We ask that guests dress respectfully when visiting our mosque.  We recommend casual, comfortable, but conservative attire.  Women visitors are not required to wear a headscarf, but you are welcome to in a style of your choosing if desired.  What you would wear to your own house of worship or other respected venues is typically appropriate for a mosque.

We ask that you remove your shoes before entering the prayer area at a mosque, so that the floors and carpets aren’t covered with dirt–after all, that is where people pray. As you observe the physical nature of the Islamic prayer, this will make sense. You’ll be able to wear your shoes when walking through the other areas of the mosque. We can accommodate those who need to wear shoes due to medical needs with shoe coverings.

We ask that you notify us of your visit in advance, but can typically accommodate your request quickly. We do have schools at the mosque, which maintain normal standards for school security. You will need to check in at the reception desk in the lobby when arriving. You can request to visit the mosque using this form or send an email to [email protected].

We welcome and host individuals and groups of all sizes and will work with you to tailor your visit to your needs. Most visitors like to arrive at a time where they can observe a prayer service. View the daily Prayer Times schedule on the home page and review the times listed under the Iqamah column. This is the time we hold the communal prayers onsite. The Adhan time column indicates the time at which a Muslim can perform the prayers if they are praying somewhere else or individually.

Muslims can pray their 5 daily prayers wherever they are. On Fridays, we have an additional communal prayer referred to as Jumuah that includes short speeches given by our Imams (religious leaders), local and visiting scholars and other knowledgeable community members. This is in lieu of the daily “dhuhr” or mid-day prayer and we hold several shifts at the IAR in order to accommodate the large numbers in our community. You can visit during the Friday prayer, but it can be very busy and parking is limited. Let us know if you are interested in visiting during Jumuah and we’ll advise on the best options.

Like the houses of worship for any religion, we endeavor to create a respectful, peaceful and focused environment for all.

Cell Phones

A ringing cell phone is a distraction to any service at the mosque. Please remember to silence or power off your devices when entering the building.

Talking during prayer

If you need to talk to someone during the prayer (while you are not praying, of course,) please take the conversation outside the prayer hall into the lobby or hallways so as to not distract those who are praying.

Not standing/walking in front of someone praying

If you are walking through the prayer area and come across someone who is praying, please walk behind, instead of in front of the person.

Islam encourages Muslims to act with respect for others at all times, including their physical bodies. Please be aware that many Muslims do not shake hands with anyone of the opposite gender. That is, men do not shake hands with women, and women do not shake hands with men. Unless he/she extends his/her hand first, it is better to not extend yours.

See all of our FAQs on visiting the mosque here. Additionally, you can explore the fiqh and FAQs database or use the Search option at the top of this page.