Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center | A Leading Mosque & Community Hub in Virginia

Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Centre is more than just a mosque; it is a living institution of social influence, spiritual reflection, and community service, situated in Falls Church, Virginia, only a short drive from Washington, D.C. It has served as a valued neighbor to the larger Northern Virginia community and a place of prayer for thousands of American Muslims for many years. Let’s discover the remarkable elements that define this mosque.

Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center Quick Facts

Hello guys, before we go into the full story, here is a quick table of the main facts about Dar Al-Hijrah. I have taken these from the center’s official website, Wikipedia and Archnet.

Detail	Information
Address	3159 Row Street, Falls Church, Virginia 22044, USA
Area	Seven Corners, Fairfax County (Washington, D.C. metro area)
Founded	1983 (land bought on 19 June 1983)
Current building	Construction began in 1986, opened on 2 March 1991
Building cost	Around $5 million
Land	3.4 acres
Minaret	Freestanding, 13.7 m high
Friday prayer attendance	More than 3,000 people
Muslims in the area it serves	Around 40,000
Affiliation	Muslim American Society (since 1999)
Official website	hijrah.org

If you ask me, the most interesting fact here is that the community prayed in a small house for almost 8 years before this big mosque was ready.

The History of Dar Al-Hijrah

Northern Virginia was burning with ambition and faith in the early 1980s. A small number of university students, mainly of Arab heritage, left the Islamic Center of Washington with the goal of creating a new place for community, education, and worship. The Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center was established in 1983 as a result of that dream.

It started out modestly. On June 19, 1983, these committed families bought a piece of land in Falls Church with funding from the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT). Their initial mosque was a modest home that is unchanged today and is currently used as a food bank rather than a magnificent building with a minaret on top. Only around 30 people would attend Friday prayers at that time.

But the vision became more ambitious and the path of Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Centre shows a lot of ups and downs. The Saudi Embassy’s Islamic Affairs Department provided financial support for the construction of a new mosque structure on a 3.4 acre plot of land in 1991. This $5 million taking on is currently one of the biggest and most significant mosques in Northern Virginia.

Challenges were not far behind. Following zoning regulations, locals attempted to close the mosque in 1993, making claims that many believed were driven by anti-Muslim rivalry. However, Dar Al-Hijrah persevered and by the early 2000s had developed into an important hub for community and spirituality. By 2004, after internal conflict, the mosque had been connected with the Muslim American Society. Some attendees demanded an inquiry of the mosque’s connection with MAS as well as increased diversity and inclusion of women and young people. Esam Omeish, a board member at the time, advocated for leadership diversity and reform in the same year.

A site where tradition meets transformation and where the echoes of its modest past continue to resonate in its powerful present, Dar Al-Hijrah remained consistent despite all of these changes.

One small correction in the timeline guys. As per the official website, the center has been affiliated with the Muslim American Society since 1999, and the current building opened on 2 March 1991 (15 Sha’ban 1411). It also says the center is located along Route 7 in Falls Church, which was chosen because it is easy to reach from the whole Washington, D.C. area.

Architecture of Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center

Since this is an architecture blog guys, I was really happy to find the full building story on Archnet. The design of this mosque actually changed a lot before it was finished.

First, a local Greek-American architect named Brown Marazzi made the design. But the community felt that it had some functional problems and it did not show the cultural heritage of Islam properly. A local builder, Muhammad Hadid, was the general contractor. Construction started in 1986, but it was stopped soon after the foundations were poured, so that the project could be checked again. Then the firm Balodemas Architects Chartered was hired to revise the plans.

Here are the main changes they made:

What Changed	Details
Facade	Changed from red brick to white marble
Main courtyard	Covered, instead of open
Roofs	Changed from gabled roofs to flat roofs
Windows and doors	Designed in arched forms

The final building has two storeys, with all the inside spaces arranged around an enclosed courtyard. Men and women have separate entrances. The main floor has the prayer hall, the auditorium (covered courtyard), classrooms, a library, kitchen and cafeteria, ablution areas and offices. The ladies’ prayer space is on the second floor, and there is a gym or multipurpose room on the lower level.

One low dome sits over the prayer hall and a cluster of five small domes sits over the auditorium. A freestanding minaret, 13.7 metres high, stands at the western corner of the building. Honestly, I like that the community did not just accept the first plan. Changing to white marble and arched windows gave the building a more Islamic look, while still fitting into an American suburb.

If you like mosque architecture, then you will also enjoy my blogs on the Islamic Centre of Washington and the Persian beauty of Masjid-i Shaykh Lutfallah.

Community at the Core: Life and Service Beyond the Walls of Dar Al-Hijrah:

The Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center serves as a bustling community center in addition to being a place of worship. More than 3,000 people attend its Friday services and five daily prayers. Muslims from a wide range of nations, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Morocco, and Somalia, are served by the mosque. The center provides women’s classes, health fairs, kids programs, outings, and financial assistance for people in need in addition to prayers. In order to link Muslims with local officials, it also co-hosts community events like civic picnics and operates an Islamic school called the Washington Islamic Academy.

Guiding Lights Through Time:

Dar Al-Hijrah has had enthusiastic and varied leaders since its inception. Samir Salah and Jamal al Barzinji, among other early members, contributed to the center’s expansion. The mosque has been led by esteemed imams over the years, such as Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, who was well-known for his outreach efforts, and Imam Mohammed Ali Al-Hanooti. Sheikh Mohammed Adam El-Sheikh, another important figure, subsequently became a member of the Fiqh Council of North America. Imam Shaker Elsayed, an expert in Islamic law, has been the resident imam since 2005. On behalf of the mosque, he has advocated for peace and spoken out against violence.

Update: As per Wikipedia, Imam Johari Abdul-Malik served as Director of Outreach from June 2002 to June 2017. In 2025, the Friday sermons at the center were given by imams like Imam Farhan Siddiqi and Imam Naeem Baig, as per the center’s announcements on MasjidPlus.

Inside Dar Al-Hijrah: Organization, Assistance, and Evaluation:

The Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Northern Virginia is a multifaceted organization that is actively involved in spiritual life, volunteer work, and occasionally political debate. It is more than just a place of worship. Here’s a closer look at its outreach initiatives, governance, and the difficulties that have influenced its public perception.

Mission of Impact:

Dar Al-Hijrah is well-known for its proactive involvement in religious discussion and community outreach. The mosque hosts events like:

Clothing drives and food banks
Events for community clean-ups
Campaigns for school supplies
Social services for people of all religions

Every night during the holy month of Ramadan, the mosque serves more than 800 free meals to everyone, Muslim or not. In an effort to promote greater harmony and understanding, it frequently hosts Iftar dinners for local civic departments and interfaith organizations.

The mosque emphasizes its role in helping the less fortunate by distributing tens of thousands of dollars in zakat throughout Ramadan.

Two more things I found guys. As per Wikipedia, during Ramadan the center also arranges a weekly iftar for Muslims in nearby prisons. And every year it organises an open house called “Taste of Islam”, where people of other faiths are invited, as per its 2025 announcements. I think these kind of open events are the best way to build trust between neighbours.

Storms in the Spotlight:

Over the years, Dar Al-Hijrah has been enmeshed in high-profile conflicts despite its robust community presence:

Fort Hood Shooter Connection: According to reports, the mosque may have been visited by Nidal Hasan, the 2009 Fort Hood shooter, in 2001. Nawaf al-Hazmi and Hani Hanjour, two 9/11 hijackers, also temporarily attended the congregation led by then-imam Anwar al-Awlaki during that time.

As per Wikipedia, the mosque later issued a statement condemning the Fort Hood shootings and also condemning al-Awlaki’s praise of them.

A former youth instructor and member of the group, Ahmed Omar Abu Ali, was found guilty of aiding al-Qaeda and planning to kill President George W. Bush.

In 2007, executive committee member Abelhaleem Ashqar was given a prison sentence for not testifying before a grand jury over Hamas finance in the United States.

Once considered a moderate imam at Dar Al-Hijrah (2001–2002), Anwar al-Awlaki eventually became a noted figure connected to al-Qaeda recruitment and multiple international terror operations. He was first commended for his religious work and eloquence, but he eventually came under FBI inspection and was connected to extremist propaganda on the internet.

Shaker Elsayed, the senior imam, made disturbing comments in a video in 2017 that seemed to condone female genital mutilation (FGM). Following a public protest over the remarks, the mosque rejected them and stated that FGM is illegal under both U.S. law and Islamic beliefs.

As per an AP report published by The Times of Israel, the board placed Elsayed on administrative leave two days after denouncing his comments, and outreach director Imam Johari Abdul-Malik resigned at that time.

On the other side, the mosque itself has also faced hate incidents. In November 2015, a man was charged with leaving a hoax explosive device at the mosque, as per NBC Washington. After that, several elected leaders, including U.S. Representative Don Beyer, joined Friday prayers there to show solidarity with the community, as per an AP report on CBS News.

Visiting Dar Al-Hijrah: Tours, Friday Prayers and Tips

Many people ask me, can a non-Muslim visit this mosque? The answer is yes guys. The center has a special visitor information page for guests, and here are the main points from it:

Address: 3159 Row Street, Falls Church, Virginia 22044.
Regular tours: Every Sunday, starting 30 minutes before the noon (Dhuhr) prayer.
Special tours: Can be arranged at other times, but not on Mondays and Fridays.
Tour length: Tour and discussion together should not be more than 1.5 hours.
What you will see: The architecture and role of the masjid, basic beliefs of Islam, some basic Arabic words, and you may also watch one of the five daily prayers.

Friday (Jumu’ah) Prayer Schedule

Because of the big crowd on Fridays, the center runs more then one Friday prayer. Here is the schedule which was shared in its 2025 announcements on MasjidPlus:

Location	Khutbah Timings
Dar Al-Hijrah, 3159 Row St, Falls Church	11:00 am, 12:15 pm, 1:30 pm and 2:45 pm
First Christian Church, 6165 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church	12:30 pm
HAWA Center (alternate campus), 4401 Fair Lakes Ct, Fairfax	12:30 pm and 1:30 pm

Timings can change with seasons, so please check the official website before you go.

My Tips for Visitors

Parking is very busy, so come early. As per the official page, extra parking across the street is available through an agreement with the Church of Christ and First Christian Church. Honestly, I find this church-and-mosque friendship really beautiful.
Wear modest clothes. Women are usually asked to cover their hair inside the prayer hall.
Take off your shoes before entering the prayer area, and keep your phone on silent.
Ask before taking photos of people who are praying.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Where is Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center located?

It is at 3159 Row Street, Falls Church, Virginia 22044, in the Seven Corners area of Fairfax County, near Washington, D.C.

2. When was Dar Al-Hijrah founded?

The center was founded in 1983, and its present building opened on 2 March 1991.

3. Can non-Muslims visit Dar Al-Hijrah?

Yes. Regular tours happen on Sundays before the noon prayer, and special tours can be arranged on other days except Mondays and Fridays.

4. How many people attend Friday prayers at Dar Al-Hijrah?

More than 3,000 people attend its Friday prayers, so the center holds several Friday prayer sessions.

5. Who designed the Dar Al-Hijrah building?

The first design was made by architect Brown Marazzi, and later Balodemas Architects Chartered revised the plans. It has white marble walls, arched windows and a 13.7 m tall freestanding minaret.

In My Perspective:

More than just a mosque, in my opinion, Dar Al-Hijrah is a vibrant representation of a community that tries to help, develop, and be understood. Rays of resilience, communication, and service came out of the controversy’s shadows. By striking a balance between tradition and modern criticism, as many religious institutions do, it serves as a reminder that identity, like faith, is rarely one-dimensional.

So guys, this was the full updated story of Dar Al-Hijrah, from a small house in 1983 to one of the biggest mosques of Northern Virginia. Keep visiting The Indian Architecture for more such blogs.

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Sources

Last Updated: October 20, 2026