DEARBORN — Determined to unite and serve its community, the Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW) pledged to uphold its mission after celebrating 20 years of existence on Sunday November 8.

The Islamic institution’s campus does not look like many traditional mosques. Children play and learn in classrooms in a dedicated annex; the building has a large hall where dinners and other events are held, as well as a large prayer hall. The institution’s purpose is not only of prayer and lectures, but of community engagement and building bridges between communities and other faiths, said Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, the institution’s founder and spiritual leader.

When Elahi set out to establish the religious center in 1995, his vision was not only to provide Muslims a place of worship, but to transform the local Islamic climate. He said the institute’s vision was to take the then-newly established religious centers in the area to the next level by inspiring them to be more inclusive to Muslim youth and women, as well as to build and move into larger facilities. The IHW’s campus is an example of the trend in local mosques that Elahi embarked on after leaving his position as the imam and director of the Islamic Center of America earlier that year.

“We wanted to involve [women and youth] in the process of decision making at the board and community level, and in activities at the center,” Elahi said.

According to the Iranian-born imam, a focus on intra and interfaith outreach is what distinguishes the IHW from similar faith-based institutions. In 2007, the IHW implemented a Shi’a-Sunni Council that promoted dialogue to combat sectarianism in the community. A “code of honor” was developed and signed by 30 imams of all sects, agreeing to promote peaceful alliances and continued conversations. The IHW has also held national interfaith conferences and Thanksgiving dinners, drawing in more than 400 attendees.

Nasser Beydoun, a community activist and former director of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, praised the IHW as “great ambassadors of Islam outside the community for being involved in interfaith outreach and being a great spokes organization for Islam in the community.”

Promoting unity and inclusiveness between Muslims, however, is only half of the center’s story, Elahi said.

“Of course, the conferences aren’t enough,” he said. “We as a community are responsible to also act; and through our actions, represent our values, faith and ideas.”

The imam joked about the coincidence that the Quran mentions the concept of action 313 times, the same number as the center’s area code. He added that the core of the IHW’s mission is to invest in the community through services like helping distribute food to from 100 to 200 poor families before every Friday prayer and hosting blood drives.

One of the most prominent problems facing the Arab and Muslim communities are misrepresentation in the media, which creates an ill-informed and xenophobic American public. The imam said the institute strives to educate the public on what the message of Islam really is, but calls on Muslims to do their part in avoiding radicalization, a concept Elahi said is un-Islamic. He believes those who do radicalize are hijacking the identity of millions of peaceful Muslims.

“Muslims have to work on providing education to non-Muslims; and internally, to educate the Muslims that are recruited by terrorist groups,” Elahi said.

Fatina Abdrabboh, director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, who received the Guardian of Justice Award during the institute’s 20th anniversary dinner, said awarding community members speaks volumes to their dedication to the community.

“Elahi is a moderate religious voice that represents balance and measured temperament,” Abdrabboh said. “His sermons always touch on modern day issues that leaves the congregants to think about their role in life.”

As the IHW celebrated its 20th anniversary, it also looks forward to a successful future, bearing in mind that it still faces many challenges. Elahi said one of the institute’s initial goals is to engage more Muslim youth in its services and programs. However, the IHW still faces the challenge of youths only attending services during religious holidays. He encouraged participation in the center’s Youth of Wisdom program, which is aimed at providing services to children and young adults.

Elahi encourages religious, social and cultural centers to work closer together to address the issues that young people face, like drug addiction.

He added that the IHW will continue to focus on community building and leadership, rather than isolate its success, as well as to remain “a house of unity, knowledge and love and voice of peace, justice, truth and engagement.”