Two empty, snow-covered lots in the small town of Inuvik, in Canada's Northwest Territoritories, could soon be home to Canada's most northerly mosque. The Muslim association in the Arctic town of 3,500 recently purchased the lots, after three years of fundraising.
"It's suited for a mosque or for a church or for a religious place," association president Said Daher told CBC News in an interview.
For the past eight years, Inuvik's Muslims have prayed in a converted one-bedroom trailer. But space in the makeshift mosque is getting tight — Friday prayers can attract up to 25 people. By comparison, Daher said the proposed mosque will hold up to 100 people, and have space for activities beyond prayer.
There are no current statistics on the number of Muslims in Inuvik, but census data from 2001 show 45 Muslims in the community that year. The Northwest Territories had 175 Muslims in the 2001 census.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) said, "Wherever you may be when the time for prayer comes, you may pray in that place because the whole earth is a mosque."
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"It's suited for a mosque or for a church or for a religious place," association president Said Daher told CBC News in an interview.
For the past eight years, Inuvik's Muslims have prayed in a converted one-bedroom trailer. But space in the makeshift mosque is getting tight — Friday prayers can attract up to 25 people. By comparison, Daher said the proposed mosque will hold up to 100 people, and have space for activities beyond prayer.
There are no current statistics on the number of Muslims in Inuvik, but census data from 2001 show 45 Muslims in the community that year. The Northwest Territories had 175 Muslims in the 2001 census.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) said, "Wherever you may be when the time for prayer comes, you may pray in that place because the whole earth is a mosque."
Go to article...