Christians invited to Open Mosque

Dr Taj Hargey (L) participates in a prayer session at South Africa's first open mosque on Friday, 19 September 2014. Hargey welcomed around 50 men and women, of different races and cultures, in his warehouse space in Wynberg, Cape Town. Hargey said his building had distinct features -- it was gender-equal, based purely on the Qur'an, and was open to all types of Muslims, religions, and cultures. Despite what official Islamic organisations claimed, the building was a mosque, he said. Picture:Nardus Engelbrecht/SAPA

Dr Taj Hargey (L) participates in a prayer session at South Africa's first open mosque on Friday, 19 September 2014. Hargey welcomed around 50 men and women, of different races and cultures, in his warehouse space in Wynberg, Cape Town. Hargey said his building had distinct features -- it was gender-equal, based purely on the Qur'an, and was open to all types of Muslims, religions, and cultures. Despite what official Islamic organisations claimed, the building was a mosque, he said. Picture:Nardus Engelbrecht/SAPA

Published Dec 15, 2014

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Cape Times -

In the spirit of Christmas and to encourage interfaith relations, leaders of the controversial Open Mosque in Wynberg have invited Christians for a buffet lunch at the mosque.

Calling it a “historic Christmas invitation” to all followers of Christianity, the leaders said guests would be served a banquet of halaal food and non-alcoholic beverages.

The mosque’s founder, Dr Taj Hargey, said this followed Prophet Muhammad’s example of welcoming Christians to stay and pray in his mosque in Madinah, where he housed 60 bishops during their travels in the Middle East.

“In an age of Boko Haram and Islamic State, it is an initiative in a bitterly fractured world where Islamic fundamentalists and religious fanatics have wilfully ignored the tolerant teachings of pristine Islam to engage in systematic oppression and brutal persecution of Christians in the Middle East, South Asia and elsewhere,” Hargey said.

Mosque spokeswoman Jamila Najar spoke of pioneered initiatives to reflect the true spirit of Islam.

“There is a strong emphasis on a Qur’an-centric faith, its unprecedented gender equality and unique non-sectarianism. The bold campaign by the Open Mosque to challenge this toxic manifestation of Islam is a small but significant step in generating peaceful co-existence and harmony between the followers of Jesus and Muhammad in South Africa.”

The mosque will host the lunch on December 21 from 1pm until 5pm, serving traditional Cape Malay cuisine. “There will be music, talks and poetry, extolling the inherent commonality of these two great Abrahamic faiths.

“An extensive buffet meal in the mosque will be prepared and served by Muslim volunteers as a token of our esteem and respect for the adherents of Jesus,” Hargey said.

- Cape Times

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