The Greater St. Louis Islamic Foundation (IFGSTL) is an Islamic organization that consists of two mosques: Masjid Bilal (West Pine Masjid) located in downtown St. Louis, and Daar-Ul-Islam located in Ballwin, Missouri. The latter includes an Islamic funeral home with 5 cemeteries and social services such as job training and English classes.
The IFGSTL also runs a donation charity known as Baitulmal, which provides donated items and food to those in need. The ethnic identity of the Bosnian community in St. Louis is quite intricate, with some members being Croats (Catholics) or Serbs (Orthodox). The first influx of Muslim immigrants arrived after 1965 when immigration laws were relaxed.
In 1965, a small group of Muslims formed a local chapter of the Muslim Student Association, headquartered in Gary, Indiana. In St. Louis and the rest of the United States, there have been numerous cases of religious discrimination, from the threat of burning a Koran by a Florida pastor last month to disputes over the Muslim community center in New York, the online protest and a minaret that Hasic built in South St. Louis. It has at least nine Muslim community centers, including mosques, for worship, classrooms for teaching and meeting space for social gatherings. Louis has had a mosque since 1957 and there is a youth group that attempts to unite all young Muslims in the area and encourage them to practice their faith.
In general, there is a good relationship between Jews and Muslims and between all religious communities. Ilhan has known the Muslims of St. Louis since her time as vice-president of the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and she only hears positive things about them. Hasic estimates that there are about 100,000 Muslims living in the metropolitan area, about half of them Bosnians. So what are the most common occupations of members of the Muslim community in St.
Louis?The most frequent occupations among Muslims in St. Louis include healthcare professionals such as doctors and nurses; engineers; IT professionals; teachers; business owners; lawyers; accountants; bankers; entrepreneurs; and government employees. Many Muslims also work in hospitality, retail, construction, transportation, manufacturing, and other industries. In addition to their professional occupations, many Muslims are actively involved in their local communities through volunteering and other activities. They are also involved in interfaith dialogue initiatives to promote understanding between different religious groups. The Muslim community in St.
Louis is diverse and vibrant, with members from many different backgrounds and professions working together to make their city a better place to live.
