"We fully support the Government of Canada in this endeavour. We will fully cooperate with them in every possible effort to establish religious freedom throughout the world,"
Source/Credit: The Delta Optimist
By Sandor Gyarmati | May 22, 2013
Over 1,000 attend ceremony Saturday at Ahmadiyya Movement's grand facility on Delta's River Road
The largest mosque in B.C. officially opened in Delta last weekend.
Over 1,000 people, including MPs, MLAs and municipal politicians from across the region, were on hand Saturday for the opening of the Baitur Rahman, or House of Gracious God, a grand mosque for the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, located at 9750 River Rd.
The mosque, which covers over 33,000 square feet on four acres, has a 76-foot minaret with a large dome.
It's to be a central point for prayers, meetings as well as social and religious interfaith gatherings. A gymnasium is also part of the complex.
With an occupancy capacity of 1,100 people, the structure has a contemporary, modular design with clean, straight-edge lines aimed complementing the surrounding scenery.
The mosque is similar, but smaller, to a stunning 48,000-square-foot facility the Ahmadiyya opened in Calgary in 2008, Canada's largest mosque complex.
The $8 million Delta mosque was paid for entirely through donations from local Ahmadiyya members.
Attending Saturday's celebration was Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the spiritual and administrative leader of the Worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at. He delivered a message to the audience they had no reason to fear Ahmadiyya mosques because they were built only for the worship of God and for the sake of serving humanity.
He also congratulated the Canadian government for recently opening an Office of Religious Freedom.
"In my view, the government deserves praise and congratulations for opening a designated Office of Religious Freedom.
We fully support the Government of Canada in this endeavour. We will fully cooperate with them in every possible effort to establish religious freedom throughout the world," he said.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced his government would establish a special office to monitor the safety of religious minorities around the world.
Also at Saturday's grand opening was Delta-Richmond East MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay, the associate minister for defence, who read a message on behalf of the prime minister, congratulating the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at on the opening of the mosque.
Delta Mayor Lois Jackson said the mosque is important for the municipality, province and country.
The faith has branches in more than 178 countries with a membership in the tens of millions.
Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in the small village of Qadian, located in the Punjab, India, established the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam in 1889.
The Ahmadiyya sect in Islam is controversial, and sometimes targeted, because it believes Ahmad was a prophet, while most others in the Muslim world claim Mohammed was the last messenger of God.
Denouncing terrorism in any form, the Ahmadiyya say they believe that God sent Ahmad, like Jesus, to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and reinstitute morality, justice and peace. They say Ahmad's advent has brought about an unprecedented era of Islamic revival and moderation.
sgyarmati@delta-optimist.com
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