"فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَن تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ"
“In houses that Allah has permitted to be raised,
and His name is celebrated there.
He is glorified there, morning and evening.” (Surah an-Nur, 36)
Beloved brothers and sisters, as we construct Allah's (s.w.t.) house, named in honor of the esteemed Islamic figure, Khadeejah (radi Allahu anha), our community's dedication and generosity have been invaluable. We are grateful for their commitment to a life of charity.
This update highlights the financial details and the progress made by our board in realizing the vision of our Masjid Khadeejah. It's worth noting that everyone working on this project is doing so on voluntary basis. We ask Allah to reward them abundantly for their selflessness.
From 2014 to 2017, the board acquired 2.7 acres of land for the mosque along the southern corridor of I-25. Our community's support during the first major fundraiser made this possible. We purchased the land at a significant discount, paying $260,000 or $96,000 per acre, compared to a neighboring church that paid $145,000 per acre.
However, the project faced a legal challenge with the existing Business Owners Association (BOA) regarding land use. Despite negotiations, the BOA did not grant permission to build a house of worship. We engaged the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck (BHFS) to represent Masjid Khadeejah in court. Thankfully, they took the case pro-bono (from Latin: for the public good), charging only $28,290 in administrative fees out of the $272,120 we were supposed to pay. Their unwavering support helped secure our rights to build a house of Allah (s.w.t.) and practice our faith. The litigation from 2016 to 2017 delayed our project.
Also in 2017, we secured property tax exemption for our mosque, saving approximately $80,000 to date.
Between 2018 and 2023, the project moved to the design and approvals phase. Brother Asif Muhammad, a board member and an experienced construction professional, collaborated with the board, the community through a Design Thinking process, and the design team to create a unique mosque design meeting our community's needs. The plan includes a spacious prayer hall for men and women, Quranic study rooms, a functional commercial kitchen, classrooms, office spaces for co-working and revenue generation, a playground, ample parking, and other amenities. Please watch the video below for more information:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we held a small online fundraiser. We collected a few donations and, combined with our budget, paid Architectural Workshop $295,403, after a 14% discount. While this amount may seem substantial, it's below the average cost of architectural design for a commercial building, typically 10% of the total project cost.
Unfortunately, the pandemic further delayed our progress.
Following the architectural phase, we moved to the agency approvals stage, which cost $58,989. We expect to incur an additional $400,000 for water, sewer, and irrigation connections, and a $100,000 in escrow with the City, refundable after construction.
2023 Fundraising Efforts
In anticipation of our upcoming important milestones, we engaged a professional agency to help us design and build our new website. Alhamdulillah, the new website has helped apprise our communities of the progress we’ve made, introducing our volunteer members, and highlighting upcoming major milestones for the project. The website, as well as other digital channels, will be paramount in our fundraising efforts, locally and nationally.
In Ramadan 2023, our latest major fundraising event since 2014, we raised $454,000 through your generous contributions, collecting roughly $230,000 in immediate funds, while the remaining amount is pledges over a period ranging from 5-20 months.
It’s important to note that Masjid Khadeejah's funds also cover weekly Friday prayers at local hotels, paying our Imam, Sunday school sponsorship at Crescent View Academy (when in session), fundraising dinners, community events and our first 2022 Eid al-Adha celebration.
We are looking into leasing a location sufficient for the community's needs until the Masjid building becomes operational. However, finding a location as such, which will allow us to assemble in big numbers and be able to use wudu amenities, is a challenging task.
Although there have been challenges, the hardest part of the project is complete. The final step requires $4 million USD to complete phase 1 of the project: a complete functional building excluding a finished basement. It may seem daunting, but our faith and tawakkul in Allah and our united community will help us achieve our goal.
Throughout the process, our dedicated volunteers and board members have tirelessly worked to bring this dream to life, with Allah's (s.w.t.) blessings and guidance. We pray for Allah's (s.w.t.) continued support and for us to remain steadfast in our faith and committed to the sunnah of our Prophet (s.a.w.).
This account of our financial status and progress demonstrates how close we are to fulfil our dream of establishing Masjid Khadeejah as the first mosque in the southern corridor of Denver, InshaAllah. Together, we will create a sanctuary for worship, peace, and knowledge, a hub for helping those in need, spreading kindness, engaging in dawah with others in the community, and nurturing our children.
Currently, Masjid Khadeejah has close to $500,000 in the bank, before paying for the aforementioned financial commitments. Let us stand together, side by side, and encourage one another to work towards this common goal. With Allah's (s.w.t.) help and our united efforts, we will bring Masjid Khadeejah to life.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
