Thank you for considering a visit to our mosque. We have developed the following information and guidelines to address any questions you may have before visiting a mosque for the first time. Please review this information prior to your visit and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Fridays at MCA
Friday is the Muslims’ congregational day, much like Sunday is for Christians and Saturday is for Jews. During the Friday ("Jummah" in Arabic) service, a 20 to 25 minute sermon ("Khutbah" in Arabic) is given in English by a Muslim scholar known as an Imam, and then attendees are led in group prayer in Arabic, the language of the Qu’ran. Due to the growing number of people who attend Jummah, MCA offers two prayer services. The first service is at 12:20 PM, and the second service is at 1:20 PM.
MCA Community
MCA represents a diverse Muslim community made up of over 40 nationalities. While the majority of members come from Pakistan, India, and the Middle East, on any given Friday, you may see Muslims at MCA who originated from other countries such as China, Russia, Vietnam, or Japan. This diversity truly speaks to the universality of Islam as a religion with 1.6 billion followers worldwide.
Dress Code
While visiting MCA, we advise that you dress modestly by wearing long pants or a long skirt for ladies. We do not require female guests to wear head covering as Muslim women do; however, if you choose to do so, you will find that Muslims will truly appreciate the effort. We have scarves in our office if you decide to wear one.
Since performing the prayers is a physical act that requires a clean surface, guests should remove their shoes upon entering the mosque to ensure the prayer area remains clean. Salat is one of many forms of prayers that Muslims perform. Other forms include supplications which is a way of asking God for something or praying to God before eating or starting an activity.
Gender Interaction at the Mosque
As in any mosque, interaction between genders is friendly but formal. Physical contact between mixed genders (male-female) occurs only between those who are related by blood or marriage (spouses, parents and children, and siblings). When greeting someone of the opposite gender, it is considered polite to not extend one’s hand to shake hands unless your host does so first. If they initiate, then you can shake their hand as you would normally. With the same gender (women-women or men-men), extend your hand to greet the other person as you would normally. Having a conversation with someone of the opposite gender is perfectly fine since it is only physical contact that is sensitive for some Muslims.
About the Center
MCA is not only a place of worship, it is a community center and also includes a full-time school for over 400 pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade students called Granada Islamic School (GIS). GIS has 18 classrooms and teaches the standard California curriculum including science, math and English. Three additional subjects - Arabic as a Second Language, Islamic Studies and Quran - are taught in addition to the California curriculum. The school facilities include a computer lab, a library, and a lunchroom.
The prayer halls are where actual acts of worship are performed. As mentioned earlier, when entering the prayer hall, shoes should be removed to keep the prayer area clean.
The community hall is where we hold many events including interfaith events such as Ramadan open house, Explore the Quran, and others throughout the year.
MCA also has a bookstore that offers a wide selection of books and CDs on Islam and Muslims. The bookstore hours of operation are noted on our website.
Tour Programs
The free tour is held every month on the last Friday of the month from Noon to 2 PM and includes an optional lunch. We can also arrange a tour by appointment for any number of guests if the set schedule does not work.