Excellent coverage of the hearing, which I watched on television at home. I agree with Barbara Berger that the town should realize that the residential location has residential families as neighbors of the planned Mosque, where as the Liberty Corner Church has a school and a business as it's next door neighbors; the church has major services only on Sunday, where as the mosque will have services 6 days a week from the crack of dawn until 9:30 pm, which infringes on the privacy of those neighbors. A location on a major highway should be town's legal order based on this and other considerations such as 1) it is impossible for Chaudry to guarantee or promise the mosque will not be attended by Muslims from other counties, therefore it will not be limited to The Hills and a 5 mile radius, which means it will bring in Muslims of various levels of orthodoxy and it will not be a community gathering. The small Church Street cannot accommodate this traffic. Look at the Indian Hindu Temple in Bridgewater that for years had traffic driving down a small residential street to enter the temple parking lot. After years, the residents had this changed and now the entrance is on the four lane highway of 202/206 with a traffic light. Expansion and growth happens. If its a great mosque it will grow in numbers and Church Street is not the location for that type of operation.

Chaudry says there aren't any jobs in Basking Ridge to warrant more Muslims from moving into the area to center their lives around the proposed mosque. Yet, he also said that the men who head the Muslim households are orthodontists, physicians and similar professionals. These jobs do not require being hired by a major corporation and the incomes can easily buy half million dollar homes (or less) being sold in Basking Ridge. Similar heads of households live in other nearby counties and will center their lives around the proposed mosque rather than drive 40 minutes to the other three established mosques. Also, for Muslim families or single men driving 40 minutes to Liberty Corner is not a deterrent to attending or joining as a member, a religious organization that fulfills a Muslim religious requirement.

As most immigrants groups have done throughout American history, men arrive to work and buy a home and once established, they send for their family. I'm not saying that Liberty Corner can stop the future from happening, I"m simply pointing out why Somerset County and it's neighboring counties, 10 - 40 miles away, are ripe for increased Muslim immigration, and therefore the tiny Church Street of Liberty Corner is not the ideal location for the establishment of a Muslim religious institution. In the interests of serving the people of Liberty Corner - both Muslims and non-Muslims - our town officials need do whatever it takes to prevent a mosque from being constructed on Church Street. An official proposal for breaking ground for a mosque must come with planned projections for 5 - 10 years based on census data, comparisons, etc. prepared by an outside professional statistician to consider its impact on any neighborhood. I don't think Chaudry has prepared and presented the required data for proposal to build a religious institution. He said several times he cannot afford to do statistical research of such scope. Yet, he receives thousands of dollars for a construction fund.

The town is familiar with the legal criteria of a proposal for a town home development, which has a built-in maximum population - so many houses - so many people and cars. But are our town officials experienced and knowledgeable on this issue? Are they going to insist on receiving the proper data prepared by an independent data complier that will provide the numbers needed to make a decision in the best interests of all of our townspeople. I would like our town to require that Chaudry hire such an outside researcher and produce the report before proceeding with the more meetings about the proposal.

Whic is why the township hires professional planners, attorneys and architects to do the technical analysis. The planning board and the township committees are not incompetent to address these appliacations (and given by the scale presented, they are well qualified to do so)

If an inclusive community like Basking Ridge cannot accept a group of moderate, professional folks to establish a center for them and their children, I wonder who they would.

All I can and will say on this topic is that 911 still leaves scars and we truly do not know what will be coming in. Memories of 911 are right around the corner. God Bless their familes who had to come to grips with losing their loved ones in 911.

Beverly and Emily - thank you for your thoughtful comments. Please consider attending the next meeting and encourage your neighbors to do so, too. Mr. Contractor is a mosque member and Mr. Marvi is totally uniformed regarding the true nature of Islam. I am not going to debate him on this thread as I have in the past, because he is like many other PC Americans, and that is what the Muslims are counting on. Mr. Contractor describes his group as "moderate," of course. However, there are some rather hateful Quran passages on the ISBRI's website - it is a known practice in Islam (called tacquiya) to conceal the truth from the infidel. Beverly - not only are memories of 9/11 "around the corner" as you say - do not lose sight that this chosen property is on CHURCH Street in LIBERTY Corner, across the street from the Fire Department's 9/11 Memorial. This is a victory mosque:http://www.goldcoastchronicle.com/feature/history-of-islam-and-how-they-build-victory-mosques%E2%80%A6/ They could have purchased a much more suitable property for their mosque, rather than in a quiet little hamlet like Liberty Corner.

Oops - try the link here: http://www.goldcoastchronicle.com/feature/history-of-islam-and-how-they-build-victory-mosques%E2%80%A6/

yes, here is a sample of what is on the ISBR website

http://www.isbri.org/home.php?id=0&aid=43

And another: http://www.isbri.org/book.php?chapmns=12&baddid=137

http://www.isbri.org/book.php?chapmns=30&baddid=292

http://www.isbri.org/book.php?chapmns=30&baddid=298 I could go on and on, but I won't - it's too unpleasant a way to spend my evening.

Sometimes, you just can't discuss with stupid.

Has anyone been to the other mosques mentioned at the Planning Board meeting on Tuesday night? Say, the one in Boonton?

How much does the mosque pay in property tax now, and what will they pay after the new construction? Oh, right, none! I think it's time to have all of these prime religious properties in Bernards Township (and everywhere else), start paying property taxes. Why should I pay for the maintenance of roads and other services for them?

The Mosque discriminates women. Women are not allowed to prayer with the men. Ali Chaudry said at the meeting he is abiding by the laws and constitution of the US. As far as I know I am allowed to vote, work, freedom of speech, religion, etc... then I as a women should be allowed to pray in that mosque if it benefits the community but women are only allowed in at certain times. I can prayer at any church in this town wether it be Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, etc and not be turned away. Why would we want a mosque in Basking Ridge for a religion that discriminates women praying with men. In addition, they will be using the mosque 5 times a day, every day which would be a traffic nightmare for Liberty Corner. Ali Chaudry at the town meeting had no clear answer on what the projected growth is which I find it hard to believe since you don't build a 4000 sq structure for a few members.

comment to LC: for "In 638, Caliph Umar conquered Jerusalem" Caliph Umar, was in the church in Jerusalem with the Bob, and Muslim prayer time happens so he execused th Bob to go and pray, the Bob offered him to pray in the church, so Caliph Umar responded "Although I can and I would LOVE to pray here, but if you allow me I prefer to pray outside next to the church so Muslims do not come after me and say this church is where Umar prayed", and he did pray outside next to church. Caliph Umar conquered Jerusalem with ZERO people killed! isn't that amazing? I can answer all of those dates in your website, and most of my answers will be what I have learned by Muslims in Muslim countries, where there is no need to hide the truth as you said to show the moderation!
Thank you

again to LC: I do not think Muslims hide the truth and you proved it, why would they put those verses on their own website for public? what you might not know that Quran verses are reveleaed in occasions, which can not be separated from the text itself. those verses not talking about christians generally they are talking about incidents happened. what you do not know also is NOT all quran verses applies to all times and all places

Thanks

Thank you "God bless America" for such supportive comments.
It is absolutely permissible for a believing woman to offer her prayers in the mosques if she wishes to do so, but it is better for them to pray in their houses rather than to attend congregational prayers in the mosques.
for more details please visit:
http://www.islamhelpline.com/node/2855
http://islamicvoice.com/June2005/QuestionHour-DrZakirNaik/

Please watch this video before you decide to build a mosque. Watch it all the way through. It is very informative.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2u9BNpLThqA

KORAN commands to kill infidels:
Allah is an enemy to unbelievers. - Sura 2:98
On unbelievers is the curse of Allah. - Sura 2:161
Slay them wherever ye find them and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. - 2:191
Fight against them until idolatry is no more and Allah's religion reigns supreme. (different translation: ) Fight them until there is no persecution and the religion is God's entirely. - Sura 2:193 and 8:39
Fighting is obligatory for you, much as you dislike it. - 2:216
(different translation: ) Prescribed for you is fighting, though it is hateful to you.
..... martyrs.... Enter heaven - Surah 3:140-43
If you should die or be killed in the cause of Allah, His mercy and forgiveness would surely be better than all they riches they amass. If you should die or be killed, before Him you shall all be gathered. - 3:157-8
You must not think that those who were slain in the cause of Allah are dead. They are alive, and well-provided for by their Lord. - Surah 3:169-71
Let those fight in the cause of God who sell the life of this world for the hereafter. To him who fights in the cause of God, whether he is slain or victorious, soon we shall give him a great reward. - Surah 4:74
Those who believe fight in the cause of God, and those who reject faith fight in the cause of evil. - 4:76
But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever you find them. - 4:89

Therefore, we stirred among them enmity and hatred, which shall endure till the Day of Resurrection, when Allah will declare to them all that they have done. - 5:14

O believers, take not Jews and Christians as friends; they are friends of each other. Those of you who make them his friends is one of them. God does not guide an unjust people. - 5:54

Make war on them until idolatry is no more and Allah's religion reigns supreme - 8:39

O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there are 20 steadfast men among you, they shall vanquish 200; and if there are a hundred, they shall rout a thousand unbelievers, for they are devoid of understanding. - 8:65

It is not for any Prophet to have captives until he has made slaughter in the land. - 8:67

Allah will humble the unbelievers. Allah and His apostle are free from obligations to idol-worshipers. Proclaim a woeful punishment to the unbelievers. - 9:2-3

As for those who are slain in the cause of Allah, He will not allow their works to perish. He will vouchsafe them guidance and ennoble their state; He will admit them to the Paradise He has made known to them. - 10:4-15

Allah has cursed the unbelievers and proposed for them a blazing hell. - 33:60

Unbelievers are enemies of Allah and they will roast in hell. - 41:14

When you meet the unbelievers, smite their necks, then when you have made wide slaughter among them, tie fast the bonds, then set them free, either by grace or ransom, until the war lays down its burdens. - 47:4
(different translation: ) When you meet the unbelievers in the battlefield, strike off their heads, and when you have laid them low, bind your captives firmly.

Those who are slain in the way of Allah - he will never let their deeds be lost. Soon will he guide them and improve their condition, and admit them to the Garden, which he has announced for them. - 47:5

Muslims are harsh against the unbelievers, merciful to one another. - 48:25

Muhammad is Allah's apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another. Through them, Allah seeks to enrage the unbelievers. - 48:29

Does Liberty Corner want to welcome friends of Dzhokar and Tumerlon Tsarnaev? Not so sure of that, Basking Ridge has already been hit hard by those that hate America.