Barrier broken

Friday sermons in English at Sharjah mosque

Friday afternoon. As the words "Come for prayer, Come for success" ring out, Muslim men and women gather in mosques all over the world for the obligatory Juma sermon and prayers. It is a time of peace and tranquility, a time of the week where the rush of daily life is suspended for an hour. A time when people of all ages and background greet each other with salaam (peace) and spend it in reflection, education and prayer.

In a country where sermons are delivered in Arabic, it is a special moment in the Sharjah Al-Qasbah Mosque, nestled between the Sharjah Expo Centre and the Book Mall, where for the first time in the UAE sermons are delivered in English.

Organised by the New Muslim Centre, Sharjah, the sermons in English have been going on since June last year. "Many people in the UAE are not Arabic speaking, and when they go for Juma, they just perform their duties as a Muslim.

So when they actually understand what is being said they feel inspired and encouraged," says Taher Khalid, director of the New Muslim Centre. "Something that most people miss is that the majority of the expatriates who are educated in this country are educated in English, and we have to cater sermons in English to this group of people."

The congregation, which comprises a colourful mixture of nationalities, including British, American, African, Europeans, Asians, Filipinos and even Chinese, have one thing in common, the English language. Fatima Hassen, a 19-year-old college student born and brought up in Dubai and a Muslim all her life, greets Aeisha, a black American with two children from California who reverted to Islam some years ago.

"I've lived here all my life, and this is the first time that I really understand what's being said during Juma." Says Fatima emphatically. "The really good thing about the sermons is that they discuss a lot of current issues, things we need to know, not just the past and future, but the present as well."

"The women in the Arabic-speaking mosques are really very receptive and friendly and you don't feel an outsider, but you just don't understand what is being said. That's the biggest advantage here," adds Aeisha.

The people who attend the mosque come from Sharjah, Dubai, Ajman and even Abu Dhabi. Jamal Abdul Malik, who travels from Abu Dhabi every week, often brings his wife and sometimes his neighbours along.

"I come to Sharjah because there is no place in Abu Dhabi where the sermons are in English," he says. "The sermons are very good and very informative, and we get the opportunity to ask questions after the prayers.

There are six or seven people embracing Islam every week in Abu Dhabi, and more effort like this needs to be taken to organise a support system for them. We really enjoy Juma here, but of course it would be nice if we didn't have to drive every week," he adds with a laugh.

The question and answer session that follows the prayers is a time for clearing doubts. Although it is time for religious questions, even medical questions are encouraged when the preacher is a medical doctor. The preachers, who vary every week, include medical doctors and famous religious scholars, again of different nationalities, from UAE nationals to Scotsmen.

Another characteristic that sets this mosque apart from others is that non-Muslims too can participate in the Friday Juma. With an open door policy that does not restrict the mosque to Muslims only, many non-Muslims attend the Friday session.

"We encourage people to bring their non-Muslim friends because there is a number of them who would like to come to the mosque just for the experience, to see what's happening, to see what you do," says Taher Khalid.

Tony, a British Catholic who attended the Juma out of curiosity, says it was her most memorable experience to date. "I have lived in Muslim countries before, but this was the first time that I actually went inside a mosque, and I would love to go again," she says.

The concept of Juma, which is compulsory for every Muslim man and optional for women, is to promote unity and brotherhood in Islam. It is a time when the congregation stands shoulder-to-shoulder, regardless of creed, colour, nationality, status or wealth.

The ambience inside this mosque is warm and friendly. Homemade sweets are passed around after prayers in the women's section, while the men gather after prayers to visit anyone in hospital, which again is not restricted to Muslims. Gatherings for festivals and during the month of Ramadan, and religious workshops are some of the other activities that are organised for the congregation.

The mosque, which is centrally located, makes access easy for those who come from Dubai. With the lagoon behind, it is picturesque, but small. With a capacity to accommodate only 500 men and 100 women, it is always a tight squeeze. Although the sermon begins only at around 12.30pm, it is advisable to be there at least by 12.10pm.

"We are hoping to move into a bigger mosque soon," says Taher Khalid. "We have submitted an application for a bigger mosque in Sharjah and Insha Allah we will be moving to bigger premises soon. We hope that due to this initiative places like Abu Dhabi and Dubai will also start mosques with English sermons soon."