"UnMosqued is a phenomenal film that raises the bar of a debate that is vital to our community at this point in time. It has definitely sparked interest and got our community talking about these pressing issues. The film’s point was to highlight grievances and shortcomings. It certainly did its job in that respect." ---UnMosqued: the Toronto Premiere Film Review
"This documentary was a fascinating one to watch and a challenging one to review — as it contained layers upon layers of emotion and meaning. Each layer representing a reality of some sort in our ummah’s diverse communities." ---Seeker's Guidance unMosqued Film Review by Naira

ABOUT UNMOSQUED

UnMosqued is a documentary film which aims to highlight the growing need for reform in many of the mosques found in America. The purpose of the documentary is to engage a group of people who have been disconnected from their local mosque and explore the various reasons that have led to this sentiment. It is clear that many youth who are likely to be second or even third generation Americans have felt judged or unwelcome at a mosque. It may be the degree of friendliness or a lack of ownership that breeds this feeling. Masajid may not be doing enough to attract and retain the youth, which further alienates the future members of the community from using the mosque space for their spiritual growth.

UnMosqued aims to explore this growing unease with the masjid space and why it exists. One clear factor is the cultural divide that pervades the American Mosque landscape. According to The American-Mosque 2011 report, “3/4 of all mosques are dominated by one ethnic group. In most cases this one group is either South Asian, Arab, or African American,” (p.14). As Muslims become integrated within American society and grow up in a diverse multi-racial environment, it becomes increasingly uncomfortable to enter a mosque that is predominated by a certain culture. Millenials and Generation Xers do not have as strong of a relationship with their parents’ country of origin which exacerbates the discomfort they feel when entering ethnic-based masajid. Granted, these mosques have been formed in order to provide comfort and community to the large influx of Muslims that have come from diverse parts of the world to America. While it has successfully accomplished that goal, the catch 22 is that it will not sustain such comfort with future generations while on American soil.

We are indebted to the sacrifices the first generation of American Muslims provided us with, including the infrastructure and community organizing that was required to build our current mosques and Islamic schools. According to the American-Mosque 2011 report study, in a little over 30 years, they established over 2000 mosques all across the country, and today, only 10% of all Muslims in America attend these mosques. Sadly, most of the established mosques in America have created a large amount of confusion in the minds of the Millenials and the Generation Xers between what is a cultural practice and what is essential Islam.

The problem we are facing is a subtle one that very few people are aware of. Many Muslims enter the mosque and think that what we see and experience is normal and that this is how a mosque should be, while in reality, what we oftentimes experience in the mosque is nothing more than a cultural interpretation of Islam that does not take into account the American context. We hope the film will inspire people who are unmosqued to feel a sense of responsibility and to take the film to their communities, watch it with them, and have serious discussions as an effort to remedy the dire situation we find ourselves in. We hope the film will move the elder generation to make some needed changes in our mosques in order that we not lose the future generations of Muslims in America.

THE FACTS / RESEARCH

All of the statistics in unMosqued come from Dr. Ihsan Bagby's "The Mosque Studies:

Mosque Studies Part 1: The American Muslim Mosque

Mosque Studies Part 2: Activities, Administration, and Vitality of American Muslim Mosques

Mosque Studies Part 3: Women and American Mosques

This research is a part of the larger Faith Communities Today research project. The report, written by Dr. Bagby, was also sponsored by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research (Hartford Seminary), the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, as well as the nation's largest Islamic civic and religious groups, including theIslamic Society of North America, Islamic Circle of North America, theInternational Institute of Islamic Thought and the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Introduction

Over the past decade, the total number of mosques in the US has continued to grow at a tremendous rate. As part of this Survey, a count of all mosques in the US was conducted and 2,106 mosques were identified. A total of 1,209 mosques were counted in 2000, and 962 mosques were counted in 1994.

The average number of participants per mosque has dropped from 1,625 participants per mosque in 2000
to 1,248 participants in 2011.

Women

Mosques reported an average of 18% female attendance at Friday prayers. The percentage of female attendance has not changed over the past decade. Men make up the majority of participants at Friday prayers: 77% of all attendees are men. The number of women who attend Friday Prayer on average is only slightly higher in 2011 (18%) compared to 2000 (15%). Children made up on average 7% of the Friday congregation in 2000 and 6% in 2011
Two thirds (66%) of mosques sampled use dividers to demarcate women’s prayer spaces during daily prayers. This percentage has also not changed over the past decade.
Mosques—whose Imam is American-born—are much less likely to use a divider: 38% of mosques with an American-born Imam use a divider as compared to 78% of mosques with an Imam born outside America.
Between 1994 and 2000, the percentage of mosques that used curtains or dividers to distinguish women’s spaces increased from 52% to 66%. In 2011, there was no change in that figure, with about two thirds, or 66% of mosques reporting the use of a divider.
The pattern of using curtains or partitions seems to vary by ethnicity, with African American mosques reporting less use (39%) and South Asians reporting the highest use (80%). About 70% of Arab mosques, mixed South Asian and Arab mosques, and other mosques have curtains. Comparing mosques within the African American category, there is a striking difference between those who follow the leadership of the late W. Deen Mohammed who are least likely to use dividers (only 10%) compared to other African American mosques (68%).
A large majority of the mosques (71%) said they had women’s activities or programs; however, a small percent, only 4%, said women’s activities or programs were a “top priority.”
About a third of the mosques reported they had women’s groups (32%), and 3% said these were a “top priority.”
Programmatic access seems relatively high at the mosques sampled. A large percentage of mosques stated they conduct women’s programs (71%), even though a small proportion said these were a top priority. About 29% said they had no women’s programs at all. Types of women’s programs include women study circles and other gatherings such as teas, cooking classes, book clubs, etc.
Most mosques (63%) score “fair” or “poor” on a scale for a women-friendly mosque. Only 14% of mosques score “excellent” for being a women-friendly mosque.

Other observations we have made while producing unMosqued

African American mosques tend to be more women-friendly, in particular the mosques that follow the leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed.
Mosques that are open to involvement in American society through activities such as interfaith and community service tend to be more women-friendly.
Women’s involvement in governance makes a difference in the use of dividers—mosques reporting women’s participation at the board level are less likely to use dividers.

Contemporary realities marked by the greater visibility of women in the public square across all national and cultural contexts indicate the need for greater inclusion of women in worship spaces. A continued exclusion of women from the mosque when contrasted to their rapid inclusion in other institutional forms not only damages the social and spiritual fabric of Muslim communities but also reinforces a perception that mosque spaces are not keeping pace with cultural and institutional shifts. Yet changing existing structures and interpretations is challenging, particularly when these structures are traditional, because they are more resistant to change. Because of the institutional traditionalism, many women leaders have occasionally preferred to start off with new organizational structures as an avenue to public engagement, rather than integrating themselves into existing organizational forms and seeking change from within.

It is important to note that mosques currently are not the main congregation area for women. While this particular survey did not address women’s activities outside the mosque, women’s groups can and do meet outside of the mosque, often in each other’s homes or organizational meeting spaces.

Ethnocentrism

75% of all mosques are dominated by one ethnic group. In most cases this one group is either South Asian, Arab or African American.
The main groups that comprise the American Muslim community are South Asians(Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, and Afghanis), Arab (prominent groups include Egyptians, Palestinians, Lebanese, Yemenis; 22 Arab countries are represented), and African Americans. Many of the South Asians and Arab mosque goers have been arriving in America since the 1960s and 1970s, and their second generation children are now taking prominent roles in the US Muslim community.
African Americans have been converting to Islam in relatively large numbers since the 1960s and 1970s, and now their second-generation Muslim children are now in adulthood. Other significant groups include Iranians who came in large numbers since 1979 and many recent arrivals such as West Africans, Somalis and Bosnians.

Other observations we have made while producing unMosqued

Millennials and GenXers are much less likely to be affiliated with their mosque after they graduate from college than their parents.
Young Muslims typically have vibrant, awesome MSA experiences in college, where they experience inclusion, acceptance regardless of religiosity level, etc. They are often shocked when they graduate and enter a mosque and get a very different, sour experience. At this point, many of them disengage from the mosque and find other creative outlets to express and grow their spirituality and closeness to God

Converts

Screen+Shot+2014-05-13+at+1.12.59+PM.png

Only 3% of mosques consider "New Muslim" classes a top priority
The conversion rate per mosque has remained steady over the past two decades.
In 2011 the average number of converts per mosque over the last 12 month period was 15.3. In 2000 the average was 16.3 and in 1994 it was 16.5.
African American mosques do the best in attracting new Muslims. Their average is 20.3 new converts per year, and one-third of all converts come from African American mosques. All other mosques, whether South Asian or Arab, are close in their rate of conversions.
The location of mosques—urban, suburban, town—does not seem to affect the conversion rate. However, since there are more mosques in the urban area, 64% of all conversions take place in urban mosques and 29% take place in suburban mosques.
More female converts in mosques were recorded in the 2011 survey than in the 2000 survey. Whereas only 32% of all converts in 2000 were female, 41% of converts were female in 2011.
The ethnicity of new converts remained the same except for an increase among Latinos from 6% of all converts in 2000 to 12% of all converts in 2011, and a slight decrease of white American converts.
The majority of African American converts (52%) chose Islam in non-African American mosques.
Over 82% of all mosques had at least one African American convert. The vast majority of African Americans converted in urban mosques.
Whites converted to Islam in all types of mosques except African American mosques. The highest conversion rate for whites is found in suburban mosques, especially mosques located in new suburban areas. While new-suburban mosques represent only 7% of all mosques, 16% of whites converted in mosques located in new suburban areas. As mosques continue to be established in the suburbs, it might be expected that the conversion of whites will increase.
Likewise, Latinos converted in all types of ethnic mosques except African American mosques. Mosques that are roughly evenly mixed between South Asian and Arab have the highest rate of conversion among Latinos. In terms of mosque location, the best rate of conversion for Latinos is among suburban mosques, whether in new or older suburban areas

Stewardship/Imams

Two-thirds(66%) of Imams were born outside the United States. Among full-time, paid Imams, 85% were born outside America.
Almost half (47%) of Imams who have come from abroad arrived in America since 2000.
Mosques are under-financed. While mosque attendance is higher than other American religious congregations, mosque budgets are less than half the budget of other congregations. The median income for mosques is $70,000 and the median income of all congregations is $150,000.
Mosques are under-staffed. Only 44% of all Imams are full-time and paid. Half of all mosques have no full-time staff. Program staff such as youth directors or outreach directors account for only 5% of all full-time staff.
American mosques are disconnected and unorganized—62% of all mosques are unaffiliated with any other organization.

FILM REVIEWS

NPR Piece on unMosqued

UnMosqued: the Toronto Premiere Film Review

UnMosqued is a phenomenal film that raises the bar of a debate that is vital to our community at this point in time. It has definitely sparked interest and got our community talking about these pressing issues. The film’s point was to highlight grievances and shortcomings. It certainly did its job in that respect.

Punk and Pious Muslimah unMosqued Film Review

The film itself was intriguing and inspiring. They really put time and effort into making this—interviewing, following stories, traveling across the U.S. The overall result was that no matter where you live in the U.S., you can watch this film and realize that the problems and challenges you face in your community are not so different than the problems and challenges faced in a community 3,000 miles away. But it also showed us that not all American Muslims are the same and not all American Muslims want the same thing—giving power in the hands of few to make decisions in a non-democratic system does not make a community. It makes a tyranny. That is not Islam.

Seeker's Guidance unMosqued Film Review by Naira

This documentary was a fascinating one to watch and a challenging one to review — as it contained layers upon layers of emotion and meaning. Each layer representing a reality of some sort in our ummah’s diverse communities.

Atlanta Muslim unMosqued Film Review

...there is no denying that Unmosqued documents serious problems worthy of serious discussion. It can indeed start an important conversation, as producer Mahmud set out to do. Whether that conversation results in any positive change could depend on whether the broader Muslim-American public reacts to Unmosqued as positively as the audience at Georgia Tech did.

Aqila Style unMosqued Review

The film is a start of the conversation by asking the first question: why are you unmosqued? The interviewees leave us with further thoughts: is there anything you can do to go about changing the mosque? Will you do it? This film is for anyone who has felt alienated from the mosque at any point in time. I would also encourage those who haven’t had such experiences to watch it, because it is a great learning opportunity and to understand the experiences of others.

UnMosqued Stirs N. America Muslims Debates

Articles

Are Millennial Muslims Doomed To Become Unmosqued?

Mosques are simply not welcoming for many people who don’t see financial or leadership transparency
Racism & ethnocentrism are off-putting to Millennials who are the most racially diverse American generation in history
Young people don’t feel heard by mosque leaders Women’s spaces are typically unwelcoming
The prevalence of spiritual abuse from leaders ill-equipped to handle social problems of their congregants

UnMosqued: Why Are Young Muslims Leaving American Mosques?

It was a typical Saturday afternoon and I had decided to take my three-year-old daughter with me to the mosque to pray dhuhr (the afternoon prayer). While we were there, my head in prostration, my daughter running around in the vast open space, I began to wonder what her relationship with the mosque will be when she becomes older. As I sat and reflected, I saw the curtain that separated the women's section from the men's. I thought to myself that it wouldn't be long before my daughter would be separated from me and praying behind a curtain that would prevent her from gaining direct access to speakers and/or people of knowledge. Unfortunately, the issues didn't end there.
Oftentimes I would find myself leaving the mosque annoyed at the cliques and exclusivity that prevented anyone from a different background to feel a strong bond with its community members. I started wondering if others felt the same way. As a second generation American, I did not want to affiliate with a specific ethnic based mosque. Nor did I believe that it was in the spirit of Islam for mosques to have this type of segregation.

'Unmosqued' Debate: Muslim Millennials Explore The Problem With American Mosque

More and more American Muslims find themselves at odds with the culture in their mosque communities, particularly as many of these places of worship retain strong ties to homelands that self-identified American Muslims may not relate to, say many of those interviewed in "Unmosqued."

American Muslims Weigh In On The Modern Mosque

"Muslims, we don't get hate from non-Muslims, we get hate from within…we get torn apart more by Muslims themselves than non-Muslims…when you go to this place of worship and you want to worship and be in a good environment, you are constantly bothered by religious police who tell you are are doing something wrong"

Musings on Muslim identity (unMosqued)

Watching the movie trailer, I was initially intrigued, and hopeful. It’s not as though efforts to bring about positive changes in the way that mosques in North America are often run haven’t been made, over and over and over again… but maybe it’ll bear fruit this time. Especially since it seems as though some people are genuinely concerned about the low levels of attendance of  male youth—surely, this is something that even the most hide-bound conservative “uncles” ought to see as a problem that needs to be urgently addressed. But by the time I had read the comments on the article at MuslimMatters, I realized that these discussions on making the mosque more inclusive and relevant would not likely result in any revolutionary changes. Especially not for women.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/the-mosque-must-evolve/article16930019/

The emerging “unmosqued” movement in the United States seems to have captured the frustration of second- and third-generation Muslims with the way their mosques are run. The movement seeks to engender honest debate, discussion and reform of the Muslim community’s most important institution. Issues include transparency of governance, full participation of women and youths and the hiring of imams who understand the North American context. This is a natural step in the evolution of a vibrant, diverse community.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/altmuslim/2013/11/telling-our-own-truths-the-forward-moving-american-muslim-narrative/

Hind Makki’s Side Entrance project tackles gendered spatial politics in American mosques to contest the Big Story. Meanwhile, the documentary Unmosqued explores how the Big Story is potentially alienating a growing number of Muslims searching for an authentic spiritual connection within traditional Islamic institutions.
Muslims desire to exist beyond the political narratives that often enslave us to outdated, inaccurate stereotypes. The only way out is create a new language through creative expressions. These stories won’t come from the minbar.

http://woodturtle.wordpress.com/2013/02/20/unmosqued-roundtable/

“Sister, you must cover your jeans. Your prayer will not be accepted if you pray wearing pants. Sister, hold your child. You really shouldn’t be in here while we’re praying. If she’s noisy you will disrupt the prayer and the fault will be on you.”
I was so angry, I couldn’t breathe let alone remember the words to al-Fatiha, the opening chapter of the Qur’an. Words that I’ve said literally thousands of times over the past decade. A small congregation was praying in the women’s balcony section of a local mosque — following the men below by way of a speaker system — when a woman began lecturing everyone on the “proper way to pray.” She spoke through the firsttakbir, and continued her gruff, intrusive monologue until the first ruku. That’s when she joined us in prayer.
This was the last straw in a long list of offenses.

http://woodturtle.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/unmosqued-part-two/

Furakh: The last time I went to a mosque was in my parents’ town. I had gone for jummah, but I ended up simply praying dhuhr by myself since I didn’t feel comfortable with the set up for congregational prayer there.

http://woodturtle.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/unmosqued-part-three/

The motivations and reasons why Muslims are, “emotionally and physically disengaging from their communities” vary greatly — but it may be fair to say that the now empty mosques were unprepared to service the needs of a very diverse community.
Then there are those who don’t feel unmosqued in the slightest and are enjoying a rich and fulfilling communal and spiritual life with their mosque community.

http://jamericanmuslimah.blogspot.ca/2008/04/muslim-male-privilege-checklist.html

http://www.crescent-online.net/2013/06/unmosqued-salina-khan-3837-

articles.html#.UbkPnvCFRmk.twitter

The cliques that run mosques in North America pursue their own narrow agendas without addressing the burning issues or paying attention to the needs of the people. This has resulted in alienating most Muslims.
My three sisters and I spent most of our weekends at our Islamic center, attending youth meetings, fundraising dinners and, of course, Sunday school, but I haven’t fallen in love with a masjid yet where I can continue that tradition with my kids.

And I’m not the only one.

http://mezba.blogspot.ca/2012/04/where-are-girls-in-this-mosque.html

As we finished praying, I noticed there was a dars (a lesson) going on. I sat down and listened for a bit. The speaker was an old bearded man, he sat in the centre of the main hall surrounded by kids and adults, and he was speaking in flawless English. The topic of the speech was taking lessons from the life of the Prophets and applying it to modern times. As I listened, I realized the speaker was really good, and the speech was excellent. The kids listened with rapt attention.
And yet ... take a look at the picture below.

http://murteza.tumblr.com/post/49529260646/hospitality-at-mosques

I have been to a lot of Masajid. In all my years attending masajid, I have never been greeted or made to feel welcome the way the woman above described. At 99% of the masajid I’ve visited, no one ever spoke to me, or introduced themselves, or asked me if I was new. Even at the Masjid where I was raised, when I go back and visit, only the people who recognize me talk to me.
I suggested to a friend, who had moved to a new town and was trying to meet other Muslims, if she had visited the mosque, she said: “Why? what would the mosque have for me?” I had no response for her because the truth is, the mosque has nothing for her. If anything, attending the local mosque could have driven her further away from Islam.

http://muslimahangela.blogspot.com/2013/05/welcome-to-2013-part-i.html?m=1

I went to the meetings there for a few of them. It was nice, never quite the same as the times we had at Masjid Nour, never as comfortable. Of course we are blocked off in the back from the men and separated by a portable wall like an office cubicle. We had a potluck for a newspaper writer that fasted in January (Ramadan the fast is too long) to get the experience Muslims get during Ramadan.

http://www.theislamicmonthly.com/we-have-a-problem-masjid-uncle/

http://theperfectionistas.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-three-sisters-and-i-spent-most-of.html

Our mosques don't need to be reformed, as the filmmakers suggest. They need to be revolutionized.

http://justnes.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/unmosqued/

I just came across this trailer for a film called Unmosqued and I just had to post this here, because I’m so so happy we’re finally having this type of conversation in the mainstream, public eye FINALLY.
Our mosques have failed us in so many ways, but I never truly realized that as a child when everything seemed so simple and everyone seemed so perfect. I went to several mosques over the years for Sunday school religious education, for Friday prayers during school breaks and for Tarraweh prayer during Ramadan. I always remember thinking about how the mosques I went to didn’t seem as organized or as fun or as American as my friends’ churches and temples. At the same time, I didn’t expect a lot of my mosque because I saw it as a one-dimensional venue, a place to read Quran and pray. Debate, creativity, arts, social service, interfaith dialogue, investigation, activism, media engagement–all of these activities were things I assumed I’d do outside of the mosque, during the week, with “American” institutions and individuals.

http://www.muslimsi.com/masjids/why-masjid-leaders-must-know-about-the-unmosqued-discussion/

An entire discourse is taking place online about the governance of our local masjids. The nasty politics, failed leadership, failed succession planning, exclusionist governance based on ethnicity, age, and gender – all are reaching critical mass. Anyone who is involved in a masjid board or committee needs to familiarize themselves with the state of the masjid in North America. These discussions are not unique to any one community, but gaining momentum nationwide.

http://defiantflower.blogspot.com/2013/02/unmosqued-unseen-unloved.html

I should never have to enter the mosque from a side door, I should never be sequestered into a dark room, totally void of beauty and disconnected from my community. If I am good enough to marry a Muslim man, and raise Muslim children then I am good enough to sit a modest distance behind those same men and obtain the same information, in the same fashion as they do.

http://philasify101.blogspot.com/2013/02/unmosqued-documentary-shows.html

All I have to say about this trailer is "It's ABOUT TIME!". Bringing the negative side of the mosques in America and their unwelcoming and anti-user friendly atmosphere is long overdue. I wholeheartedly support those who are making this interesting documentary and cannot wait to see it in it's entirety.

At best, this video should be screened at every mosque across the USA, especially to all of those with prominent positions in their community mosque should watch and take note and make the necessary changes because this issue is make or break when it comes to progress in the US and changing the perceptions of Islam in many peoples eyes, both Muslim and non-Muslim.

Other Mentions

http://marcmanley.tumblr.com/post/51155205529/no-growth-no-surprise

http://www.ibnpercy.com/unmosqued-the-movie-a-film-about-the-mosque-in-america/

http://muslimmatters.org/2013/04/11/unmosqued-primer-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-arguments/

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/mmw/2013/03/unmasking-unmosqued-finding-a-space-for-women/

http://thecivilmuslim.wordpress.com/tag/unmosqued/

http://www.aquila-style.com/videos-flim/unmosqued-trailer/

http://muslimahmerican.com/unmosqued/

http://www.allahcentric.com/2013/02/06/unmosqued-the-movie-trailer/

http://www.ispu.org/GetEvent/50/63/EventCenter.aspx

http://www.miimdesigns.com/blog/2013/9/11/sacred-space-transformations-from-within

http://justnes.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/unmosqued/