The Mosque and other religion...

When I first arrived in the United Kingdom in 1990 I was so excited to see all the tourist attractions available. Amongst the many tourist attractions that I visited were the many churches and cathedrals. I was treated with respect whilst the churches and cathedrals officials explain its history. My visits were merely appreciating the architectural designs and history whilst respecting and understanding other races and religions. The place was packed with people of various races and religions. I received similar treatment when i visited buddhist temples in Thailand.

I visited various mosques too around the world and was as impressed of the architectural design as well the multi races of muslims that prayed at various mosques but there were less people of other religion who visited the mosques.

I graduated from a University that won the Queens award for biggest foreign students from various countries, the University of Buckingham. When I returned to Malaysia I had many friends from various other countries (whom graduated from the same university) who came to visit me in Malaysia and as always, being proud of Malaysian, I brought them to our Mosques (even though they are not muslims) as our Mosque too have an impressive architectural designs but was not amused when my friends were not allowed to enter the mosque for wearing dress and some with shorts. We were there during late morning and a few hours before Zohor or noon prayer. Since they could not enter, I asked the Mosque officials to give some history of Islam, the Islamic symbols and also the meaning behind the beautiful architectural design but to my disappointment, none knew anything at all. We left with no stories or history to tell except for how beautiful the mosque is.

When I brought them to a few churches, temples in Malaysia, we were sincerely welcomed and brought around to see the interior and was briefed the whole history and background information of the place, its origins and the population of those that prayed there.

Whilst I am proud to be a Muslim and is a strong believer in my religion having also performed my Haj but I believe something is not right in the way we restrict other people (non-muslims) from understanding our religion and culture. Islam is a beautiful religion but had been misunderstood by many. Islam is not just a religion. It is also a belief and way of living which we are not portraying in our daily life by being sensitive and angered by stupid remark from non-muslims. If our belief is strong and we belief in our god and religion, then we should not be easily affected by remarks made by others as we know what is right and what our religion says but if cannot even attend (without the sharp stare of the muslims) to non-muslim visitors (at our mosque) and wait for them to make the wrong move to chase them away than how do we want to preach our religion and make non-mulsims understand the mis-understood or portray how strong is our belief.

Our mosques are only used for praying (and some for learning to read the quran) whilst the churches or temple even provide medical care such as haemodialysis, free house maintenance care and even free food as well as other charitable event such as blood donation to all races irrespective of their religions.

Our religious departments should educate their officials (instead of their fanatical idealism that is scaring even the muslims away), and make use our of mosques for the benefits of the community rather than just for the muslim. This is a better way to open our religion to be understood in a multi-religion community and especially in preaching our good Quran.