Against a global
background of rising Islamist
militancy a new mosque where gay
people are welcome, Christians too,
and women are treated equally to
men opened peacefully in Cape
Town on Friday despite threats of
violence.
Launched by Muslim academic Taj
Hargey, the South African-born
director of the Muslim Educational
Centre of Oxford, the first Friday
prayers at the ‘Open Mosque’ drew
more media crews than worshippers
or protesters.
Police were on hand in case of
trouble outside the newly-painted
green mosque, a former panel
beating workshop sandwiched
between two similar motor vehicle
repair operations on a backstreet in
the Wynberg suburb.
While a handful of protesters told
AFP they were waiting for
reinforcements and would “stop this
thing, no matter what”, the Friday
prayers went ahead largely
unhindered apart from the
occasional protester’s cry of “You will
go to hell”.
Hargey has described his mosque as
a “religious revolution” following on
from the political revolution led by
late former president Nelson
Mandela when democracy replaced
apartheid rule in South Africa in
1994.
As revolutions go, this was a quiet
one.
In his sermon Hargey condemned
the increasing hatred in the world
between Muslims and Christians.
He blamed this on “warped theology”
from countries such as Saudi Arabia
and Pakistan which he said gave rise
to “fanatical” groups like the Islamic
State organisation, the Taliban in
Afghanistan and Boko Haram in
Nigeria. Dr Taj Hargay, founder of the Open
Mosque, delivers a sermon during
its official opening, on September
19, 2014 in Wynberg, Cape Town.
Against a global background of
rising Islamist militancy this new
mosque where gay people are
welcome, Christians too, and women
Dr Taj Hargay, founder of the Open
Mosque, delivers a sermon during its
official opening, on September 19,
2014 in Wynberg, Cape Town.
Against a global background of rising
Islamist militancy this new mosque
where gay people are welcome,
Christians too, and women are
treated equally to men opened
peacefully despite threats of
violence. AFP PHOTO
He said “contaminated Saudi money”
was used to promote “toxic and
intolerant manifestations of Islam”.
Hargey told reporters outside the
mosque earlier that he had been
subjected to physical and
psychological threats since he
announced his plans.
“There’s been threats about
castrating me, beheading me,
hanging me upside down. But South
Africa has the most liberal
constitution in the world — they
cannot stop us opening today.”
Asked about his qualifications as a
religious leader he said: “I have a
PhD in Islamic studies from Oxford
University, unlike my opponents who
went to some donkey college in
Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.”
Hargey is not new to Islamic
controversy — in Britain he has
launched a campaign to ban the
burka.
South Africa has around 737,000
Muslims, or 1.5 percent of the
population, according
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/gay-friendly-mosque-opens-quietly-south-africa/

Na wa Oo! Wetin we no go see

e consain dem

Wonder shall never cease!

AfricanApple: e consain dem

If e no concern you today,it must certainly concern you tomorrow...wether you like it or not...stop being aloof and take the bull bu the horns

This news had spoilt some peoples day.

chibecanglobal: If e no concern you today,it must certainly concern you tomorrow...wether you like it or not...stop being aloof and take the bull bu the horns

how e go ever take consain me say one south African Muslim man dey recruit... abi how I go take talk am... gays and ishes into Islam. e no fit ever consain me, everybody get hin wahala for body

AfricanApple: how e go ever take consain me say one south African Muslim man dey recruit... abi how I go take talk am... gays and ishes into Islam. e no fit ever consain me, everybody get hin wahala for body

As far as you a member of the world community it must directly or indirectly affect you ,fullstop.

chibecanglobal: As far as you a member of the world community it must directly or indirectly affect you ,fullstop.

rara o, na comma. oya tell me how e go take affect me

BH, there is a job for you in South Africa, kindly leave Nigeria alone...

AfricanApple: rara o, na comma. oya tell me how e go take affect me

If you don't take a side against or in support of it sooner or later it will become a topical issue in the whole place such that the govt of the day may be pressured into supporting or opposing it.
Don't forget that todays world is so globalised that any regional conflict or issue easily snowballs into a university sal danger.