Source/Credit: Groruddalen | News
By Kenneth Fossheim | January 27, 2012
It is controversial and everyone has seen it from outside. But how does the new Ahmadiyya mosque at Furuset look inside? On Wednesday, February 1st., you can find out.
Right outside our door is E6 where some 80,000 cars wiz by every day and everyone has seen the mosque. Now we want them to see how does it looks inside, says Imam and missionary, Choudhry Shahid Mahmood Kahloon.
The mosque has invited everyone to come on Wednesday, February 1, from 6.00p to 8:00p for a tour of the mosque's premises, lectures and an opportunity to ask questions.
After opening in September, many individuals, organizations and school groups have already visited the mosque.
We have received many questions and there has been a great opportunity for us in the mosque to respond to what people are wondering, said the imam.
The largest
The mosque called BaitunNasr is the largest with its 4200 square meters size. There is room for over 4000 people inside the mosque and the dome is 15 meters high while the minaret rises 21 meters above the ground. Prayer call are made, but heard only inside the mosque premises through the speakers. Inside the mosque there is a multi-purpose hall, offices, apartments, commercial kitchen and two prayer halls - these are both equipped with wheelchair lifts for the disabled.
The mosque is fully financed and built by the community’s own donations.
“A lot of work has taken place on a voluntary basis,” said Kahloon. “Still it cost over 100 million to build the mosque.”
Wednesday 2 November, Culture Minister Anniken Huitfeldt on a visit offered four million kroner in state funding for the mosque.
The congregation applauded the funding that they had not counted on, so we were both surprised and pleased, he said.
Nordic touch
Culture Minister was then shown around the mosque and she was impressed.
There are large windows and Nordic touch, but at the same time we find Pakistani furniture.
The mosque’s opening up to the public is very positive, she said, adding that she would be willing to bring her children to visit the mosque.
School groups and organizations from across the eastern region have visited the building for a tour.
We are open to the visitors, for we do not want to appear closed. Our mosque is very open and we want to continue in this manner, says Kahloon.
In Norway, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community was founded in 1957 and they are the first Muslim organization in Norway. However, the first Norwegian Ahmadiyya Muslims can be traced back to the 1920s.
In addition to hovedmoskeen on Furuset congregation has another mosque in Frogner.
Read original post here: Norway: Inviting you into a mosque
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