Studies have shown that those who cannot identify something, find it threatening or scary. As American author Andrew Smith once said, “People fear what they don’t understand and hate what they can’t conquer.”

Therefore, the leaders of the Islamic Center in Waterloo-Cedar Falls invited the mosque neighbors last Saturday to educate them about Islam.

The event came in response to the incident of vandalism that occurred at the Al-Noor Islamic Community Center of Waterloo-Cedar Falls in December.

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People of all ages and faiths attended the “Get to Know Your Neighbors” event hosted by Ahmed Abouzid, the mosque’s imam, The Courier reported.

“You have your religion, I have my religion. Guys, let’s live in peace,” he said in closing.

“Let’s spread harmony together. Life is short, and let’s end the fighting because of religion. Just respect their religion … and respect each other and each other’s cultures.”

This meeting is “just the start,” Abouzid emphasized afterwards. “We should do more and more with people and their communities. Let’s invite everybody to come see our place and to visit with us and learn more about us.”

Abouzid talked for 45 minutes, basically presenting an entry-level course on Islam, discussing everything from the role of the mosque, imam, and praying to the religious garments they wear, even sharing verses of the Quran.

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Guests said they attended the event for several reasons.

“I’m here to support the Muslims and show them that the community is behind them,” said Ken Pfiffner of Waterloo.

Ruth Walker of Cedar Falls said she’s met a number of Muslims over the years and is “always looking to learn something new.”

“We’re all human at the end of the day, and we need to know where we’re all coming from,” she said.

Liz Collins, an eight-year member of the mosque, said the event is “necessary” for the people who may not understand the religion because of what they read in the news or social media.

It was a “different crowd,” and she noted work still needs to be done to reach people who may be part of the problem.

“The people who usually come are the good ones,” she said. “The people that should be here are likely not here.”

“We’re no different than you. We go about the same business, like raising our kids,” she said.

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A report published by CAIR titled “Targeted: 2018 Civil Rights Report” recorded 144 anti-mosque incidents in 2017, of which 57 were labeled hate crimes.

Yet, many local communities have offered support to the Muslim community in many cases.

In 2021, members of the local community in Suffolk county in Brentwood, New York, came together in a show of support to the local mosque which was vandalized last month.

In September 2019, the vandalism of the new welcome sign at the Islamic Centre of Grand Junction, Colorado, prompted community to show support and start crowdfunding to repair the damaged sign.

Earlier in January 2017, more than 12,836 people raised more than $500K to rebuild a mosque in Victoria, Texas after a fire tore through the complex.

Another mosque in Orlando which was destroyed in 2016 received more than $100K in donations to rebuild the mosque that was destroyed in a hate attack.