The recently revealed gay-friendly mosque, first in South
Africa which also allowed women to lead prayers has been shut down by
authorities according to local officials.
The Open Mosque accepts people from all religions and sexual orientations
According to a Councillor in Cape town, the city where the Mosque is located, the mosque had violated municipal by-laws by not having any parking spaces.
The Mosque had began services on Friday despite huge criticism from Muslims in the area.
The Founder Taj Hargey revealed that his idea was to help counter radicalism.
At the Mosque opening he said: “We are opening the mosque for open-minded people, not closed-minded people”.
The city councillor Ganief Hendricks said that the closing of the Mosque was not a witch hunt but they are just following the rules.
“This is an emotive issue – some councillors who are Muslim would want to defend the issue more vigorously than those that aren’t but the bottom line is we have to make sure that the rules are followed,”he told the BBC.
He revealed that Mr Hagey had yet to change the application for the building which he got for a warehouse to a mosque.
“There are issues of health and safety to consider before [a mosque] is set up,” Mr Hendricks said.
The law dictates that a place of worship should have no less than one parking bay per 10 worshippers on the premises but Mr Hendricks said there were not any.
The process of applying for the necessary paperwork could take up to six months, he said.
Mr Hargey told the BBC that he believed everything was in order.
The Mosque had allowed women to lead prayer and pray among men but some local Muslims have condemned him as a “heretic” but Mr Hargey said he was following true Islam.
The Open Mosque accepts people from all religions and sexual orientations
According to a Councillor in Cape town, the city where the Mosque is located, the mosque had violated municipal by-laws by not having any parking spaces.
The Mosque had began services on Friday despite huge criticism from Muslims in the area.
The Founder Taj Hargey revealed that his idea was to help counter radicalism.
Taj Hargey denies going against Muslim teaching
The city councillor Ganief Hendricks said that the closing of the Mosque was not a witch hunt but they are just following the rules.
“This is an emotive issue – some councillors who are Muslim would want to defend the issue more vigorously than those that aren’t but the bottom line is we have to make sure that the rules are followed,”he told the BBC.
He revealed that Mr Hagey had yet to change the application for the building which he got for a warehouse to a mosque.
“There are issues of health and safety to consider before [a mosque] is set up,” Mr Hendricks said.
The law dictates that a place of worship should have no less than one parking bay per 10 worshippers on the premises but Mr Hendricks said there were not any.
The process of applying for the necessary paperwork could take up to six months, he said.
Mr Hargey told the BBC that he believed everything was in order.
The Mosque had allowed women to lead prayer and pray among men but some local Muslims have condemned him as a “heretic” but Mr Hargey said he was following true Islam.
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