Kingman sits smack-dab in the middle of the longest-remaining continuous stretch of historic Route 66, which attracts travelers from around the world. Surprisingly, even in the middle of the arid Arizona desert, I didn’t have to struggle to find a mosque. The Internet allowed us to a locate mosque without any hassle.

We attend the fajr prayer, and I discovered the extraordinary hospitality of the small community. Majority of them were medical professionals in their fifties. This small community began in 1980, when 10 immigrant Muslims landed in Kingman. Despite the long distance from their home countries, the dedication of these individuals to offer regular prayer and revive religious rituals was strong. They met each other’s house by rotation for Friday or other communal (tarawee, Eid etc.) prayers while hovering in hesitation for almost nine years whether to settle down in Kingman. Meanwhile, the small community experienced a surge in numbers as more Muslim families arrived in town. The need for a mosque became more imperative.

Although inhibited by nine years of waiting, the process of establishing a mosque moved quickly forward once the decision was made. The land was purchased in two days, and the best builders and architect in the town were contacted immediately. Upon finalizing the building plan, the community donated so generously that the construction was completed in less than four months without any external financial assistance. No invasion or radicalism was in their mind. They gave away their hard earned money to build this spiritual sanctuary. I wish to tell everybody about the depth of the spiritual conviction that resulted in the purchase of land in two days and the rapidly completed construction of the mosque through the donations of a dozen people.

When we visited, the community comprised twenty families who were diverse in many respects, but their spiritual unity was extraordinary.