An institution by that name has opened its doors in Minneapolis, according to Hiraan Online, as discovered and posted on Ummah News Links. So far, about 160 students have registered this spring for courses at $150 each. They will learn everything from the basics of Islam to the Quran to the Arabic language. The campus, at 2534 Central Ave. N.E., is in the heart of a sprawling Muslim community, where shops with Arabic signs dot the neighborhood. When I was growing up there in the 1950s, the neighborhood was known as "Nordeast" and hosted mostly Eastern European immigrants. It was set apart from the rest of the city by geography and by its ethnic mix, quite unlike the Scandinavian and Germanic nieghborhoods that predominated. In fact, I always found Central Ave. NE rather exotic, with its restaurants, bars, and social clubs quite unlike the other neighborhoods.  I guess that I would find it even more exotic today.There are some fairly positive signs in this institution:An...(Read Full Post)