Islamic Community Center of Anchorage Alaska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Islamic Community Center of Anchorage Alaska |
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The mosque in 2014
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | non-profit religious organization |
| Location | |
| Location | 8005 Spring St, Anchorage, Alaska 99518 |
 Location in Alaska
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| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Mosque |
| Date established | 2014 |
| Specifications | |
| Dome(s) | 0 |
| Minaret(s) | 2 |
The Islamic Community Center of Anchorage Alaska (ICCAA) is a special place for Muslims in Anchorage, Alaska. It is a mosque, which is a place of worship for Muslims. This building is the first mosque built specifically for this purpose in Alaska. It is also one of the northernmost mosques in North America.
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About the Islamic Community Center
Building a New Home
Before this new building, Muslims in Anchorage used a smaller prayer area called a musalla. This musalla was located in a regular shopping center. The community needed a bigger space. So, they started building a new mosque, a school, and an Islamic center in 2010.
The new building was finished in 2014. It is much larger, about 15,000 square feet. It was built to serve the many Muslims living in Anchorage.
Where is it Located?
The Islamic Community Center is located at Spring Street and E. 80th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska. It is a central place for the Muslim community.
Prayer Times in Alaska
Alaska has very unique daylight hours. In winter, it gets dark very early. In summer, the sun stays out almost all night. This makes it tricky to know when to pray, because prayer times in Islam depend on the sun's position.
To help with this, the ICCAA uses the prayer schedule from Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Mecca is a very important city in Islam. Some Muslims in Anchorage follow this schedule. Others prefer to pray based on their local time, even if they have to guess the times when the sun doesn't set.
A Diverse Community
The Muslim community in Anchorage is very diverse. People from many different backgrounds come together at the ICCAA. The community includes Muslims who were born in America. It also includes immigrants from about 50 different countries. These countries are in Europe, Asia, and Africa. There are also Native Alaskans who have become Muslim. This mix of people makes the community very rich and interesting.
