CHINO - The Baitul Hameed Mosque, known locally as the Chino Mosque, was officially re-opened Saturday in a ceremony well attended by neighbors, religious leaders of other faiths and government, and local community and media representatives.

Attendees listened to speeches honoring those who helped bring about the reconstruction and enlargement of the Chino Mosque facilities.

The introduced the national head of the community, Dr. Ahsanullah Zafar, who spoke briefly to the gathering via satellite saying, "we are Muslims who believe in the Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad."

The keynote address was delivered by Imam Azhar Hanif, who had traveled from St. Louis for the occasion. Imam Hanif is a missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and a national vice president of the group.
"Whether you yearn to go to the House of God in Mecca, or to the Wailing Wall, the West wall of Temple Mount in Jerusalem, it is the spirits behind the building of that structure which you try to rekindle," he said to the audience of about 250 people.

"When Prophet Abraham rebuilt the first House of God, with every stone placement, he turned to God and said, `Oh my Lord - accept this from us,"' Imam Hanif recounted from the Quran. "So, we beg our Lord God today, `accept this from us."'