Hawzah News Agency-Five years after federal intervention cleared the way for expansion of a Lilburn mosque, its members are preparing to make the new house of worship a reality.

The Dar-e ‘Abbas Islamic Shia Center plans to break ground next year on a 20,000-square-foot, two-story facility on Lawrenceville Highway at Hood Road. The mosque bought about four acres around its existing small buildings and is working with Lilburn officials to prepare for the new mosque.

Several Lilburn residents said this week that the mosque’s expansion plans don’t bother them.

“I’m glad they can expand,” said Leslie Edwin as she sat outside a store in downtown Lilburn Thursday. “I’m glad they can have a place to worship.”

But Edwin said some residents probably are concerned. Mayor Johnny Crist and four City Council members did not respond to requests for comment.

“We are like any other place of worship,” said trustee Hasan Afroz. “Our message is peace and love, and our doors are open for people of all faith and religion.”

Founded in 1998, Dar-e ‘Abbas has grown to more than 100 families – most of them of Pakistani and Indian descent. They worship in two buildings on Lawrenceville Highway. But they have long hoped for a better facility.

In 2009, the mosque sought the zoning needed for an expansion but was denied. As the fight dragged on, the mosque filed the federal lawsuit, and the Justice Department launched an investigation. In August 2011, the City Council approved the necessary zoning to settle the dispute.

Since then, the mosque has been raising money and buying property, and relations with the community have improved. Trustees say they’ve worked with planning department officials on their expansion plans. They’ve also invited the police department to help with special events.

Safdar Abedi, a spokesman for Dar-E ‘Abbas, said he understood why some Americans are on edge — terrorist attacks committed by some groups in the name of Islam.

“But we want to make it clear that those terrorists have nothing to do with Islam, as they are violating the basic principle of Islam, which is peace,” he said.