Sault Gets Downtown Mosque
The former Sault This Week building at 2 Towers Street (behind Precious Blood Cathedral) has undergone extensive interior and exterior renovations for its new tenant, the Islamic Association of Sault Ste. Marie.
In recent months, the local Islamic community has met for Friday jumʿah prayer, children's Qur'an classes and other morning and evening prayer times and social events in a small musallah at 677 Macdonald Avenue.
The Islamic Association of Sault Ste. Marie's board is looking to hire an imam to officiate at the new, full-sized mosque, which is scheduled to open in early November.
Mayor Christian Provenzano and other dignitaries will be invited to the official opening.
Planting the Sault's first recognized mosque has largely been the work of a small, dedicated group of Muslim physicians.
Sault Ste. Marie's Islamic community celebrated Eid al-Adha (the feast of sacrifice) last night at Algoma University.
The Sault's first Muslim arrived two decades ago.
Sault Ste. Marie now has approximately 10 Muslim families and about 200 foreign exchange students from Saudi Arabia.
The first halal restaurant in Sault Ste. Marie, Tandoori Gardan, opened two years ago at 663 Queen Street East.
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