Latest news with #MuslimAssociationofNewfoundland
CBC
30-03-2025
- General
- CBC
New mosque officially opens in former Catholic Church as Eid celebrations begin
For Muslims in Newfoundland and Labrador, Sunday represented both the end of Ramadan and a new beginning for the community. When the community met for morning prayers in honour of Eid-al-fitr, they gathered in a new mosque located in the former Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church on Torbay Road in St. John's. With around 6,000 in attendance for a pair of prayer sessions, Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador President Haseen Khan says the event is a big day for his community for several reasons. "People are very happy, people are excited, people have sense of ownership, they have sense of joy that now they have a place where they can all pray as one group, as one community," said Khan. After buying the church in December, the Association worked hard to renovate in time to have it open for Eid, one of the holiest times in the Muslim calendar. "This is a big celebration for Muslims. This marks the completion of one month of fasting, one month of training. Training for God consciousness, training for self-discipline, self-restraint, caring and sharing and it is one of the five pillars of Islam," Khan said. "We are celebrating Eid, but we are also celebrating praying of Eid for the first time in this new mosque," he said. "It's a very special day for Muslims in Newfoundland and Labrador. They are able to pray under one roof as one community. So it is exciting, it is reassuring and it is pleasing." Khan said such a big crowd shows off the range of diversity within the Muslim community. "At the same time it shows the unity of the faith," he said. "Spiritually we are all united, but we have our own cultural diversity, our own values. But again, we all believe in one God and we all believe in one kind of ritual, which is the fasting of one month and then celebrating the completion of that fasting through this prayer." Others in attendance loved the way the new mosque united the community. "It's really beautiful to see all these different people from all different walks of life coming to one place to worship God and practice their faith, and it just shows the acceptance and the love that we have here in Newfoundland," said Hady Ghoneim, one of the people present for the morning prayer. "You feel safe, you feel the love … you feel really welcomed. The love and acceptance we have in this community is very awesome to see." Ghoneim said it's nice that the former church still serves a similar purpose. "It's still being used to worship God," Ghoneim said. "We're all the same. We're all one, just from one side to the other. I'm glad to see it."
CBC
28-03-2025
- General
- CBC
N.L.'s Muslim community will the end Ramadan by celebrating in their new mosque
They started renovations in December to be ready for this weekend This weekend marks the end of Ramadan and Muslims in Newfoundland and Labrador will gather to celebrate, just like other years — but this time they'll be doing it in a brand new mosque in St. John's. The Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador president Haseen Khan said Eid al-Fitr — the end of Ramadan — is typically marked with social visits, gift exchanges, a community dinner, and a prayer. "We will be offering this prayer at our new mosque, which is a very special event for Muslims in Newfoundland and Labrador," Khan told CBC Radio's T he St. John's Morning Show. "Here, due to the size of community, there will be two Eid prayers, first at 8 a.m. and second at 9 a.m. on this Sunday." The association officially took over the new mosque, the former Mary Queen of Peace Catholic church, at the end of December, Khan said. "We have been busy since then in renovating that place to make it ready at least for the Eid prayer, which will be on this Sunday," he said. "We are very pleased with its capacity, with its location and parking. So we hope that it is going to be the focal point for Muslims in Newfoundland and Labrador for decades to come." He said Ramadan — which started on Feb. 28 this year — is an opportunity for Muslims to engage in self-reflection, self-discipline as well as caring and communal cohesion. "It is the most powerful tool for the rejuvenation of the mind, body and soul," he said, adding it's one of the five pillars of Islam. Population boom Across the province, Khan said the Muslim population has had "substantial growth." In the 1990s he said there were about 100 Muslims but within the last 20 years the number has grown to about 10,000 Muslims in the province — 80 per cent of them living in the St. John's area. He feels reassured by the growth, and says Muslim people feeling comfortable and safe living in Newfoundland and Labrador is a testament to the welcoming attitude of the people of the province. Khan said the community is excited to celebrate in their new mosque. "We are pleased. All Muslims can pray under one roof and I think this is bringing lots of joy, excitement to the community." A mosque fulfils many different roles in the community, he added, including as a sanctuary to worship, a school for knowledge and a place of refuge. "It is a cornerstone in the life of Muslims."
CBC
11-03-2025
- General
- CBC
A former Catholic church in St. John's is being converted into a mosque
Father Paul Lundrigan says he's thrilled the building will continue to be used for worship A former Catholic church in St. John's is undergoing renovations to be turned into a mosque. The Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador has been looking for a new space for 15 years, says president Haseen Khan. "It is a very kind of special moment in the history of Muslims in Newfoundland and Labrador. They have a new place of worship where they can all get together under one roof," Khan told CBC News. When the first mosque was built on Logy Bay Road in 1989, there were only around 100 Muslims in the province, said Khan. Now, he says the population has grown to around 10,000, and the old mosque can only hold about 500 people. The former Mary Queen of Peace church became available as part of a large-scale sell-off of Catholic properties in 2022 to pay settlement suits for victims of Mount Cashel. The new mosque can hold up to 2,500 people. Volunteers are helping renovate the space. The pews have been removed, and the choir pit is being filled it to make a level surface suitable for Islamic prayer. The stained glass windows are also coming down because images aren't permitted in prayer space, but Khan says nothing will be thrown away. One room will be converted into an archival space to hold artifacts from the church. "That's the history of this building. So we want the people, the future generations, to know how this place has evolved," Khan said. Now the association is preparing for Eid. Usually, they would rent a space to accommodate thousands of people, but they're hoping to have the new mosque ready. The association will host two prayer sessions, each with 2,500 people, and will continue renovations afterwards. Khan said they've received positive feedback and support from the community in response to the new space. "People from different walks of life, carpenters, electricians, they are coming here and they are volunteering their time to do whatever they can do," Khan said. 'Used again as a house of worship' Father Paul Lundrigan, a former priest of the Mary Queen of Peace church, says he's overjoyed by the building's new tenants. "Everybody in the area was very heartbroken to see the loss of this place as a church because it meant so much to so many of us," said Lundrigan. However, now he is thrilled that the building was bought by the Muslim association. He said he heard it would be turned into an office space or torn down altogether, but said he is happy "it's going to be used again as a house of worship for God." "I think the tradition of building community and having a place to come together to share our values and to do something about it, is going to carry on with another wonderful sacred tradition [through] the Muslim association," said Lundrigan. WATCH | Here's an early look inside St. John's newest mosque: Media Video | St. John's is getting a new mosque inside a former Catholic church Caption: The Muslim Association of Newfoundland and Labrador has a new spiritual home in the old Mary Queen of Peace Catholic church. President Haseen Khan says the organization has been searching for 15 years, and the demand is there. The CBC's Abby Cole reports. Open Full Embed in New Tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage. Khan agreed. "A place of worship is being used as a place of worship. So this has a very special meaning and purpose for us," he said. "We believe in the same God and we have more in common than in differences. So I think that it is a very good movement."
