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Islamic Center of Jersey City (ICJC)

Website:

icjc.net
Location:

Jersey City, NJ
Type:

Local religious center
Formation:

1980
President:

Ahmed Shedeed

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The Islamic Center of Jersey City (ICJC) is a mosque based in Jersey City, New Jersey with a branch that operates in New York City. 1 2 The mosque has been accused of advocating religious extremism, particularly domestic violence against women and the practice of polygamy. These claims are based on older posts and articles to the mosque’s website that have since been removed. 3 4 The mosque continues to be the center of controversy, most notably regarding the radicalism of its former imams and its support for Palestinian nationalism, other left-of-center stances on race, and the anti-police movement. 5 6 7

ICJC’s president, Ahmed Shedeed, is frequently cited in media outlets and has received criticism for his support of Egypt’s former president Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. 3 Shedeed has also expressed negative views of former President Donald Trump and has supported left-of-center positions on teaching LGBT topics in schools. 8 9

Background

The Islamic Center of Jersey City was founded in 1980 originally as the home of the Al-Ghazaly School, a private Muslim K-12 school which now has its own building. 10 11 When the school moved to a different building, the facility became a mosque. At this time, the Islamic Center of Jersey City, the Islamic Center of Passaic County, and the North Hudson Islamic Educational Center worked together to establish a strong educational and religious foothold for Muslims in northern New Jersey. 11

Initiatives and Activities

The Islamic Center of Jersey City offers the standard daily and weekly prayers and religious services of a Muslim mosque, in addition to marriage ceremonies, funeral services, and weekend Arabic school. 12 13 14

It has significant influence in local and state politics and community. For example, each year West Point military cadets stay at the Center as part of a diversity experience initiative that was founded by Center president Ahmed Shedeed. The program is designed to introduce cadets, who will likely be deployed overseas during their military careers, to Muslim and Arab cultures. 15

In 2018, a board member of the Center joined with six other clergy from Christian denominations to oppose what they said was an illegal vote in Hudson County, New Jersey to house federal prisoners as part of an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The ACLU of New Jersey represented the case, which was pursued not on the merits of the agreement but on what were claimed to be violations of a state public transparency law related to disclosing county meeting topics in advance of votes. 16

ICJC also supports left-of-center activities related to race, the anti-police movement, and the Palestinian nationalist movement in America. In June 2020, the Islamic Center of Jersey City joined more than two dozen New Jersey-based mosques in support of the Black Lives Matter movement that was reignited by the death of George Floyd. ICJC and the other organizations expressed their support for the “Day of Outrage,” a larger effort from Muslim organizations and houses of worship to express solidarity with Black Americans by preaching against racism and police brutality and encouraging people to protest. 7

In June 2021, the Islamic Center of Jersey City signed an open letter by the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American Islamic-Relations (CAIR) condemning what it called “Israel’s war crimes” against Palestinians. The letter was signed by 42 other New Jersey-based Muslim organizations and called for elected leaders to speak out about Israel’s alleged mistreatment of Palestinians in East Jerusalem. The letter also accused Israel of “ongoing aggression and violations of international law and human decency.” 6

Extremism and Anti-Semitism

On its former website, researchers at the right-of-center Clarion Project reported that the Islamic Center of Jersey City had posted defenses of wife-beating and polygamy as admissible practices under Islam. The former website also had anti-American rhetoric arguing that the United States was racist to its citizens and imperial in its foreign involvements. 3 4

On ICJC’s current website, there is a defense of both the Muslim Brotherhood and its former leader and scholar, Yusuf Qaradawi. 1 The document describes the Muslim Brotherhood as a political organization, even though other countries have designated the Brotherhood a terrorist organization. 17 18

ICJC also has ties to extremism through its former imam, Mohammad Al-Hanooti, who allegedly raised funds for Hamas. A 2001 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) memo alleged that informants reported that Al-Hanooti was a “big supporter” of Hamas and was “purportedly holding fund-raising activities, as well as supporting visitors to the United States from Israel and Jordan, to speak on behalf of HAMAS.” Another FBI informant reported “in 1993, that Al-Hanooti collected over six million U.S. dollars for support of HAMAS in Israel.” 19 20

Al-Hanooti was also an unindicted co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombings, an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation trial, and had several ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates. 21 19

In December 2017, one of ICJC’s imams, Raed Saleh Al-Rousan, delivered a violently antisemitic sermon in which he called for Muslims to kill Jews and for Muslims to begin “judgment day” by fighting the Jews. 22 Al-Rousan referred to Jews as “apes and pigs” and called for their murder. 23 ICJC president Ahmed Shedeed suspended Al-Rousan for one month and forced him to undergo interfaith educational training to address his antisemitic comments. 22 5

Leadership

Ahmed Shedeed is the president of the Islamic Center of Jersey City. 22 He is also the vice chairman of the Islamic Education Foundation of New Jersey board of directors. 24

Shedeed is a prominent member of the area and state Muslim Community who regularly provides commentary on various matters. He is a leader at the Al-Tawheed Islamic Center and also serves as honorary deputy mayor for Arab Affairs in Jersey City. Shedeed has other political positions, as he also serves as a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Newark Citizens Academy Alumni Association’s Outreach Committee. He is a member of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Muslim Outreach Committee to which he was appointed by former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R). 25 26 Shedeed also serves on the Interfaith Advisory Council to the New Jersey Department of Homeland Security. Shedeed was invited to former President Barack Obama’s final State of the Union address by United States Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). 25 pKulwin, Clifford. “After a massacre in a Jewish market in Jersey City, a rabbi seeks a Muslim’s advice.” NJ.com. December 13, 2019. Accessed Octboer 20, 2024. https://www.nj.com/opinion/2019/12/after-a-massacre-in-a-jewish-market-in-jersey-city-a-rabbi-seeks-a-muslims-advice.html[/note]

In 2016, Shedeed expressed his dislike of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump because of what Shedeed described as Trump’s hatred for minorities. Shedeed said he was a registered Republican, but that he planned to vote for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. 8

In February 2020, Muslims and Christians in Hudson County, New Jersey opposed a change to public school curriculum requiring teachers to include the contributions of LGBT people in history. Although many Muslims oppose this left-wing intrusion in education, Shedeed said he would support the curriculum change. 9

Following the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida in 2016, Shedeed helped lead a vigil in memory of the victims at which he prayed and expressed his condolences. 27 After a military coup in Egypt in 2013 that deposed Mohamed Morsi, the former president who was a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, Shedeed gave commentary about the need for the country to have a stable and democratic political system. 28

References

  1. Home. Islamic Center of Jersey City. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://icjc.net/
  2. NYC Mosque. Islamic Center of Jersey City. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://icjc.net/nyc-mosque
  3. Mauro, Ryan. “Gov. Christie Appoints Islamist-Friendly AG to Be New Senator.” Islamist Watch. June 9, 2013. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.meforum.org/islamist-watch/gov-christie-appoints-islamist-friendly-ag-to-be
  4. “A friend of the enemy is no friend of ours.” New Jersey Jewish News. February 10, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com/a-friend-of-the-enemy-is-no-friend-of-ours/
  5. “NJ imam to be ‘retrained’ after hoping, in sermon, that all Jews die.” Times of Israel. December 15, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.timesofisrael.com/nj-imam-to-be-retrained-after-hoping-in-sermon-that-all-jews-die/
  6. Hooper, Ibrahim. “CAIR-NJ Joins 42 New Jersey Muslim Organizations Condemning Injustice Against Palestinians, Calls on Elected Officials to Act.” CAIR. June 11, 2021. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-nj-joins-42-new-jersey-muslim-organizations-condemning-injustice-against-palestinians-calls-on-elected-officials-to-act/
  7. Adley, Hannan. “’Day of Outrage’: NJ mosques will preach against racism, police brutality on Friday.” NorthJersey.com. June 4, 2020. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2020/06/04/nj-mosque-pledge-day-outrage-against-racism-police-brutality/3138494001/
  8. Taylor, Ramon. “Jersey City Muslims Unite Against Trump.” VOA. June 7, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.voanews.com/a/jersey-city-muslims-unite-against-trump/3365669.html
  9. Villanova, Patrick. “Divide over state-mandated LGBTQ curriculum deepens in Hudson County.” NJ.com. February 27, 2020. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.nj.com/hudson/2020/02/divide-over-state-mandated-lgbtq-curriculum-deepens-in-hudson-county.html
  10. Islamic Center of Jersey City. Facebook. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/IslamicCenterJC/
  11. “Our History.” Islamic Education Foundation. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.iefschools.org/history
  12. Services. Islamic Center of Jersey City. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://icjc.net/services
  13. Funerals. Islamic Center of Jersey City. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://icjc.net/funerals
  14. Sunday School. Islamic Center of Jersey City. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://icjc.net/sunday-school
  15. “West Point cadets visit New Jersey city to see, learn to respect diverse cultures.” Syracuse.com. April 27, 2012. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.syracuse.com/news/2012/04/west_point_cadets_visit_new_je.html
  16. Kiefer, Eric. “7 Hudson County Clergy Sue Freeholders Over ICE Contract.” NJ Patch. August 27, 2018. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/7-hudson-county-clergy-sue-freeholders-over-ice-contract
  17. “Muslim Brotherhood officially classified a terrorist organisation.” European Parliament. July 21, 2021. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2021-003684_EN.html
  18. “The Muslim Brotherhood’s Global Threat.” U.S. Committee on Oversight and Accountability. July 11, 2018. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://oversight.house.gov/hearing/the-muslim-brotherhoods-global-threat/
  19. “OBITUARY: Mohammed Al-Hanooti- Many Ties To US Muslim Brotherhood And Hamas.” The Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily WatchThe Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Watch. June 7, 2015. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.globalmbwatch.com/2015/06/07/obituary-mohammed-al-hanooti-many-ties-to-us-muslim-brotherhood-and-hamas/
  20. Poole, Patrick. “Blue Suede Jihad: Major Hamas Fundraiser Welcomed in the Land of Elvis.” Islamist Watch. July 1, 2010. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.meforum.org/islamist-watch/blue-suede-jihad-major-hamas-fundraiser-welcomed
  21. Mael, Daniel. “No Surprise: CAIR Mourns Alleged Hamas Fundraiser.” National Review. June 5, 2015. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.nationalreview.com/2015/06/cair-mourns-alleged-hamas-fundraiser-sheikh-mohammed-al-hanooti/
  22. Moshe, Shiri. “Texas Imam: Judgment Day Won’t Start ‘Until Muslims Fight the Jews in Palestine.’” The Algemeiner. December 20, 2017. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/12/20/texas-imam-judgment-day-wont-start-until-muslims-fight-the-jews-in-palestine/
  23. Cohen, Ben. “NJ Senator Cory Booker Slams ‘Repugnant’ Call for Killing of Jews by Imam of Jersey City Mosque.” The Algemeiner. December 15, 2017. Accessed Octobe 20, 2024. https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/12/15/nj-senator-cory-booker-slams-repugnant-call-for-killing-of-jews-by-imam-of-jersey-city-mosque/
  24.  “Our Board.” Islamic Education Foundation. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.iefschools.org/board
  25. Cory Booker – Facebook Post. Facebook. January 12, 2016. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/corybooker/photos/my-name-is-ahmed-shedeed-i-live-in-jersey-city-new-jersey-and-am-the-proud-fathe/10155112890687228/?_rdr
  26. “Egyptian Paper Names 30 Brotherhood Operatives in U.S.” Clarion Project. November 6, 2013. Accessed October 20, 2024. https://clarionproject.org/2013/11/06/egyptian-paper-names-30-brotherhood-operatives-us/
  27. Park, Minjae. “Hundreds attend Jersey City vigil for victims of Orlando mass shooting.” NorthJersey.com. June 14, 2016. Accessed Octboer 20, 2024. https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2016/06/14/hundreds-attend-jersey-city-vigil-for-victims-of-orlando-mass-shooting/94795484/
  28. “Islamic Center of Jersey City President Reacts to Egyptian Military Coup.” NJ Spotlight News. July 3, 2013. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/islamic-center-of-jersey-city-president-reacts-to-egyptian-military-coup/
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Islamic Center of Jersey City (ICJC)

17 Park St
Jersey City, NJ