The All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Gainesville Islamic Center is an under-construction mosque (prayer building), for Muslims living in Gainesville, Bristow, Haymarket, Warrenton, Manassas, and neighboring cities. Despite its incompletion, it serves as a place where community builds for Muslims, especially over Ramadan.
Ramadan is a 29- to 30-day-period where Muslims come together to fast and pray. It is a sacred time as the holy book of Islam, called the Quran, was revealed during this time. The mosque holds Ramadan events such as iftar, which is the meal that Muslims eat at sunset to break their fast, as well as Tarawih, which is an optional but encouraged prayer that only takes place during Ramadan nights.
According to WAMU, Prince William County is home to over 25,000 Muslims. With so many people practicing Islam, it is crucial to have multiple mosques – not only for Ramadan, but also for Jumu’ah. Jumu’ah is a Friday prayer, not specific to Ramadan, where Muslims gather in worship as a community. An imam (a person who leads a prayer in a mosque) delivers a sermon and conducts the prayer.
Due to the demand for a mosque to be built in the area, the ADAMS Gainesville Islamic Center finalized the design for the building and obtained building permits after multiple conferences debating the area and sewage system. As of 2025, the mosque is beginning phase 1 of construction.
Rania Ahmed (15), an attendee at the ADAMS Gainesville Mosque, shares what she loves most about the mosque, which is “seeing [her] friends and praying Tarawih with them.”
At the completion of the mosque, it is set to be 22,400 square feet with a 500-person capacity and 300 parking spaces. It will also have classrooms where it will serve as a Sunday school for Muslim children. With ongoing support through donations, the ADAMS Gainesville Islamic Center will continue to grow and serve future generations for years to come.
