The tenth “Open Mosque for All – Come to Our Mosque” program, organized by the Centre for Islamic Studies (CIS), was held yesterday (14) at the Kollupitiya Juma Masjid. This ongoing initiative aims to provide non-Islamic communities in Sri Lanka with an open opportunity to broadly study Islam and its practices.
Deputy Minister of National Integration, Ash Sheikh Muneer Mulafer, participated in the program, which was specifically reserved for journalists. In addition, a large number of young men and women from universities and various other institutions and organizations attended the event.
“‘Come to our Mosque’.. 10th program in Kollupitiya”
During the program, an open discussion addressed various concerns and misconceptions about Islamic practices prevalent among non-Islamic communities. Responding to these issues, the Deputy Minister clarified that the widespread belief that women are prohibited from entering mosques is entirely false. He stated that women can come to the mosque for Salat (prayer) or any related occasion whenever it’s relevant. However, he explained that due to a housewife’s and mother’s busy schedule, attending the mosque five times a day for prayer can be challenging, and thus the Quran itself permits them to pray from home.
He also emphasized that while there are no restrictions on specific clothing styles for prayer in the mosque, it’s essential for everyone attending to wear clothes without any images or words written on the back. The Deputy Minister further clarified that there is no permission or approval for a Muslim to marry seven times. He highlighted that Islam grants women the highest status, citing the best example being that in a marriage, the groom is required to provide whatever the bride requests as a dowry.
Marshad Baree, Vice President of the Centre for Islamic Studies, and Ashish Hussein, among others, were also present at the event.
Attendees at the program had their names written in Arabic, and journalists received several books on Islam written in Sinhala, further aiding their understanding.
Upul Janaka Jayasinghe
