Tucked away on 90th Avenue, Masjidul Allah stands as a quiet testament to faith. This unassuming Sunni mosque in Queens Village might not boast towering minarets or grand facades. But its story, like the stories of many New York mosques, is woven into the fabric of a city grappling with diversity and suspicion in the post-9/11 era. Masjidul Allah, like other mosques in the city, became a point of interest for the NYPD’s surveillance programs. Following the Danish cartoon controversy in 2005, sermons at Masjidul Allah, advocating for peaceful responses, were monitored and reported back to the NYPD. This surveillance, along with the monitoring of license plates and even the installation of cameras on light poles near mosques, raised concerns about religious freedom and the targeting of entire communities. The NYPD’s approach, described by some as casting a wide net to see what they could catch, sought to understand the sentiments within the Muslim community. Masjidul Allah, a place of worship and community gathering, became part of this complex narrative. The story of Masjidul Allah is a microcosm of the larger story of mosques in New York City. It’s a story of resilience, of maintaining faith under scrutiny, and of navigating the challenges of being a Muslim community in a city forever changed by the events of 9/11. It’s a reminder that even in the quietest corners of the city, history is being made.
Gould Family Mausoleum
Ever heard of a “Robber Baron?” Here at Woodlawn Cemetery stands the Gould Family Mausoleum. It is a testament to