Islamic Society of Greenville

The Islamic Society of Greenville (ISG) has been serving the South Carolina Upstate region for over 20 years. The Muslim community in Greenville began to form in the early 1970s when many Muslim families moved to the Greenville area. A local Muslim group was formed in 1988 and met in a rented room of a run-down house, and later in a rented hall of a local hotel, for juma'a prayers. On December 10, 1989, local Muslims opened Greenville's first mosque, the Islamic Center and Mosque. The building, which serves as a religious center for over 700 Muslims in the Greenville area, was previously a Protestant church, and it was purchased in 1989 for $125,000. A key factor in the decision to purchase the building was its location; the building faces northeast, towards Mecca. However, major renovations were necessary to convert the 50-year-old church building.