Coming soon, the Outer Hebrides’ first mosque
THE first mosque in the Outer Hebrides will open this summer after backers raised more than £50,000 in an online appeal.
It is expected to open despite the Presbyterian Free Church urging its followers to pray that ‘no mosque will ever appear in Stornoway’, the main town on the Isle of Lewis where a house is to be converted.
A crowdfunding campaign for the mosque, which has been granted planning permission by the Western Isles Council, raised £56,000 within days of being started by builder Aihtsham Rashid.
The 39-year-old from Leeds had been contacted by the growing Syrian community on Lewis, whose relatively small numbers were recently swollen by the arrival of six refugee families from the war-torn country.
Mr Rashid said: ‘Against all odds and opposition from the Free Church of Scotland they have now been granted permission to build. I have been personally requested to go up and help them with the build and planning due to my experience in building mosques.’
However, the mosque faces strong resistance from some Presbyterians.
The Free Church of Scotland urged its congregation to pray that ‘no mosque will ever appear’ after the planning decision. In a press release at the end of last year the Rev David M Blunt, of the Presbytery of the Outer Hebrides, said Islam was ‘incompatible with, and indeed a threat to, our religious and civil liberties...
‘The oppression of Christians and the reduced status of women under Islam are well-known, as is the willingness of some of its followers to spread its influence by violent means.’
The house, which is close to Stornoway harbour, has been empty for many years. The mosque will comprise a prayer room with a meeting room across the hall.
The 2011 census showed there were 20,452 Christians and 61 Muslims living in the Western Isles.