Faith and Food in the Pioneer Valley: A Guide to Muslim Life in Springfield, Amherst and Western Massachusetts

Muslims have been part of Western Massachusetts for more than a century. The Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts traces the first Muslim families in the region to Lebanese immigrants who settled here between 1895 and 1900. Today the Springfield area and the Pioneer Valley have established masjids, a full-time Islamic school, a growing storefront-to-landmark mosque in Springfield, and a cluster of halal markets and restaurants along West Springfield's Main Street. Whether you just moved here, started at UMass or one of the Five Colleges, or are visiting family, here is a practical guide.

Where to pray

Islamic Society of Western Massachusetts (ISWM), 377 Amostown Road, West Springfield. Phone (413) 788-7546. ISWM is the oldest of the masjids in this guide. The society was founded in 1982, bought the Amostown Road property in 1983 and turned a small brick house on the lot into its first prayer space. The main masjid was built in 1991 and 1992, followed by a library and classrooms in 1997 and a community hall in 2007. ISWM holds the five daily prayers, Jummah, Eid prayers, Ramadan taraweeh, nikahs and funeral prayers, and it says it is open to Muslims of every background and to non-Muslims who want to learn about Islam. It also runs a Sunday school, a youth program and a support group for reverts. Check iswmonline.com or call before your first visit for current Jummah times.

Masjid Baitussalaam, 148 Pleasant Avenue, Springfield. Masjid Baitussalaam started in 2012 in a small storefront. It rented a larger hall for Friday prayers in 2018, and in 2021 it bought its current building, which it says holds 800 to 900 people. Its website lists Jummah at 1:00 p.m. It offers a Maktab for children three times a week, a Hifz program that began in 2023, revert support, counseling, nikah and janaza services. One practical note: the masjid says its current location relies on street parking only, so leave extra time on Fridays. The masjid is planning a larger building with more than 300 parking spaces. Contact: masjidbaitussalaam.org, or Shaikh Umer Dar at (347) 483-5227.

Hampshire Mosque, 451 Russell Street, Hadley. Phone (413) 461-1228. Hampshire Mosque was founded on October 17, 2004, the first night of Ramadan that year, and spent its first ten years in rented space in Amherst. It bought the Russell Street property in early 2014 and opened its permanent home there in 2018. It serves Amherst and the surrounding towns, including many students and faculty from UMass Amherst and the other colleges, with daily and Friday prayers, Ramadan iftars and taraweeh, and lectures. See hampshiremosque.org for current times.

For children and families

Iqra Academy, a full-time Islamic school, shares the ISWM campus at 377 Amostown Road in West Springfield. ISWM lists 2009 as the year the school was established. For more on Islamic schools across the state, see our parent's guide to full-time Islamic schools in Massachusetts. Weekend learning is offered at ISWM's Sunday school and Masjid Baitussalaam's Maktab and Hifz programs; registration rules change each year, so contact each masjid directly.

Halal food in the Springfield area

West Springfield's Main Street is the closest thing the region has to a halal row. Close together you will find Taste of Lebanon at 553 Main Street, Elsafi Market at 532 Main Street, and Parus Turkish Market at 766 Main Street, with Al-Nassir International Market a short drive away at 205 Elm Street. Shah's Halal Food has a West Springfield spot at 44 Park Street.

In Springfield, Cedar's Food Mart & Grill at 405 Armory Street is a market and grill that lists fully halal meats. Saray at 1374 Allen Street serves Turkish food, Liberty's Mediterranean Giant Grinders at 63 Liberty Street brings Palestinian and Mediterranean flavors to the classic grinder, and Shah's Halal Food at 1911 Wilbraham Road lists hours from 10 a.m. to midnight every day, which makes it a good late-night option. Just over the city line in Chicopee, Priya Indian Cuisine at 460 Memorial Drive is listed as fully halal.

Halal food in Amherst and Northampton

For students, North Pleasant Street in downtown Amherst has two halal options a few doors apart: New York Halal at 115 North Pleasant Street and Pita Pockets at 103 North Pleasant Street. In Northampton, Shah's Halal Food has a location at 80 Main Street.

A note on halal status: the halal labels above come from the businesses themselves, from directories such as Zabihah, or from news reports, as shown on each listing in our directory. Practices can change, so if it matters to you, ask about the meat supplier and whether alcohol is served before you order.

When you need help

For a death in the family, ISWM's funeral services page lists community contacts for janaza arrangements and asks families who can't reach them to come to the masjid at a prayer time. Masjid Baitussalaam also lists janaza services. Our guide to Muslim funeral and burial in Massachusetts walks through the full process. If you are struggling to put food on the table, our halal food pantry guide lists places to get free halal groceries.

Find every place in this guide

All of the restaurants and markets above are in the Mass Halal Directory, with addresses, phone numbers and maps. ISWM and Hampshire Mosque are on our mosques page. Know a Western Massachusetts masjid, halal business or community event we are missing, including in the Berkshires? Tell us through our contact page at masshalal.com/contact and we will check it and add it.