To the Muslims who worship at the Islamic Society of Greater Chattanooga, the best antidote for fear, prejudice and misunderstanding is a simple conversation.
Every year the ISGC hosts a Meet Your Muslim Neighbor event, during which curious locals can ask questions about Islam. But after a controversial election cycle and debate over President Donald Trump’s unsuccessful attempt to institute a travel ban on seven Muslim majority countries, the turnout for this year’s event Saturday was the largest they’ve ever seen.
More than 1,000 people flocked to the Islamic Center over the course of the afternoon, many of them smiling with family or friends in tow. For Chattanooga Muslims, the overwhelming interest from their neighbors was a welcome sign of solidarity.
“We do this every year, but this has been the most successful,” said Bassam Issa, one of the founders of the center. “This is just tremendous.”
Issa said he and his fellow Muslims believe hosting events such as this is important because it allows them to clear up misconceptions about their faith while building relationships with other Chattanoogans.