AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The conversion of a church in Philadelphia into a mosque has been described by Islamophobic commentators as a symbol of Islam’s ideological ascendancy, prompting widespread criticism and backlash.
The church, located in the U.S. city of Philadelphia, was purchased in 2023 and converted into a mosque, a move that its buyers described as a “historic achievement for Islam.” The development drew strong reactions from Islamophobic circles, who sharply criticized the narrative surrounding the purchase.
The property, situated at the intersection of Germantown Avenue and Seymour Street, was acquired by the Germantown Mosque. Mosque officials marked the occasion by sharing videos and messages on social media celebrating the purchase of the church and its conversion into a mosque.
Islamophobic critics argue that the narrative promoted by the organizers emphasizes notions of “victory” and “dominance,” portraying the move as evidence of the advance of the “Islamic Ummah.”
Some critical analyses have pointed to historical examples in which non-Muslim religious sites were converted into Islamic buildings following conquest or political control, while largely ignoring historical cases that demonstrate the opposite pattern. As an example, after the fall of Islamic Andalusia—present-day Spain—most mosques in the region were converted into churches.
Islamophobic voices have further argued that the transformation in Philadelphia goes beyond the normal growth of a religious community, claiming that such actions amount to the removal of Christian symbols and their permanent replacement with Islamic infrastructure.
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