Hundreds visit local mosques

Hundreds of people visited three local mosques – Neeli Mosque, Golden Mosque and Bilal Mosque – on Sunday as part of a 'Visit My Mosque' initiative.

The open day provided an opportunity for people from all faiths (or no faith), cultures and diverse backgrounds to visit and get a first-hand look at the day-to-day workings of the mosques, learn about activities/projects on offer, meet and interact with ordinary Muslims, see exhibitions on Islam and ask questions about one of the Abrahamic faiths whilst enjoying a cup of tea and food provided by volunteers at each of the venues.

There were recitations, observation of prayers, guided tours of the mosque and facilities available within them, presentations for people to learn about mainstream Islam and discussions on current issues.

In attendance at Bilal Mosque was the Mayor and Mayoresse, Ian and Christine Duckworth, as well as the Leader of Rochdale Councillor Alan Brett. Faith leaders, Greater Manchester Police, RBH-Housing, Church groups and Multi Faith Group Rochdale/Oldham also attended along with members of the local community.

Imam at Bilal Mosque, Hassanat Ahmed, said: “The day went really well and was completely beyond our expectations.

“This was the first time Bilal Mosque has taken part in the national campaign. Previously, we did not have a full time English speaking Imam, but now we finally have the people and the logistics in place to take part.

“We opened our doors to the public at 11.00am for anyone who wanted to explore the mosque and ask questions. This was followed by a guided tour of the building, where visitors also found out the history of the mosque.

“It was vital for us to target the public and we definitely succeeded in this as more than 100 people visited us from all age ranges and stayed at the mosque for up to two or three hours. At the end people were even exchanging numbers and this environment was the outcome that we wanted all along.”

Imam Hassanat Ahmed also explained that the purpose of the open day was to target non-Muslims who have a negative perspective of the Muslim community. He said: “We really wanted to break down barriers and get rid of the negative misconceptions. We wanted to challenge people’s opinions and therefore allay any previously negative perceptions.

“People walk past the Mosque every day but never enter it. We do not have a closed-door policy here and people can visit at any time.

“The purpose of this open day was really to show people the uses of the mosque and what we do as a Muslim community.”

Tahir Mahmood, representative of Golden Mosque, said: “Having done these open days for a few years now, we know how important it is to reach out to our non-Muslim neighbours and establish a cohesive community, one that we can all be proud of.

“These events are not about converting anyone, they are simply an opportunity for people to learn about Islam, Muslims and the work of a mosque for themselves rather than what they may have read or been told.

“The Golden Mosque runs projects that are aimed at all sections of the Rochdale community from soup kitchens to fun days. We also run a regular group (first Sunday of the month) for anyone who wants to learn more about Islam, so if you’ve missed out on the open day, please join us at one of these events."

Imran Ahmed, representative of the Neeli Mosque, said: “We take part in the 'Visit My Mosque' initiative every year. It was another opportunity to open our doors to the Rochdale community and invite people into our mosque and have a chat over tea and biscuits.

“We had a steady stream of visitors throughout the day and the feedback we received has been very positive from everyone that attended.

“The Neeli Mosque continues to reach out to the wider community to break down barriers of fear and hate, throughout the year we hold a number of events and welcome school children.  Anyone is welcome to come at other times, please get in touch to arrange.”

Dobir Miah, Rochdale Council of Mosques, added: “I spent most of the day at Bilal Mosque as it was their first time and went to see the others. I greeted as many people as possible who took time out on a Sunday afternoon to meet their Muslim neighbours and see for themselves what goes on inside a mosque.

“If anyone has missed out on this occasion, please get in touch and arrangements can be made for individual or group visits.

"As residents of this borough we have a collective duty to dispel myths and misinformation that often causes unnecessary alarm/hatred. We can end all forms of hate by sharing our faiths, beliefs, cultures and asking questions. 

"Thank you to everyone who attended the open day events.”

The open day at Bilal Mosque was also covered live on BBC Radio 5 which explained that fewer than one in 10 non-Muslims and less than 90% of the whole population have been to a mosque.

‘Visit My Mosque’ is a campaign that allows people to gain a better understanding of Islam and ask the questions that they have always wanted to about the religion. It is also an opportunity to go and explore the faith, as well as seeing what takes place in the vicinity of the mosque.

A representative from the Visit My Mosque organisation, said: “The theme behind Visit my Mosque is all about openness. The theme behind this year’s event is open doors, open mosques and open community.

“It is an important initiative and an important for mosques to do because it is about reaching out to a local community, creating community cohesion and highlighting the efforts that mosques are making to better their local communities.”