An observer of the development of Islamic centers and mosque communities in the United States writes about the “three stages” he has observed:

In the first phase of a Center’s development, all categories of people are welcome to join – regardless of their ethnic origin or their particular religious sect. Arabs, Pakistanis, Turks and all others join together to establish a place of worship – and to start an Islamic Sunday school. All pervading unity and togetherness characterize this first phase. Simple and moderately disposed people who happen to have access to financial or other resources come out to lead the effort.

This group has links both to the ultra conservatives as well as the liberal segments of the Muslim community. Funds are raised, property is purchased and in effect an Islamic Center or a Mosque becomes a reality on the ground. At this time, the second phase starts in earnest. People of moderate views are still in active control – but sooner or later differences in interpretation of the canonical details of their religion start to show up with increasing intensity.

Then the exodus begins! The ‘Liberals’, who joined this group early on, are the first to depart. Naturally, they need to get busy with their own lives.

Shiite Muslims are the next group that moves out. In many communities, they don’t even get involved in the day to day affairs of the center, particularly, as is usually the case, if the Sunnis in the congregation, who are always in majority display acrimony or bias against them, since the more tolerant among them have already left. The second phase can continue for a long time depending upon the community’s composition.

The third phase begins when the ‘ultra conservatives’ in the group muster enough courage to flex their muscle! This ticks off the ‘moderates’ who gradually begin to depart. They do so because they find they cannot afford to waste their time and resources on “smear” campaigns and “negative” thinking that are generated by inter personal differences or rivalries. In this phase we find that some of the Centers, where dedicated members predominate, doggedly continue on their path of progress, while others languish in the throes of disillusionment.