please empty your brain below
"And yet there must still be tens of millions of Britons out there who've never set foot inside one, and who may therefore have distorted views of what goes on and what the community believes."

This may well be true, but where there is a requirement to cover my head because I am female, I won't be finding out.

Antipodean | 08.02.16 - 7:40 a.m. | #

... sorry I should also have said in that comment that I thought this was a really well-written and well-balanced article that showed both the 'mundane' aspects of Islam (its daily practices) as well as offered critique of some of these (the wearing of head coverings for women) and put all this in the overall context of modern liberal democratic Britain, where there is tension between tolerance of difference and respect for religious freedom, as well as an acute realisation of the contradictions inherent in this - i.e. tolerating sexism or homophobia, for example. My own position is that I think that true peace comes with more than just acceptance of difference and that this would also require women's equality with men and the acceptance of homosexuality on the part of Islam. I'm confused by your last sentence, though, particularly what you mean by "any form of hatred ... to a true convert"?

Antipodean | 08.02.16 - 8:10 a.m. | #

Behind the mosque and adjoined to it is the Fieldgate Street Great Synagogue. Although I don't believe its now used.

graham benbow | 08.02.16 - 8:37 a.m. | #

Did anyone ask any awkward questions about the Sunni/Shia rift?

dg writes: We had the full range of awkward questions, including that one. Again the answer was deftly delivered, but not necessarily wholly persuasive.

Great Aunt Annie | 08.02.16 - 8:42 a.m. | #

Didn't know it was VMM day yesterday. So much for publicity outside the Capital!

Interesting article though.

Bronchitikat | Homepage | 08.02.16 - 8:51 a.m. | #

A well-balanced and considered piece.

One cannot help wonder that the sooner mankind stops using the chimpanzee part of the brain, and forgoes believing in the fiction of the big chimpanzee in the sky, the better we shall all be.

The 'evidence' of is evidence of man, not evidence of .

Burntweenie | 08.02.16 - 8:58 a.m. | #

I didn't know either. So much for publicity within the Capital.

I visited a Mosque (along with a gurdwara and Hindu Temple) on an organised 'cultural trip' to Southall when I was at uni. Very nice day, not least my first Indian buffet for lunch! I certainly became a curry convert that day!

Cornish Cockney | 08.02.16 - 8:59 a.m. | #

Been to many different places of worship - some to celebrate 'life' events. To do the latter I, have adopted the dress and other conventions of those religions. Never had my atheism in the slightest challenged by active or passive attempts by the Believers. However, I have experienced direct actions of contempt by those Believers towards me. That requires a different sort of 'outreach' to happen.....and very very very unlikely.

B | 08.02.16 - 9:10 a.m. | #

I knew about the event, but couldn't go because I was on a (tediously slow) train to Scotland.

I liked your comment about the refreshments being the same as you would get in the church hall down the road. When I was in India the first time, I was taken to visit mosques as well as Hindu temples, and I found the similarities more striking than the differences.

Peter Cameron | Homepage | 08.02.16 - 9:12 a.m. | #

... Oh, the last line was edited ... now I will never find out what was meant!

Antipodean | 08.02.16 - 9:39 a.m. | #

I had the pleasure of a guided visit to the Blue Mosque in Jordan and was similarly impressed by the straightforward approach towards informing visitors about Islam.

I just wish that the Imams and thousands of normal Muslims would speak out to the world, in crystal clear words that the Koran forbids hatred and killing. And denounce the barbaric actions of IS and other brainwashed militants.

That would counter those dumbheads who say that 'Religion is responsible for most wars in the world'.

Petras409 | 08.02.16 - 9:39 a.m. | #

It seems that a couple of questions will have to wait until DG's next visit.

● Is there a separate clinic on the 6th floor for Female Genital Mutilation? In the interests of equality, of course. Oh, wait...

● From which floor do they throw gays to their deaths?

Good to know that the 'underlying message of peace shone through'.

Gerry | 08.02.16 - 10:48 a.m. | #

'Yesterday was Visit My Mosque day. Did you go?' Nope. But I live in Bristol, so it would have been hard, coz they weren't doing it here.

Tube Geek | 08.02.16 - 10:50 a.m. | #

'...and who may therefore have distorted views of what goes on and what the community believes'

I don't accept that one cannot gain a clear picture of what Muslims believe without visiting a mosque, nor that experiencing a well-organized public relations event necessarily provides a clearer insight.

dg writes: Agreed... I'll take the 'therefore' out.

By the way, churches are open to everyone every day.

dg writes: As is the mosque, we were told.

Tom H | 08.02.16 - 2:30 p.m. | #

In the absence of any verifiable evidence for the supernatural being worshipped by muslims (and jews and christians), their religion can only have the status of a hobby - something done for enjoyment in a person's spare time. All the rules and customs are simply man-made choices, so a good question would be "Is it worthwhile to spend this amount of time, effort and resources on what is just a hobby?"

RayL | 08.02.16 - 2:31 p.m. | #

When I was at school 20 plus years ago we were taken to visit the local synagogue and mosque as well as various churches which is the only reason I'm not one of the millions DG mentions who haven't been inside mosque; I wonder if these types of trips still happen.

Whiff | 08.02.16 - 3:52 p.m. | #

Soon after a political blog about the EU referendum we have a blog about a religious building. Both subjects which can arouse strong opinions. Well makes a change from the Bow bus stops.

I have visited very many mosques in London, and around the world. Including the Regents Park mosque. Many of the larger mosques have a cafe and bookshop and are open to all. I have even seen a jumble sale at regents Park Mosque.

Also as many British have become Muslims you would not appear out of place. Although in the smaller Mosques there would not be much to see or do unless you were going to pray and like churches, most of the people who would be there would be regular worshipers

It is the ultimate aim of Islam to dominate the world, and all practicing Muslims will want to gain converts, by various means. Including open days with cups of tea. Of course Christianity has its evangelists too.

Most of the London Mosques are Sunni, but there is a large Ahmadiyya Mosque at Morden which accommodates 10,000 people. There is a fairly large Shia mosque in North Kensington, and there are a few Sufi mosques.

To stay on the topic of visiting the Mosque, well the snacks would not be quite the same as the local church, as you would not get sausage rolls, or a ham sandwich.

The ablutions had you visited them would be some toilets and places for washing hands face and feet, and maybe a couple of shower cubicles. Most Muslims would only need to wash their hands, face and feet before praying. It is done in a prescribed order and manner. It can be done at home before going to the Mosque. In fact most things in a Muslims life are written down and followed. As you will have seen from watching the prayers with the straight lines and same actions by all at the same time.

I was surprised at your mention of a circumcision clinic, I did not notice that last time I was at the East London Mosque, (which was for a Muslim-Christian debate).

I rarely visit Mosques nowadays as they are all fairly similar inside, just a large room/hall, carpet or mats on floor, no chairs, and of course praying towards Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (Which by the way is not the original city Muslims prayed towards. At the beginning of Islam the prayers were towards Jerusalem).

I find it strange that Islam attracts new people to its ranks, from other faiths or no faith.

As we have now had politics and religion I just hope you February count is going well!

John | 08.02.16 - 4:46 p.m. | #

Great Blog once again. Even the KLF visit now after i mentioned it to Jimmy.

Ill be back tomorrow

Bruce Wayne | 08.02.16 - 5:17 p.m. | #

You mentioned praying 5 times a day at astronomically appointed times, at dawn-before sunrise, midday, afternoon, sunset and night. In winter in UK sunrise about 8am sunset around 4pm. fairly easy. Midsummer sunrise before 5am and sunset around 9.15pm gets tough!. Of course in parts of Finland the sun does not set at all for over a month during midsummer. Gets even tougher.

I have pointed this out to Muslims and there are a couple of ways they have to get around it. Surely Allah would have been aware of this and not need man to find a way round it.

John | 08.02.16 - 5:21 p.m. | #

graham benbow mentioned in a comment that behind the mosque is the Fieldgate Street Great Synagogue.
On the corner of Fournier Street and Brick Lane is the Brick Lane Mosque, which previously was a synagogue,(Spitalfields Great Synagogue) and before that had been a Protestant then Methodist chapel. Reflecting the faiths of the various peoples who had come into the area. It is a listed building.

John | 08.02.16 - 5:41 p.m. | #

John wrote: "Both subjects which can arouse strong opinions"

Could it be February by any chance....

dg writes: It's not deliberate! I'm even holding back on a particularly comment-hungry post until later.

Messiah | 08.02.16 - 8:58 p.m. | #

"holding back on a particularly comment-hungry post" ...oh this I looking forward to!

dg writes: Further comments which are only about the number of comments will be deleted ;)

Grumpy Anon | 08.02.16 - 10:16 p.m. | #

To be honest, what I expected from a Mosque was a sports hall with a comfy carpet, so I'm pleased that it was as simple as that.

I think it's a good idea - if I'd known about it I might have gone. I'm an atheist and staunchly so, but I have friends who are Muslims, and it's good to know what they get up to.

I'm guessing most Mosques don't have viewing galleries, circumcision clinics and daily outreach centres though!

Kirk | 08.02.16 - 11:52 p.m. | #

I nearly went just to see what it was like inside, but I had other plans at the weekend.

jenn | Homepage | 11.02.16 - 9:52 p.m. | #











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