NASHVILLE (CN) - An Islamic mosque, vandalized during construction, claims Rutherford County won't let it open, bowing to pressure from opponents who say its congregants are not protected by the First Amendment because Islam is not a religion. The United States sued the county in a related complaint.
The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro sued Rutherford County in Federal Court, and the federal government sued the county the same day, also in Federal Court.
The United States claims the county violated the mosque's members' religious rights by denying the occupancy permit for the completed mosque.
In its complaint, the Islamic Center (ICM) claims the county truckled to citizens who claimed, in court, that the county had "failed to determine whether Islam is a religion and whether ICM is a religious organization entitled to protection under the First Amendment."
The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro holds religious services, provides religious education and community service. It serves 250 to 300 families and 400 to 500 Muslim students at Middle Tennessee State University.
In 2009, it decided to build a new facility to replace its 2,100 square-foot mosque, which is too small to accommodate all of its congregants.
"Each week, hundreds of men attempt to fit into a 1,200 square-foot room," the mosque says in its complaint. "The room lacks sufficient ventilation or air-conditioning for the number of congregants in attendance. Due to the lack of space, women attending ICM use a small, converted garage and view the Imam on closed circuit television.
"As a result of the lack of space, many congregants have been forced to pray (which in Islam requires prostration) in the corridors, and some have had to stand in the parking lot for services, despite the fact that no sound is projected into the parking lot." (Parentheses in complaint).
ICM says families with young children and elderly congregants stopped attending services because of the crowding and the lack of child-care facilities.
It says the old mosque has no space for a library, after-school programs, funeral rituals or holiday celebrations, and lacks adequate facilities for ritual washing, which is required before prayers.
So ICM applied for a permit to build a 52,000 square-foot facility, including a 12,000 square-foot mosque and center for interfaith activities, in a residential district in Rutherford County.
After the county approved the site plan in May 2010, ICM got a building permit.
But the Islamic Center says it faced many problems during planning and construction, including vandalism, bomb threats and anti-Muslim rallies.
"For example, shortly after purchasing the Veals Road property, ICM posted a sign at the property stating 'Future Site of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro,'" the complaint states. "In January 2010, however, the sign was vandalized and the words 'Not Welcome' were painted on it.
"After ICM replaced the vandalized sign, on or about June 23, 2010, the second sign was also vandalized and broken in half.
"On July 14, 2010, several hundred opponents of the mosque held a rally in the public square in Murfreesboro. At least one protestor carried a sign that bore words to the effect of, 'Mosque Leaders Support Killing Converts.'
"Construction at the Veals Road property began in August 2010. But on Aug. 28, 2010, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a large construction vehicle at the Veals Road construction site was intentionally set on fire.
