Danish Siddiqui has spent most of his life in Germantown.
It’s where the 28-year-old grew up, got a job and found a home.
Yet as a Muslim, he has been a nomad.
The closest mosque is a 30-minute drive, and places of worship nearby are small and rented.
“When there’s no facility, people wander on their own,” he said.
Without a hub for Islamic activity, he says many of his friends have chosen to relocate to other cities.
Hoping to give Muslims a stronger presence in Memphis, an Islamic group has taken the first step to build a sprawling community center in eastern Cordova. . .
The Memphis Islamic Center, a nonprofit organization formed nearly a year ago, has purchased 31 acres for $700,000 at Humphrey and Houston Levee.
The group is drawing up blueprints for a multimillion-dollar complex that would include a large mosque, youth center, daycare, indoor gym, sports fields, school, medical clinic and retirement home.
Since paying or charging interest on a loan goes against their religion, they plan to raise every cent of the money needed and have the facility up within five years. (MORE)