Mohammad Mehboob owns an oil-change service business in Woodbridge. Since moving to this country from Pakistan in 1994, Mehboob has helped lead the effort to build a mosque in Northern Virginia. Following the completion last month of the $3 million Dar Al-Noor mosque in Manassas, he recounted the sacrifices and joy of the odyssey.
How long did it take to build the new mosque?
Fifteen years. We don’t take a mortgage for building a mosque, so we had to come up with the money, and we spent almost $3 million. It was a long, long process.
Are you satisfied with the final product?
It’s a beautiful, beautiful building.
What kind of fundraising did it take?
The congregation, a beautiful community, has made so many sacrifices. There were women in our community who sold their jewelry, and there were many people who saved money and cut back on expenses every year for more than a dozen years.
How large is the congregation?
Every Friday there are two services, 500 to 600 people per service.We are short on parking, and I suppose more parking would allow more people to come. The largest gathering we had was 5,000 people, for Eid day, our Christmas. We were set up for two services and had to do four. We were not really aware how big a community we are until the facility was open.
The mosque has brought new interest and attention to Virginia’s Muslim population. Does that have drawbacks or benefits?
It’s an opportunity, firsthand, to see what kind of people we are. We are regular Americans, we are not different at all, and, until someone meets us, there might be some mystery.
