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First mosque opens in the Western Isles

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More than 100 people gathered yesterday to mark the official opening of a mosque in Stornoway, the first in the Western Isles.

The renovated building has lain derelict for many years – but the renovation of the place of worship was made possible with an online fundraiser, generating donations from members of the Muslim community worldwide and supporters of the project locally.

Imam Mufri Abdur Rahman Mangera, who conducted the first prayer session, said: “I am just extremely honoured to be here at this landmark moment, where communities have come together and contributed to what I hope is going to be a very worthwhile project.

“There has been a bit of an opposition but the wonderful thing is humanity has come together here to finish this place. I pray that this humanity, this brotherliness, this sisterliness, and this be a place of benefit for one an all.”

The Muslim community on the Isle of Lewis have been looking for a place of worship for some 20 years – but recently, with the arrival of six Syrian refugee families, demand has increased.

Abdul Ghaffar, Secretary of Stornoway Mosque Trust, said: “It is very difficult to express my emotions. I am very happy. Everybody in the community is over the moon. It’s just a miracle.”

“It has been a very long process. The Muslim community has been here close to 70 years and I myself have been here 25 years. We purchased the site here eight years ago but a lack of funding was really holding us back. It has been a long, long process to get to this stage.”

Aihtsham Rashid, 39, from Leeds, set up a Just Giving page to aid the growing Muslim community on the Isle of Lewis. Initially the fundraising target was set at £50,000 for the project but overall online donations exceeded £94,000 yesterday as the crowd funding appeal came to its close.

Mr Rashid said: “Its absolutely fantastic. Everything has been great and everybody has been so nice.

“Four weeks ago when I came this place was a derelict building, it had no roof, no water and I think the electricity came the day I came. When I got off the aeroplane I thought where have I come? But I decided that no matter what I’m not going to leave until this is made.”

“This is what we have achieved. Everybody from all faiths, all races, coming down and supporting our mosque. This is what we want to do – build bridges. We are all the same.

In 2011 census records indicated that as well as 20,452 Christians, the Western Isles is home to 61 Muslims, 40 Buddhists, 37 Hindus, three Jews and a Sikh. 97 people were of another religion, with 5,014 declaring they had no religion and a further 1,979 opting to not state what their religion was.

Reverend Terry Taggart, of Stornoway Episcopal Church, said: “Its marvellous. It has all been positive messages from my congregation.

“Since the Syrian refugees moved up here, many of my congregation volunteered to help, with some of the Syrian ladies attending a knitting club at our church.

“A church building is a community hub, wherever it is. It is marvellous and we hope to work together of different community projects.”