Everything you need to know before you walk in

There are two entrances, and which one you want depends on whether you are coming to pray.

Men

The main entrance at the front of the building, on the corner. It is the obvious one from the road.

Women

A separate entrance opening directly off the parking lot, at the side. It leads straight into the women’s prayer area, so you do not pass through the men’s section.

Visitors and groups

Either door. If you have booked a tour, someone will be expecting you and will meet you.

If you arrive and are not sure, ask anyone. Being asked where to go is completely ordinary here and nobody will think you are intruding.

The mosque is at 1420 NE Northgate Way, in north Seattle, east of Interstate 5. There is a parking lot, and the women’s entrance opens onto it.

The lot fills on Fridays and at the two Eids, when the mosque is fuller than at any other time. Street parking in the surrounding neighborhood is limited, so please park considerately, do not block driveways, and leave earlier than you think you need to. If you can come to the second Jumu’ah khutbah rather than the first, parking is noticeably easier.

By transit, Northgate station on the 1 Line is the nearest light rail, roughly a twenty-minute walk away, and buses run along NE Northgate Way.

Both entrances are wheelchair accessible, and both the men’s prayer hall and the women’s ground-floor prayer area can be reached without steps.

Women have two prayer areas: one on the ground floor and one on the top floor. The top floor is reached by stairs only — there is no elevator. If you cannot manage stairs, the ground-floor area is where you want to be, and it is the one the accessible entrance leads to.

A few chairs are kept at the side of the prayer hall for anyone who cannot stand or kneel for the prayer. Using one is normal and nobody will look twice.

Modest, comfortable, and clean socks. That is genuinely the whole of it.

Shoes

Come off at the door, and go on the racks. The floor is carpeted and it is where people put their foreheads, so please wear socks rather than going barefoot.

Everyone

Clothing that covers you and is not tight or sheer. Nothing with a slogan that would be out of place in a house of worship.

Women

Long sleeves and a skirt or trousers below the calf. A headscarf is not required of visitors, though many women visitors choose to bring one and it is appreciated. Nobody will hand you one or ask you to put one on.

Men

Long trousers and a shirt with sleeves.

Scent

Go easy on perfume and cologne. In a room where people sit close together it carries.

Please leave food, drink, alcohol and anything intoxicating outside, and keep phones silent in the prayer hall.

Where do I make wudu?

There are washing facilities inside for anyone making wudu before the prayer. If you are not sure where they are, ask anyone and you will be shown. If you are visiting rather than praying, you do not need to make wudu at all.

Can I watch the prayer?

Yes. Sit or stand quietly at the side and watch. You do not join in, you do not need to do anything with your hands or your head, and nobody will expect you to. The prayer itself takes only a few minutes.

Can I take photographs?

Of the building and the empty hall, yes. Of people praying, please ask first — the same courtesy you would extend in a church or a synagogue. For school groups and press, arrange it in advance through the office.

Are children welcome?

Yes, children come with their parents into the prayer hall and are a normal part of a Friday. There is no separate crèche during prayers.

Will anyone try to convert me?

No. You will very likely be offered tea and asked where you are from. If you have questions about Islam somebody will happily answer them, and if you would rather just look around, that is fine too.

School groups, interfaith visitors, university classes and neighborhood associations are all welcome, by appointment.

A visit takes about an hour: a look at the building, a short talk about the mosque and about Islam, and as much time for questions as your group wants. Tell us in advance what your group is curious about and the talk will be built around that rather than around a script.

The best time for a group is outside the busy hours — most weekday mornings and afternoons work well. Fridays around midday do not.