Sgt. Mustaan Lukuman Lamin, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, leads a group of Muslim Soldiers in a daily prayer at the Spiritual Life center on Caserma Ederle.

By Stefanie Mosley, U.S. Army Garrison Italy

VICENZA, Italy – When most Soldiers at U.S. Army Garrison Italy are finishing their lunches, Sgt. Mustaan Lukuman Lamin is readying Caserma Ederle’s Spiritual Life Center for Islamic prayers.

In stocking feet, surrounded by fellow Soldiers and prayer rugs, Lukuman, 26, appears young to be leading religious services. However, he first led Muslims services a decade ago in Ghana, before moving to New York.

He moved to the U.S. in 2017, joined the Army two years later and began leading Islamic groups at Fort Bragg before moving to Vicenza. He’s now a paratrooper with Company C, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment.

“I’ve always wanted to give back to my community and help in any way I can,” Lukuman said. “One of the most rewarding parts of leading others is seeing young Muslims listen to me and improve their religious life.”

Spc. Sheriff Sulay Suliman, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, guides a new soldier to the Muslim faith during Ablution, a process to show cleanliness before daily prayer at the Spiritual Life Center on Caserma Ederle.

Before prayers, Soldiers are obliged to complete the act of ablution, washing oneself, said Spc. Sheriff Sulay Suliman, a paratrooper with 173rd Airborne Brigade, helping a newcomer to the faith with the process. For Suliman, practicing his faith is more than just daily prayers. It’s the community who understand, support, and guide each other not only in religion, but in life, he said.

Being in the Army can be difficult at times, said Suliman, who is also originally from Ghana. Having the ability to practice his religion helps, he said.

“It gives you that connection with people,” Suliman said. “At the end of the day it brings you peace.”

A group of Muslim Soldiers listen to a short sermon from Sgt. Mustaan Lukuman Lamin during a daily prayer service at the Spiritual Life Center on Caserma Ederle.

Lukuman is endorsed as a distinctive religious group leader through the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council, said Lt. Col. John Hubbs, the garrison chaplain.

Providing religious services to all denominations is imperative to a chaplain’s mission, Hubbs said. In Vicenza, only Christian chaplains currently serve the community.

“Now, when a Muslim Soldier asks his or her chaplain for religious support, we can do more than just offer a copy of the Quran or give them a phone number to an Imam in Germany,” Hubbs said. “We can get them connected with others who can help them stay spiritually fit.”