Members of the Ismaili Muslim Community are opening the first Ismaili Center in the U.S. in Houston, and officials said they celebrated a construction milestone Oct. 23 with a topping-off ceremony.
The details
The Ismaili Center in Houston will be located in the Buffalo Bayou watershed, at the intersection of Allen Parkway and Montrose Boulevard, and is expected to be complete in 2025, said Farah Lalani, the member responsible for communications with the Ismaili Council for Southwestern USA.
The design was finalized and construction began in 2021, Lalani said.
Ismaili Muslims belong to the Shia interpretation of Islam. The Houston project is the first Ismaili Center in the U.S. and the seventh in the world.
Houston has the largest presence of Ismailis in the U.S. and has many Jamatkhanas, or houses of community, Lalani said. These spaces facilitate prayer and offer opportunities for cultural, educational and social activities, she said.
“The main purpose is outreach and giving back to the community,” she said.
A closer look
The 11-acre center, according to according to a news release from the the Ismaili Muslim Community, aims to be a space for:
- Members of the Ismaili Muslim Community
- The general public
- Civic and community groups
- Interfaith dialogue
- A Jamatkhana
- Educational facilities
- A library
- A black box theater
- A cafe
- Exhibition spaces and conference rooms
- Indoor and outdoor spaces, including gardens and green spaces
“With the first Ismaili Center in the U.S. being in Houston, this center aims to give back to the community just as its predecessors,” Lalani said, referencing the six other centers located around the world.
Lalani says the Ismaili Muslim community has a history of getting involved and giving to the different cultures and societies where they live, whether through their time, knowledge or resources.
“The center is going to be a jewel of the city for decades to come,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said in a statement. “I wish it were open today.”
Prince Amyn Aga Khan—the brother of His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th hereditary Imam of Ismaili Muslims—expressed his gratitude to Turner on behalf of the Ismaili community.
“The legacy you [Turner] will leave the city of Houston and the state of Texas will be celebrated for decades to come,” he said.
Turner presented a key to the city to the prince during the event.
