Hartlepool mosque tackles fears of Islam as open day hailed a success

Over 130 people attended an open day at Hartlepool’s mosque which organisers hailed a huge success.
A family who visited the mosque open day on Saturday.A family who visited the mosque open day on Saturday.
A family who visited the mosque open day on Saturday.

The town’s Nasir Mosque in Brougham Terrace welcomed visitors on Saturday to explain what it does and to tackle fears and misunderstandings around Islam.

It is held every year to help build bridges and solidarity with people in the town.

Translations from the Qur'an were on display at the event.Translations from the Qur'an were on display at the event.
Translations from the Qur'an were on display at the event.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Organisers said it was well supported by the community, including those who had shown their support after the recent mosque shootings in New Zealand.

Tahir Selby, Imam of the mosque, said: “The purpose of the open day is to help remove the fears and misunderstandings that people may have about Islam.

“It gives us an opportunity to welcome people inside the mosque and give them some leaflets about our response to extremism in Islam.

“I was very touched that one person came who had lost his daughter to the tragedy that happened in Manchester, but despite such grief, he was willing to visit our mosque to show that he understood that it had nothing to do with the religion of Islam.

The open day was well supported by the wider Hartlepool community.The open day was well supported by the wider Hartlepool community.
The open day was well supported by the wider Hartlepool community.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This is what we are trying to do, remove the fears and explain that religion is a means of bringing peace and comfort to people and should never be misused for hate and terror.

“The motto of our community, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, is ‘Love for All, Hatred for None.”

Visitors were shown around the mosque and learned about prayers and teachings.

There was also a display on various translations of the Qur’an, and a Qur’an in braille.

Posters for the Love Hartlepool campaign were also on show.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Farhan Ali, outreach secretary of the Hartlepool Ahmadiyya Community, said: “Overall, the open day was a very successful event and it created a very good and positive image of Nasir Mosque and Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the eyes of Hartlepool community.

“We would like to thank people of Hartlepool for always supporting and being amazingly cooperative.”

Female guests were guided upstairs to the ladies’ mosque where the Muslim Ladies welcomed them, and had refreshments and discussions with them.

Among the feedback from visitors, one man in the register wrote: “Very informative and interesting and we met lovely people.”

Another man said: “Such a valuable experience which more people should experience.”