Category: <span>History</span>

The Islamic Center hired Dr. Mohsen El-Biali, then the Director and Imam of the Washington D.C. Islamic Center, to lead the Islamic Center of Southern California as its director. Dr. Biali was a graduate of Al-Azhar University and a prolific writer and speaker who encouraged the growing community to become more involved in the community...

According to minutes of the April 1966 Board meeting, the Board of Directors approved bylaws, organized an Islamic library, purchased a Spirit duplicator, started a newsletter and maintained an answering service. It also voted to change its name to the Islamic Foundation of Southern California. With $8,315 in pledges, the community set up a committee...

The first mosque in Los Angeles was established as “a group of guys who wanted to get together to pray,” as one of the early founders Abed Awad put it. Originally the Moslem Association of America at Los Angeles served a small community of families in a rented building on Fountain Avenue in Hollywood. While...