque consists of the following:

• Multi-media presentation about Islamic faith.
• Q&A and discussion session.
• A guided tour of the mosque building accompanied by a faith guide.
• Observation of one of the daily or special prayer services

Here are some helpful tips for visiting the Mosque:

Can I, a non-Muslim, visit the mosque? Yes, you most certainly can! Our mosque is open to non-Muslims of all faiths and backgrounds. We highly look forward to welcoming you inside our place of worship.

To visit the mosque, do I need to contact you ahead of time?

We want to make sure that you have a guide to host you on your visit and that that we can coordinate a convenient day and time for you to visit, so yes, it is best for you to contact us ahead of time. This is especially important if you would like to observe one of our daily prayers, in which we can let you know of the times you can attend.

How should I dress?

As is usually practiced when entering any place of worship, we ask that all of visitors wear full length, modest, clean and loose fitting clothing. Women may wear the headscarf, but it is not a requirement for entering the mosque. Cleanliness is seen as an essential part of the worshiping experience for Muslims. We also advise clean socks are worn by all visitors.

Do I need to remove my shoes?

In places of prayer, which are usually carpeted, you will be required to remove your shoes, as this is done to maintain the cleanliness of the prayer areas. There are shoe racks located near the mosque entrances where shoes can be placed.

Prayer hall arrangements

In our mosque, men and women pray in separate prayer halls. Thus, if you would like to observe one of our daily prayers, please be aware that you may be observing the prayer in one the respective prayer halls based on your gender. Your guide will be sure to lead you to the correct prayer hall.

Is there anything else I need to be aware of?

Due to more strict rules of modesty in Islam, it is not usually the practice that men and women shake hands with members of the opposite gender (men shaking hands with men and women with women is of course done). Please do not be offended if a member of the opposite gender does not shake your hand. They do not mean it as a matter of disrespect or to avoid you. You might see them instead make a slight bow with their hand over their heart, as a way of greeting you.

Is it okay to ask questions during my visit?

Yes! Please do not hesitate to ask any questions that may come to mind. We are more than happy to answer any and all questions (in fact, we encourage it!)

Great! How can I arrange a visit?

Please fill out the visit request form to the right or contact us at 613.841.0786 or info@masjidbilal.org.