Origin of MDQ
FROM VISION TO REALITY
The Origin of Masjid Darul Quran
By
Surat khan, founder
“I met Shaikh Ahmed Al-Banna in 1980 in Masjid Al-Farooq in Brooklyn, New York, where he was working as an Imam. He was Palestinian by birth but stayed many years in Saudi Arabia where he studied Islam and became an Aalim (Islamic Scholar) before coming to America and joining Masjid Al-Farooq.
Over the years, this meeting turned into a devoted and sincere friendship for the pleasure of Allah (SWT). In 1983, Shaikh bought the house located at 1514 East 3rd Avenue in Bay Shore, New York and moved in with his wife, Sister Ramzia. At that time, I lived in Islip, New York. We started going to each other’s house frequently and it developed into a close friendship between us.
In 1986, Shaikh was hospitalized and had heart surgery. During his stay in the hospital, he mentioned to me that after his surgery if he gets well, he is going to turn his house into a masjid and a school, where he will teach Islam and will show the West what Islam actually is. The surgery went well, but afterwards a complication started due to which, Shaikh could not survive and passed away.
Over the years, this meeting turned into a devoted and sincere friendship for the pleasure of Allah (SWT). In 1983, Shaikh bought the house located at 1514 East 3rd Avenue in Bay Shore, New York and moved in with his wife, Sister Ramzia. At that time, I lived in Islip, New York. We started going to each other’s house frequently and it developed into a close friendship between us.
In 1986, Shaikh was hospitalized and had heart surgery. During his stay in the hospital, he mentioned to me that after his surgery if he gets well, he is going to turn his house into a masjid and a school, where he will teach Islam and will show the West what Islam actually is. The surgery went well, but afterwards a complication started due to which, Shaikh could not survive and passed away.
After Shaikh’s death, sister Ramzia decided to sell the house. At this time, I told her what Shaikh had wanted to do with the house. She said she will honor her husband’s wish. So, we got the house appraised. The house was valued at one hundred and forty thousand dollars ($140,000.00). I agreed to pay her seventy thousand dollars ($70,000.00), which was her share. She happily accepted it. I paid her twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000.00) down payment, and she sold the house to Masjid Darul Quran, the name that was given to me by her husband, Shaikh Ahmed Al-Banna. This is how Masjid Darul Quran came in existence.
After buying this house from sister Ramzia, I hung a small sign on the door of the house, saying Masjid Darul Quran and started cleaning it with the help of my son, Musa. It took us few days to prepare a small “prayer area” and called the first Azan for the Maghrib Salat at the doorstep of the Masjid. The first Maghrib Salat was led by me and my son, Musa, and brother Faiz prayed behind me.
Soon people started joining and on December 2, 1988, Masjid Darul Quran was incorporated at the Suffolk County Clerk Office as a non-for-profit Religious Corporation with 6 Directors/Officers, named as (1) Surat Khan, the President, (2) Khalid Farooq, the Vice President, (3) Amir Farooqi, the General Secretary, (4) Iqbal Khan, the Treasurer, (5) Mohammad Munir Khan, and (6) Aslam Hashmi.
At this stage, I started searching Muslim names in the telephone book, white pages, and started calling and inviting them to join us in this new Masjid. I went to the nearby stores with the hope of meeting some Muslim brothers there. Luckily, at a Pathmark, I met Br. Tariq Sherwani. He came to the Masjid and later brought Br. Amir Farooqi with him. I called Br. Iqbal Khan from the white pages; he and his two young boys Irfan and Adnan joined. 35 years later, after its incorporation in 1988, that same young boy Irfan guided and led MDQ to its reincorporation in 2024, alhamdolillah.
Soon people started joining and on December 2, 1988, Masjid Darul Quran was incorporated at the Suffolk County Clerk Office as a non-for-profit Religious Corporation with 6 Directors/Officers, named as (1) Surat Khan, the President, (2) Khalid Farooq, the Vice President, (3) Amir Farooqi, the General Secretary, (4) Iqbal Khan, the Treasurer, (5) Mohammad Munir Khan, and (6) Aslam Hashmi.
In 1992, I moved from Islip to Ozone Park in Queens, New York. By this time, a lot of new Muslim brothers had joined Masjid Darul Quran and the Masjid purchased the house located next door at 45 Farrington Ave., which is now the Imam’s residence. During the same year, Br. Hafizur Rehman became the President of the Executive Committee of Masjid Darul Quran. Under his presidency, the Masjid bought its second white-colored house located next door at 48 Walbridge Ave., at the corner of East 3rd Ave. At the location of the second house, we decided to build the new building for Masjid Darul Quran.
In 1998, an architect was hired by the MDQ Executive Committee to design a new building for Masjid Darul Quran. The design of the new Masjid building was completed in early 1999, with an estimated construction cost of 2.5 to 3 million dollars. At this time, Br. Hafizur Rehman approached Br. Rafi Rajput, the owner of Walison Corp., a general contracting firm, to help Masjid Darul Quran build its new building. Br. Rafi Rajput, at the time a resident of Huntington, New York, was requested to meet the MDQ Executive Committee for a formal introduction
During the meeting, Br. Hafizur Rehman and Br. Syed Fayyaz Hussain showed him the new building’s plans prepared by the architect with a construction cost estimate of 2.5 to 3 million dollars and told him that MDQ does not have that kind of capital. They said that the Masjid had only five hundred thousand dollars at the time, and that no general contractor was willing to take on the project. Br. Rafi Rajput was impressed by the sincerity and devotion of the community and took on this project as a general contractor. I remember him saying he will try his best to complete it in less than two million dollars. To accomplish this goal, he said his firm will not charge any profit from the Masjid, their services will be 100% free to the Masjid, and will contribute their share toward construction as well. The Masjid will pay for only the direct cost paid to the sub-contractors, the vendors, and the workers, and he will redesign the building.
During the meeting, Br. Hafizur Rehman and Br. Syed Fayyaz Hussain showed him the new building’s plans prepared by the architect with a construction cost estimate of 2.5 to 3 million dollars and told him that MDQ does not have that kind of capital. They said that the Masjid had only five hundred thousand dollars at the time, and that no general contractor was willing to take on the project. Br. Rafi Rajput was impressed by the sincerity and devotion of the community and took on this project as a general contractor. I remember him saying he will try his best to complete it in less than two million dollars. To accomplish this goal, he said his firm will not charge any profit from the Masjid, their services will be 100% free to the Masjid, and will contribute their share toward construction as well. The Masjid will pay for only the direct cost paid to the sub-contractors, the vendors, and the workers, and he will redesign the building.
The construction of the new Masjid started in September 1999. Br. Rafi Rajput’s younger son, Br. Sabahuddin Rajput, a civil engineer by profession, himself operated the excavator to dig the basement of the Masjid to avoid paying $500 per day salary to an excavator operator. He worked and supervised the project for one full year without any compensation from the masjid and completed pouring/ finishing the foundations, backfilling and leveling of the project site, and afterwards, he returned to his duties at Walison Corp. In October 2000, Br. Rajput’s elder son, Br. Salahuddin Rajput, a civil engineer by profession, took charge of this project and completed the steel structure, steel framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall, flooring, roofing, installation of the elevator and air conditioning units. He supervised this project for one full year without any compensation from the Masjid.
After completing the above work, he returned to his duties at Walison Corp. In November 2001, Br. Rafi Rajput, himself came to the project and supervised all of the finish work until full completion in October 2003 without any compensation from the masjid. In October 2003, the Masjid was completed 100%, including its two parking lots. The project was completed in 50 months, from start to finish, at the total cost of 1.80 million dollars.
After completion of the new building, the Masjid decided to start its school by the name of Masjid Darul Quran Academy in the house that was the old Masjid and Shaikh Ahmed Al-Banna’s residence. The school started in October of 2003 with 7 children and Br. Nouman Ali Khan as its principal. In 2004, Br. Mohammad Nobani took charge of the school. . During his period, for the expansion of the school Masjid Darul Quran purchased the house located at 46 Farrington Ave. Br. Nobani took out a home equity loan on his own house to pay for 46 Farrington Ave., which was eventually paid back by Masjid Darul Quran. Later, as more students and teachers joined, the Academy needed a larger teaching facility.
After completing the above work, he returned to his duties at Walison Corp. In November 2001, Br. Rafi Rajput, himself came to the project and supervised all of the finish work until full completion in October 2003 without any compensation from the masjid. In October 2003, the Masjid was completed 100%, including its two parking lots. The project was completed in 50 months, from start to finish, at the total cost of 1.80 million dollars.
After completion of the new building, the Masjid decided to start its school by the name of Masjid Darul Quran Academy in the house that was the old Masjid and Shaikh Ahmed Al-Banna’s residence. The school started in October of 2003 with 7 children and Br. Nouman Ali Khan as its principal. In 2004, Br. Mohammad Nobani took charge of the school. . During his period, for the expansion of the school Masjid Darul Quran purchased the house located at 46 Farrington Ave. Br. Nobani took out a home equity loan on his own house to pay for 46 Farrington Ave., which was eventually paid back by Masjid Darul Quran. Later, as more students and teachers joined, the Academy needed a larger teaching facility.
Masjid Darul Quran purchased another adjacent property located at 1506 East 3rd Avenue to build a new building for the school. In 2010, MDQ merged the two properties located at 46 Farrington Ave. and 1506 East 3rd Ave., and prepared building plans for a new school building on the two lots and applied for a building permit, however, the building permits was not approved at the time. Fortunately, the MDQ Academy was able to rent a partial school building at the Sisters of Saint Joseph located at 1725 Brentwood Rd., Brentwood, New York, and moved into the new location. In 2022, the MDQ Academy purchased a school building in Commack, New York, and is planning to move in soon, Insha Allah. The MDQ Academy that started in 2003 with 7 children has now grown to about 500 students in the last 20 years.
MDQ and its community that started 35 years ago in 1988 from the residence of Shaikh Ahmad Banna has now grown leaps and bounds due to the efforts of so many contributors. As of this note, myself, Br. Iqbal Khan and Br. Amir Farooqi still remain with MDQ from the original founding members in 1988. A special note of gratitude to two very prominent contributing scholars of Islam, Shaikh Imran Hosein and Dr. Israr Ahmad, whose visits to the Masjid gave it immense honor and repute. It gives me heartfelt tranquility to see the seed that I planted 35 years ago has been watered over the years by the hands of so many people, alhamdolillah. And I pray that may Allah continue to water and bless Masjid Darul Quran for as long as Allah so wills. Ameen.”
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MDQ and its community that started 35 years ago in 1988 from the residence of Shaikh Ahmad Banna has now grown leaps and bounds due to the efforts of so many contributors. As of this note, myself, Br. Iqbal Khan and Br. Amir Farooqi still remain with MDQ from the original founding members in 1988. A special note of gratitude to two very prominent contributing scholars of Islam, Shaikh Imran Hosein and Dr. Israr Ahmad, whose visits to the Masjid gave it immense honor and repute. It gives me heartfelt tranquility to see the seed that I planted 35 years ago has been watered over the years by the hands of so many people, alhamdolillah. And I pray that may Allah continue to water and bless Masjid Darul Quran for as long as Allah so wills. Ameen.”