Ar-Razzaq Islamic Center of Durham, NC

History

MOSQUE LOCATION

OUR HISTORY IS THE HISTORY OF ISLAM IN NORTH CAROLINA

The history of the African-American Muslim community in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina is rich and relatively unknown. The Triangle region is the metropolitan area incorporating the capitol Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill in central North Carolina. The Triangle, dominated by the Research Triangle Park, has been a center for white-collar employment and migration for the past several decades. In this area, which was formerly almost exclusively Protestant, an influx or people from other parts of the United States and from many countries, including Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Korea, China, and Cambodia have introduced new languages, religions, and cultures.

While there has been considerable reworking of the religious and cultural fabric in the Triangle area, the African-American Muslim community has had an important local presence throughout. By-and-large, the African-American Muslim community is comprised of local people who converted to Islam and established a center for worship in the early 1970s. Sometime between 1972 and 1974, the small storefront property in Durham, near Duke University's West Campus, was purchased by the Nation of Islam. The Minister Kenneth (Murray) Mohammed led the Nation of Islam in Durham, and he is considered "one of the outstanding pioneers in the community." While the Masjid was affiliated with the Nation of Islam, it was known as Mosque #34, as it was the site of the thirty-fourth Nation of Islam Masjid. In its previous incarnation, the site housed a ballroom.

On February 25, 1975 Elijah Mohammed, the founder of the Nation of Islam died. Elijah Mohammed's son, Imam Wallace D. Mohammed was selected by several nationally known leaders of the Nation of Islam to lead the adherents throughout all of North America. In 1975, Imam W. D. Mohammed gradually began to evolve the Nation of Islam to the World Community of Al-Islam in the West. Led by Imam W. D. Mohammed, this transformation embodied the beliefs of Al-Islam. At this time, the masjid in Durham changed its name to Masjid Mohammed. The Durham Masjid later was changed to Masjid Ar-Razzaq, and more recently to Ar-Razzaq Islamic Center.