The Story of America’s First Mosque Built During the Ottoman Era

Did you know that the very first mosque in the United States was established by an imam sent by the Ottoman Empire? The story begins in 1910, when Sultan Mehmed V (Rashad) dispatched Imam Muhammad Ali Efendi to the U.S., marking the start of an extraordinary chapter in American Muslim history.

Muslims in Early America

Contrary to common belief, Muslims did not first arrive in the 20th century. Their presence on the continent stretches back centuries. Historians note that Muslims were likely aboard some of the earliest colonial expeditions, including voyages connected to Christopher Columbus. By the 16th century, thousands of enslaved Africans — many from the Senegambia region of West Africa — were brought to America. Between 15% and 30% of enslaved Africans were Muslims, meaning tens of thousands of Muslims lived and died in early America.

Later, after the American Civil War (1861–1865), a large wave of immigrants reached the U.S., with millions arriving between 1870 and 1920. Among them were Muslims from Ottoman lands, though restrictive immigration laws favored white Christian settlers, limiting Muslim numbers. By the early 20th century, there were about 10,000 Muslims in America, most of whom had Ottoman roots.

The Arrival of Imam Muhammad Ali Efendi

In 1910, Sultan Mehmed V sent Muhammad Ali Efendi to New York to guide Muslim communities and students. A highly educated man who spoke six languages fluently, Ali Efendi quickly became a leader among Muslims in the city. His mission was to provide spiritual leadership and preserve Islamic identity among the growing Muslim population.

Ali Efendi succeeded in establishing the first mosque in the United States, located in New York’s financial district near Wall Street. More than just a place of worship, it was the first space in America where Muslims could gather for Friday prayers and Eid celebrations. This milestone marked the beginning of a path that would later see thousands of mosques built across the country.

Building a Bigger Dream

After founding the mosque, Ali Efendi envisioned something greater: purchasing land and constructing a large Islamic center for the Muslim community in New York. He began raising funds from across the U.S., but his efforts were interrupted by World War I. As the Ottoman Empire became a party to the war, Ali Efendi sent the collected funds back to Istanbul to support his homeland.

After the war, when the Turkish War of Independence succeeded and the Republic of Turkey was declared in 1923, Ali Efendi again raised funds in America. This time, he contributed to building Turkey’s first orphanage in Ankara, helping shape the early institutions of the new republic.

Legacy of the First Mosque

The story of Muhammad Ali Efendi and the first American mosque is more than just a religious milestone. It reflects the resilience of Muslim immigrants, their ties to the Ottoman world, and their contributions to both the U.S. and Turkey. Today, more than 3.45 million Muslims live in the United States, representing about 1% of the population, with Islam ranking as the third-largest religion after Christianity and Judaism.

And it all began with a single imam and a modest mosque in New York, more than 113 years ago.