Excerpt:
The amplified voice rang out across the halls of the Mosque at the Muslim Community Association in Santa Clara. A call to prayer. The voice set-off the shuffle of shoeless men lining up in their socks for the 1:30 pm prayer.
For years, this growing Muslim community has increasingly opened its doors to the outside community, especially in a post 9/11 climate that found Muslim's targeted for hate. In an effort to build trust and transparency, the center held open houses and tours where the public could visit. It even invited the F.B.I.
"We have outreach programs where we've invited the FBI and other law enforcement," said Isa Shaw, a member of the Muslim Community Association. "We participated in their outreach efforts as well."