ORDINARY people from different faiths descended on Evans Park Mosque (Masjid Siratul Jannah) for their Open Day on May 5.
Islam4you.org under the tutelage of the congregation and events committee of Evans Park Mosque invited the community to get a glimpse of what the mosque and Islam religion are all about.
Local people from all walks of life visited the mosque and met with its diverse Muslim congregation. After the presentation by Ahmed Bhyat, who is a project administrator for Islam4you.org, guests had an opportunity to tour the mosque.
Percy Kataka, who was a guest from Evans Park, said he enjoyed the visit at the mosque. “It was very interesting especially in terms of the religion. There isn’t much difference to Christianity. We say Jesus, they say Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him). It is the same; it is just how they present it,” he said.
Ayanda Mbati, also a guest, said he loved the refreshments and enjoyed the overall experience on the day.
Some of the interesting actualities at the mosque and Islam in general:
· They remove shoes when entering the mosque for cleanliness and to show respect for the place of worship.
· There’s an ablution area where they wash themselves before entering the praying hall. Each person uses 775ml of water.
· There are five daily prayers – Fajr (before sunrise), Zuhr (midday), Asr (before sunset), Maghrin (after sunset) and Isha (at night).
· When they pray they always face the North East – that’s where Makkah is. They also stand shoulder to shoulder when praying.
· A mosque is where they pray. It is a learning hub, a place of meeting and a centre for community projects.
· The first mosque is The Grand Mosque in Makkah in Saudi Arabia which was built by Prophet Adam (PBUH).
The Evans Park Mosque has a daily congregation of 300 people and during Friday prayers it attracts more than 2 000 worshippers. Its unusual classical architecture draws visitors from schools and the public throughout the year. The open attitude of the mosque and its people contribute greatly to fostering interfaith and intercultural understanding in the local community.
Ahmed Bhyat said they want to reach out to the community and let people know about Islam.
“We want to narrow the gap between Muslims and the community. People only know the Islam media according to how the media portray Islam. By visiting the mosque, you can get first-hand information. We go around the country and organise open days like these to help people understand Islam,” explained Ahmed.
“The mosque is not a terrorist’s hub. Muslims have been in South Africa for over 400 years and we haven’t seen any terrorist act in the country. We want to demystify all the misconceptions the people have about Muslims. Misconceptions include women’s rights, why they cover their faces and if this religion is only for Arabs and Indians,” he said.
Also Read:
Mosque Open Day at Masjid Siratul Jannah, May 5
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