The Islamic Center of Boston is a hard building to miss with its unique Middle Eastern architecture making it a vibrant stand-out on Boston Post Road.

Many local residents saw the inside of that building for the first time during the center's annual open house, an event seeking to find ways of "fostering peace as a community," MetroWest Daily News reported quoting a press release from the Center's President, Malik Khan.

"The idea of the open house is to let our neighbors and the general American community to know who we are," Khan said on Sunday.

The afternoon event for Muslim and non-Muslim locals featured tours of the center including the prayer hall and library, a lecture by Muslim surgeon Sepi Gilani and short educational films explaining Muslim culture.

"We want people to learn about each other and to respect each other," said Shaheen Akhtar, the center's interfaith liaison. "Groups like ISIS have hijacked Islam. They are doing everything they are not supposed to do. So people who don't have an understanding of what Islam is see that and assume ISIS represent Islam."

To Akhtar, the most important rule of Islam is one that's shared by many religions - treat others the way you would want to be treated.

The Islamic Center of Boston works hard to give back to the community, participating in numerous charities including an annual food drive, an interfaith homeless aid program and the center's own Project G.E.M. - Girls Education Matters, which has worked to build schools for girls in Pakistan and Somalia.

The Islamic Center is also a member of Family Promise MetroWest alongside Temple Shir Tikva and the Peace Lutheran Church, which provides services and shelter for local homeless families