I recently read about a carnival by a mosque in Kota Damansara. I believe this is a good step to make mosques closer to the community, instead of being viewed as a venue exclusively for the five daily prayers.
However, I hope that in future, such carnivals would also invite all members of public, including the non-Muslims, so that they can see for themselves the role of the mosque and learn Islam.
Just telling non-Muslims that Islam is the official religion is not good publicity. Mosques provide a good conduit to reach out to non-Muslims. The aim is not to convert them, but to make them understand Islam as a beautiful religion. It is also not prohibited in Muslim history for non-Muslims to visit mosques.
In many countries, the Muslim community hold "open day" in their mosques, and a large number of visitors to such events are non-Muslims. This is a good step to forge good relationship across communities, as Islam and Prophet Muhammad are "blessings for mankind" as the Qur'anic verse goes. It is a pity that there has been no similar initiative in Malaysia. One wonders if this can also be politicised!
The need to make mosques open to non-Muslim visitors is all the more crucial in Malaysia, where a large section of non-Muslims live amid the sound of the five daily Azans. Other than this, they have no clue what a mosque is all about!
There are also mosques which sit in neighborhoods with non-Muslim majorities.
How beautiful if mosque committees in these neighbourhoods bring the mosque to the greater community so that Islam earns its rightful place as a religion of peace and for all mankind?
Harakah
17/10/10
However, I hope that in future, such carnivals would also invite all members of public, including the non-Muslims, so that they can see for themselves the role of the mosque and learn Islam.
Just telling non-Muslims that Islam is the official religion is not good publicity. Mosques provide a good conduit to reach out to non-Muslims. The aim is not to convert them, but to make them understand Islam as a beautiful religion. It is also not prohibited in Muslim history for non-Muslims to visit mosques.
In many countries, the Muslim community hold "open day" in their mosques, and a large number of visitors to such events are non-Muslims. This is a good step to forge good relationship across communities, as Islam and Prophet Muhammad are "blessings for mankind" as the Qur'anic verse goes. It is a pity that there has been no similar initiative in Malaysia. One wonders if this can also be politicised!
The need to make mosques open to non-Muslim visitors is all the more crucial in Malaysia, where a large section of non-Muslims live amid the sound of the five daily Azans. Other than this, they have no clue what a mosque is all about!
There are also mosques which sit in neighborhoods with non-Muslim majorities.
How beautiful if mosque committees in these neighbourhoods bring the mosque to the greater community so that Islam earns its rightful place as a religion of peace and for all mankind?
Harakah
17/10/10
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