The Logan Islamic Center held an open house Saturday which several
dozen Muslims and non-Muslims attended. Guests conversed over curried lamb and
rice and listened to presentations about Islam given by members of the center,
which is the only mosque in city.
Muslims are a small minority in Cache Valley Cache
County
A Fulbright scholar from Egypt
studying at Utah State University Logan
is small, it is a good place to be a Muslim.
“Some American friends warned me Utah
was one of the most conservative places in the USA ,” he said. “But I thought,
well, that is sort of an advantage for me because I am conservative myself.”
The conservative demographic of Utah
attracted other Muslims at the event when they were considering moving to America
as well.
Mohammad Ali, a Muslim from Rajasthan , India India ,
his parents were wary of him moving to Utah
to live with her.
“I had visited before, so I told them ‘You don’t understand.
Utah , it is a
holy place,’” Ali said.
Hend Al Daleel, a Muslim from Qatar
who moved to Logan , Utah
in 2008 to attend Utah State University ,
said her parents were hesitant to send her to the United States of America . The way
American culture was portrayed in the media especially worried her father.
When she got to Utah ,
Al Daleel found it easy to adjust to the culture.
“It’s kind of easy to be Muslim here. People in Utah are pretty
conservative,” said Al Daleel. “I always call them half-Muslims.”
Born in Lebanon ,
Randa Yassine said it was easy for her to get used to American culture because
of how young she was when she came to the United States . She visited her aunt
and uncle in the US
when she was 13 and decided to stay.
“Lebanon
is very open and westernized. My family was comfortable sending me to America because
they know they raised me well,” Yassine said. “Now it’s my turn to practice
what I’ve learned. There hasn’t been any negative influence in Utah so far.”
Al Daleel said there isn’t much temptation in Logan for Muslims.
“You don’t see drunk people all over the town here in Utah ,” Al Daleel said.
“The people are so nice and it’s just easier to live in this environment. It
would be hard to be in Cali
for example, where there are different kinds of things going on.”
Yassine said she thinks the ways of dealing with the new
culture depend on what country the person is from when they come to America .
“A lot of Iranians have been pushed into being Islamic
extremists back home so when they get here they retaliate against that
push somehow,” she said. “That’s why a lot of them drink here.”
Yassine said that despite her freedom from Islamic societal
pressure in Utah ,
she still practices Islam in her own way. She just doesn’t follow certain
practices because she doesn’t want to be hypocritical, such as wearing a hijab,
or veil.
“I cannot properly wear the hijab if I do not pray 5 times a
day, and currently I honestly don’t,” Yassine said. “You have to deserve it and
be pure inside and out and do all these things, and I feel like I’m not ready.”
She said she does want to wear the hijab eventually when she
feels she is worthy.
“Once I purify myself from all things of the world then I
will wear the veil and be satisfied with myself and be proud of myself,”
Yassine said.
Hussein, Ali, Yassine and Al Daleel all said they were satisfied
with the environment in Utah .
“I have never encountered a problem with acceptance here,” Hussein
said. “I feel it is an advantage being Muslim in this community because people
are always asking me questions and having enriching discussions with me.”
Ali declared he has no plans to leave the state.
“It’s a great place to be a Muslim,” he said. “The Mormons
are great. So great I even married one. They’re a good people to live among."
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