Full Transcript: Abdul Motlib on the Call to Prayer
Abdul: Me and my friend thinking this: Hamtramck is...unique, nice, everything. Everything there have but we need to think about how we can arrange for one mosque, practice our religion. Then we start. So when we start we start on Joseph Campau, end of Joseph Campau. One small story we rent and start. So after one year this building we buy. And after finishing work we move here. So in end of 2003 we are thinking about the call to prayer because in front of our mosque we have a church, big church. And every hour they make bell over there. So we think, if they can do bell over there, why we are not thinking about our call to prayer? So we start call to prayer also. Contact the city, contact with some department. And it was big issue in 2004. 2004 is big issue about the Hamtramck call to prayer. If you guys to the searching Google, YouTube, and some others, you can find everything. It was a big issue. But finally it goes to general election and Hamtramck resident they approve our call to prayer. Result was 1462 and 1200. This is the final result for call to prayer.
Interviewer: And you were really heavily involved in that effort, right?
Abdul: No.
Interviewer: No?
Abdul: I don’t think that much. But finally God accept our mission, and the people vote us. People were supporting us. Especially I remember this Father, church Father, Father Olman, right now he live in Rochester. Also Sharon Buttry. She is helping us. Dr. Rojalowski. He’s another person. Those people they helping a lot. Another father Corinthian Baptist Church, he’s passed away a few month ago. This father also helping. Every church, every religious organization, they helping us. Their reason was, we are practicing for our religion. So whatever we necessary, they gave us. They provide us.
Interviewer: Was it surprising to have so much support from all the different--
Abdul: Yeah of course I am surprised. That time, 2004, maybe we have like 400-450 Muslim voter in Hamtramck. But we found 1462 vote. So those votes of course are not Muslim vote. Our community is helping. Even Jewish community, they helping. Every community, they tried to help us.
Abdul: Yeah, when I meet with the City Council first, city clerk, they say you don’t need to get a permission you can start. I ask them, ok, if— how I can start? Give me some information by document. They say, no our constitution and our bylaw, less than thirty minute you can make a noise anything. We say ok, you have to write for me that Al-Islah Islamic Center want to make a five minute, or less than five minute, their call to prayer, it is not prohibited by your law. Then they asking ok why don’t you submit one paper, what you want to do this. Then I submit my application. So first council meeting they deny it. They deny it. Ralph Seder was one council member, he is also supporting us. But some other they say, if we do call to prayer here it will be big problem for the school, the school student, because of noise. So that time also is election time. So I meet with all candidate, all people, I ask them, what is the problem for our call to prayer application? I mentioned Mr. Ralph Seder. Ralph Seder is passed away also, four or five years ago. He said, no Abdul I supported your call to prayer but our president, she is— her name is Cathie Lisinski, Cathie Lisinski, she denied. Then I asked Kathy, what is the problem for our call to prayer? She says you know that for the school is problem, school near by your mosque is a school so if you make noise it could be a problem. There was a school superintendent, her name is— I forgot her name— she said anything is school problem if you want, I have to know first because I’m the school superintendent. So I think if they can get make a call to prayer in Al-Islah mosque we can tell our students now Islamic call to prayer and also their prayer time. How we mention to our kids when bell is ringing, we say this religious hour, so it would be you know— we can teach our kids like this. Then Cathie Lisinski say ok, you can contact with me again. So when I contact again with her, she says I have another three or four month, after that new council coming. If you submit your application again they will make consideration. So when the new council coming I submit my application again. I remember that the first meeting was January. Also first agenda was Al-Islah Islamic call to prayer. When they discuss about call to prayer, unanimously they pass our application. So next meeting is big issue, some people go against our call to prayer. Then they make three days hearing. It was big issue from different state they are coming about the call to prayer. But all three days, all council member unanimously they’re supporting call to prayer and pass. So when this issue is passed, then some others go against call to prayer again. They collecting vote signature and submit it in the consideration for the call to prayer. Then they sending to the election, general election. When general election happen, Hamtramck resident they choose call to prayer. Still now we have and it will be all time.
Interviewer: So you said people were coming from out of state?
Abdul: Out of state against call to prayer! Even some people coming and making demonstration in front of our mosque. We don’t want to hear God, we don’t want to hear Allah, we don’t want to hear that. And so many demonstrations was here. But we don’t mind it. We say that will be decision by Hamtramck resident, not outside people. And we hear so many time from outside lot of issue coming. We invite them, come to Michigan, come to Hamtramck city, then you will see how we are living here. Door-to-door Muslim, non-Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, all people they live in Hamtramck. Very peacefully.
Interviewer: What was it like to see it become International News?
Abdul: So many time, like a few month ago when California treasury and also Paris, that time whole world was coming to get in touch with a mosque. We tell them, this a very peaceful city in Hamtramck. Very low level living cost in Hamtramck, very cheap everything, and very convenient. If you want--my son go to Wayne State, how many? Five minute drive. Hospital? Five minute drive. We have three, four bank here. We have post office here. Anything if in your life is necessary, everything in Hamtramck. That’s why I call in Hamtramck is a United Nations city. I like in New York, first avenue, third street. And United Nations is first avenue and forty-fourth street, straight forty-fourth street. If you go there you will so many flag, whole world flag fly over there. If you walk into Hamtramck you will see whole world people are here. Always I say in our Hamtramck city, unique city and United Nations city. Everything is here and very peaceful life in Hamtramck.
Interviewer: And you were really heavily involved in that effort, right?
Abdul: No.
Interviewer: No?
Abdul: I don’t think that much. But finally God accept our mission, and the people vote us. People were supporting us. Especially I remember this Father, church Father, Father Olman, right now he live in Rochester. Also Sharon Buttry. She is helping us. Dr. Rojalowski. He’s another person. Those people they helping a lot. Another father Corinthian Baptist Church, he’s passed away a few month ago. This father also helping. Every church, every religious organization, they helping us. Their reason was, we are practicing for our religion. So whatever we necessary, they gave us. They provide us.
Interviewer: Was it surprising to have so much support from all the different--
Abdul: Yeah of course I am surprised. That time, 2004, maybe we have like 400-450 Muslim voter in Hamtramck. But we found 1462 vote. So those votes of course are not Muslim vote. Our community is helping. Even Jewish community, they helping. Every community, they tried to help us.
Abdul: Yeah, when I meet with the City Council first, city clerk, they say you don’t need to get a permission you can start. I ask them, ok, if— how I can start? Give me some information by document. They say, no our constitution and our bylaw, less than thirty minute you can make a noise anything. We say ok, you have to write for me that Al-Islah Islamic Center want to make a five minute, or less than five minute, their call to prayer, it is not prohibited by your law. Then they asking ok why don’t you submit one paper, what you want to do this. Then I submit my application. So first council meeting they deny it. They deny it. Ralph Seder was one council member, he is also supporting us. But some other they say, if we do call to prayer here it will be big problem for the school, the school student, because of noise. So that time also is election time. So I meet with all candidate, all people, I ask them, what is the problem for our call to prayer application? I mentioned Mr. Ralph Seder. Ralph Seder is passed away also, four or five years ago. He said, no Abdul I supported your call to prayer but our president, she is— her name is Cathie Lisinski, Cathie Lisinski, she denied. Then I asked Kathy, what is the problem for our call to prayer? She says you know that for the school is problem, school near by your mosque is a school so if you make noise it could be a problem. There was a school superintendent, her name is— I forgot her name— she said anything is school problem if you want, I have to know first because I’m the school superintendent. So I think if they can get make a call to prayer in Al-Islah mosque we can tell our students now Islamic call to prayer and also their prayer time. How we mention to our kids when bell is ringing, we say this religious hour, so it would be you know— we can teach our kids like this. Then Cathie Lisinski say ok, you can contact with me again. So when I contact again with her, she says I have another three or four month, after that new council coming. If you submit your application again they will make consideration. So when the new council coming I submit my application again. I remember that the first meeting was January. Also first agenda was Al-Islah Islamic call to prayer. When they discuss about call to prayer, unanimously they pass our application. So next meeting is big issue, some people go against our call to prayer. Then they make three days hearing. It was big issue from different state they are coming about the call to prayer. But all three days, all council member unanimously they’re supporting call to prayer and pass. So when this issue is passed, then some others go against call to prayer again. They collecting vote signature and submit it in the consideration for the call to prayer. Then they sending to the election, general election. When general election happen, Hamtramck resident they choose call to prayer. Still now we have and it will be all time.
Interviewer: So you said people were coming from out of state?
Abdul: Out of state against call to prayer! Even some people coming and making demonstration in front of our mosque. We don’t want to hear God, we don’t want to hear Allah, we don’t want to hear that. And so many demonstrations was here. But we don’t mind it. We say that will be decision by Hamtramck resident, not outside people. And we hear so many time from outside lot of issue coming. We invite them, come to Michigan, come to Hamtramck city, then you will see how we are living here. Door-to-door Muslim, non-Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, all people they live in Hamtramck. Very peacefully.
Interviewer: What was it like to see it become International News?
Abdul: So many time, like a few month ago when California treasury and also Paris, that time whole world was coming to get in touch with a mosque. We tell them, this a very peaceful city in Hamtramck. Very low level living cost in Hamtramck, very cheap everything, and very convenient. If you want--my son go to Wayne State, how many? Five minute drive. Hospital? Five minute drive. We have three, four bank here. We have post office here. Anything if in your life is necessary, everything in Hamtramck. That’s why I call in Hamtramck is a United Nations city. I like in New York, first avenue, third street. And United Nations is first avenue and forty-fourth street, straight forty-fourth street. If you go there you will so many flag, whole world flag fly over there. If you walk into Hamtramck you will see whole world people are here. Always I say in our Hamtramck city, unique city and United Nations city. Everything is here and very peaceful life in Hamtramck.