Dearly respected musallis
Assalaamualaikum w.b.t
On behalf of the Southport Masjid and community, we express our gratitude to all of you for your patience and understanding concerning the extended closure of the Masjid and your compliance with the government issued guidelines. As restrictions are set to ease, there is hope that our lives will also return to a measure of normalcy and we can resume activities in the Masjid. Little would please us more than to be with you all again in the House of Allah. Nevertheless, at this stage, it has been decided by the management that the complications of opening the doors of the Masjid during phases one and two of the easement are too numerous to be managed effectively. These challenges include the following, among others:
• The need for constant cleaning;
• The difficulty in deciding who can come to the Masjid;
• The inability to control the number who come to the Masjid unexpectedly and the subsequent need to wait for their turn;
• The increased presence of people and cars in the car park particularly in the evenings increasing noise level and also risk increasing the anxiety levels of neighbours who could then erroneously think or accuse the Masjid of flouting regulations. The negative impact this would have on their image of Islam and Muslims is apparent.
Undoubtedly, the Masjid is highly significant in Islam and to the lives of Muslims. Nevertheless, it is the community that grows within it that constitutes its soul and purpose. Opening with impractical restrictions of 10 or 20 musallis would mean some are admitted into the Masjid while others are not. In the spirit of equity and to avoid potential bias and resentment, the Masjid is working towards opening in Phase 3 of the lifting of restrictions scheduled for 10th of July. We believe that this decision is best in line with the broader purposes of Islamic law and thinking, and is best suited to the greater welfare of the community.
Kindly note the circumstances are constantly changing and that the planned reopening could be revised.
We leave you with the following Prophetic guidance:
Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that:
The Messenger of Allah (صلى†الله†عليه†وسلم) said, "How wonderful is the case of a believer; there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is better for him". [Muslim]
Your servants,
Naseem Abdul and Dr. Shafiq Flynn – Southport Masjid
