Vermont mosque members made education part of being neighbors
In a September 2021 WCAX report, members of the Islamic Society of Vermont reflected on the years after September 11. Imam Islam Hassan and founding member Mahmoud Hayyat described education as an important part of the center’s work. Their accounts connected the experience of receiving support from neighbors with the responsibility to explain their community to others.
Different memories of the same period
WCAX distinguished the experiences of its interviewees. Imam Islam Hassan had been in New York City on September 11, while the founding members interviewed had been in Vermont. Taysir Al-Khatib recalled reassurance from colleagues at IBM. The report therefore brings together memories of New York, Vermont and a workplace, rather than a single account of that period.
Make room for a conversation
The Islamic Society of Vermont’s visitor information gives education a practical form. It welcomes group visits and describes a conversation with a host after observing a service, including questions about the local community and the center’s activities. It also offers representatives for local events.
The society distinguishes a Friday visit from a separately arranged school or college visit. Readers planning a group visit should use its current arrangements and confirm capacity beforehand. This is information about one institution’s hosting process, not a rule for every mosque.
Listen to people, then meet the institution
Hassan, Hayyat and Al-Khatib describe education through their own experiences. Their memories give the institution a human scale: a colleague offering reassurance, a host answering questions, and members explaining their community to visitors.
For a first visit, begin with the host institution’s information and our general introduction below. Questions about the building, local history and community activities offer a straightforward way to learn without expecting one person to speak for all Muslims.
Follow the story
Explore the original reporting and organizational records:
Selected local stories, not a complete account of the state. Events and figures refer to the periods stated above. Check directly with organizations for current services.