Two stern elderly men in traditional attire sitting in the front row of a mosque with prayer beads and a walking stick, glaring at younger worshippers behind them

The Unpaid Sheriffs of the Front Row: How Neighborhood Elders Rule the Mosque

I step into our neighborhood mosque for Friday prayer, but three local retirees have already marked the territory. The mosque belongs to Allah, yet these neighborhood elders act as if they hold the legal deed to the property. I call … Continue reading The Unpaid Sheriffs of the Front Row: How Neighborhood Elders Rule the Mosque