Shaikh Shafayet Mohamed is an unlikely opposing voice in the heated debate over a proposed Islamic center just two blocks from the site of the World Trade Center.
The spiritual head of Darul Uloom in Pembroke Pines believes it will do more harm than good.
"It's a good idea, it's a good everything, but wrong place," said Mohamed. "To build a mosque on that spot will only aggravate more problems as it is already doing, and it hasn't even been built."
Shaikh Mohamed, who leads the largest Muslim congregation in South Florida agrees with President Obama's argument that Muslims have a constitutional right to practice their religion but to him its more a matter of sensitivity.
Though the project was unanimously approved by the New York City commission, he hopes the developer will relocate the $100 million project to another location further away from the site of the worst terrorist attack on American soil as a show of respect for the 9/11 victim's and their families.
"You know one parent or two who have died in 9/11, their kids can grow and 40 years from now can go and blow the mosque up in revenge of what has happened on 9/11, out of ignorance and out of hate," he said.
Mohamed added that the expensive project goes against Muslim ideals, citing that the Koran preaches against extravagance.
"That money is only being spent for some other reason, to try to clear some name or some image of Muslims," he said. "I think it's a waste of money."
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However, some in Shaikh Mohamed's congregation, like Darrell Harris, see things differently. Harris, who recently converted to Islam from Christianity, not only supports a new place of worship but he also hopes it will stand as a positive symbol.
"I hope it can be a beacon of light for all different nationalities to come to the mosque and to see what it represents, what Islam teaches," Harris said. "Because that's what we're all about, freedom of religion."
