By Parwez Wahid

Wayland, Massachusetts: The groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the Islamic Center of Boston (ICB) was held at the Center’s Wayland Massachusetts campus. The event marks the culmination of a long, dedicated process to improve the building facilities at the ICB. (The February 20 PakistanLink Community News Section reported on the ICB general assembly meeting granting approval to the construction project.)

A view of the ground-breaking ceremony

Under clear skies and pleasant weather members of the ICB welcomed Wayland town officials and religious leaders from neighboring synagogues and churches to join the event. The ICB President Dris Djermoun welcomed the gathering and talked of the historic importance of the occasion. He then invited Hameed Khan, a former Religious Director of the ICB, to recite some verses from the Holy Qur’an.

Following the recitation, several speakers presented messages of friendship and goodwill. All were honored to participate in the ceremony that brought happy tidings. They extended their felicitations to the Islamic Center of Boston.

The guests included Cantor Hollis Schachner of Temple Sher Tikva, Reverend Erin from the First Parish Church, Father Frank Silva from the St. Ann Church, Gretchen G. Schuler, Chair of the Planning Board in Wayland, Police Chief Robert Irving, Fire Chief Robert F Loomer and Seth Jeannotte of the general contractor firm that will undertake the construction. Also in attendance was Imam Talal Eid of the Islamic Center of New England. Dr. Mohammed Lazzouni spoke on behalf of the ICB members.

At the end of the presentations, a former ICB Religious Director, Waghdy Mahmood, offered dua (supplication). The dua was followed by the ceremonial groundbreaking. Several children of ICB members were given the honor of throwing the first shovels of dirt to mark the commencement of construction. As Dris Djermoun recited “Bismillah”, the children dug into the ground and turned over the dirt. Green and white balloons were released into the sky to mark the conclusion of the ceremony.

The ICB Sunday School ended on May 2. Members of the Center gathered in the ICB’s main building on the evening of Sunday May 2 for Isha Prayer. This would be the last prayer held in the main building before the closure for reconstruction. The construction project is expected to be completed around February 2005. Sunday School will resume in September at a rented facility. Friday prayers will be held at a conference center in Waltham, Massachusetts.

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