Madina Masjid

I recently went to Madina Masjid with a group of women for Isha. We were not allowed to enter through the men\'s entrance, and instructed to enter through a different door. The women\'s entrance was not labeled. After several minutes of knocking, someone opened the door for us. The women\'s section is MUCH smaller than the men\'s section. The restroom was in poor condition. The leadership of this masjid must take steps to improve the conditions for female congregants.

Clean restrooms, large prayer space. I'd imagine they'd be packed for Jumu'ah. Good place to stop off for salaah and recharge if you've been out all day in the city.

Not a lot to talk about here. Typical masjid.

Clean, nice place to pray.

During Ramadan, the masjid offers iftaar everyday. There is an open house every Thursday as well. A short group dua is performed before the iftaar. Dinner is served before Maghrib due to the large congregation. There is a tiny designated area for women, but during Ramadan the entire musala is dominated by men. I don't recommend women coming to this masjid to break their fast.

I visit this mosque regularly. It is conveniently located with reasonable ablution facilities downstairs. The management is Bangladeshi, and so you will hear that language spoken. The management is quite elderly, and this is one of the older established mosques in Manhattan. Parking in the neighbourhood is possible if you are early, if you are late, taxis usually fill up the empty spaces because taxi drivers pray here. There is usually a halal food vendor outside the mosque, and someone selling islamic goods during the day. One of the nicest things about this mosque is the 'eid gaah' which in recent years (weather permitting) has been prayed in the little school yard directly next door to the mosque. It provides a wonderful perspective on how an urban community of Muslims has adapted to the Manhattan environment. They usually have some prayer facilities for ladies at the Eidgaah. Stop by the mosque if you need local news (there is a notice board), as well as newspapers etc. which are always circulated there.

I have been to this masjid a few times to pray and a Jumah or two. I have not really received many smiles or greetings. It is relatively clean and an ok place to pray, but I prefer the smaller but seemingly friendlier and better vibed Assefa several blocks south. I did pass by once one later evening and because there was an imam inside in the hallway on his cell phone I tried to open the door to enter to pray. He said they were closed rather grouchingly which kept me away pretty much since then. Ok if you are near there but did not feel a long term connection.

There is a women's area and bathroom in the main hall behind a curtain. However, more often than not, it is filled with brooms, mops, vacuums, etc. Or there are men sleeping here, and you have to get a man from the center to ever-so-reluctantly wake them up so you can pray here. Another time, I witnessed three men from the masjid discouraging a young college student from making his shahada on a late Friday afternoon, telling him to come back on Sunday when there would "be more people to see." An okay place to stop off if you're in the area and need to pray, but just be aware of the attitude if you're a woman or new to Islam.

Alhamdulilah, this is a pleasant masjid. You can find a number of people inside at any given time, and there's Qur'ans and plenty of books in Bangla. This masjid has a large but not exclusive Bangladeshi community.