The Islamic Centre said this morning that the majority of Muslims in Malta were not content with holding Friday prayers in public places, especially in close proximity to the Msida Church, as this could lead to hatred and fear against Muslims.

In a statement this morning it said it followed with attention and concern the events following the planning authority’s decision to close down the Msida Muslim place of worship. The move prompted a Muslim congregation to resort to perform Friday prayers at the Msida public gardens opposite the parish church for three consecutive weeks, after obtaining the necessary legal permit to do so.

This action, the centre said, worried the Maltese public and stirred up a debate where some expressed their sympathy and others showed resentment.

It said it observed the developments but did not intervene because it was not consulted, neither before nor after this incident, by those who held the Friday prayers in a public place nor by the Maltese authorities.

However, it was asked by various bodies to take a position or express an opinion on this issue.

It pointed out it was not happy with the great inconvenience brought about with the closure of the Msida and Sta Venera praying places and called on the authorities “to please keep them open”.

The centre said that while it believed that those who held the Friday prayers near the church did not aim to provoke the spiritual sentiments of anybody but only wanted to attract the attention to their need for a place of worship, the centre, on behalf of the Muslim community, wanted to apologise to anyone who felt offended by such actions.

It said it was true that the Paola mosque was no longer able to accommodate the increasing number of Muslims attending Friday prayers and it could not serve all the Muslims in Malta because of the distance from certain localities.

A solution, it said, could be found through dialogue and negotiations with the authorities but a policy on these places was needed to put the minds of community members at rest.

“While we appreciate and thank the Maltese authorities for granting a temporary place of worship to our Muslim brothers at Floriana we are looking forward for a permanent solution to this problem by providing assistance to the community to acquire the planning permissions of change of use, or granting these places temporary permissions to function legally or suggest other legal alternative places.”

The centre said that the recent events emphasised the urgent need for another mosque to contribute to solving the problem in a legal and adequate way.

“We appeal to the government to indicate a site on which the community can build a new mosque,” it said.

It also said that the recent events showed the need to confirm the Islamic Centre as the major representative of the Muslim community.

“We affirm our keenness to strengthen the good relations and friendship with the authorities and the public and our sincere desire to enhance the mutual understanding and respect and to maintain the social peace and harmony within the society,” the centre said.

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