Muslim Wonder House

(malay edition below)

This mosque situated in Finsbury Park (When I say Finsbury Park, people go like -.-? But when I say 'its close to the Arsenal stadium', they go like owh okay :D) looks like a run down shop house more than a spiritual house. But I wouldn't trade it for a 100 beautiful mosques in Malaysia. It's called the Muslim Welfare House but we malaysians used to call it Mewah (Muslim Welfare House -> MWH -> MeWaH).

Because it is so awesome. Look at the advertisements on their electronic noticeboard, they have:

1) Quran & Arabic class for kids (okay)
2) Housing advice for house-related problems (woah)
3) Training classes for those wanting to work in construction (woahhh)
4) Karate classes! (sugoiiiiiii!!!!)

Even Jackie Chan would be proud of this mosque.

And I know they also have classes to train teachers, and local businessmen would use the mosque to hold their meetings. AND the mosque is packed to the brim during Maghrib prayers.

Skeptics (disguised as intellectuals) would point out that 'muslims in britain lack the formal institutions, thus necessitating the use of the mosque as an all-encompassing avenue for resolving daily situations unlike in Malaysia where our institutions are more decentralised'. Still, it is rare to find a mosque offering karate classes, and we can definitely do more to position our mosques as the center of community life. So think about it please ;)

***

Masjid yang terletak di kawasan Finsbury Park ini (dekat dengan stadium Arsenal. Kalau cakap dengan orang Malaysia kena bagi rujukan stadium bola) nampak macam rumah kedai, bukan rumah ibadat. Tapi masjid ini lebih saya cintai daripada 100 masjid yang cantik di Malaysia. Namanya Muslim Welfare House (Rumah Kebajikan Islam) tapi kami pelajar malaysia panggil masjid ni Mewah (Muslim Welfare House -> MWH -> MeWaH. Malas nak sebut panjang lah tu)

Masjid ni sangat mantap. Tengok papan bulletin dia:
1) Kelas quran dan bahasa Arab untuk kanak-kanak (okay)
2) Sesi nasihat perumahan (pergh)
3) Latihan untuk bakal buruh pembinaan (perghhh)
4) Kelas karate (すごい!!!!!)

Jackie Chan mesti bangga dengan masjid ni. Saya dah lama dah bangga.

Setahu saya ada juga kelas latihan untuk bakal guru, dan peniaga tempatan akan buat mesyuarat mereka di bilik mesyuarat masjid. Kalau pergi waktu Maghrib, masyaallah, penuhnya sampai terpaksa buka bilik belakang.

Orang-orang skeptis akan berkata 'memanglah semua guna masjid. Kat sini kita ada pusat giatmara, Institut Latihan Perguruan, dewan sukan, dll' Ya, mungkin betul, tapi bukan semua masjid di UK ni yang tawarkan macam-macam program pembangunan masyarakat. Dan saya yakin masjid di Malaysia boleh buat lebih daripada menawarkan ustaz untuk kuliah subuh dan maghrib. Fikir-fikirkan dan selamat beramal ;)