Too many mosques, legislation needed

[S.M.R]

Dear members,

I am just pointing out a very important aspect of our society, which in my view remained under gross negligence. That is the Number of mosques in every Area.

I am not aware what procedure is followed while allowing construction of any mosque. I mean whether population of area is considered or not. As it is observed that most of the times (except jumma prayers) all the mosques lie vacant, just 1, 2 or 3 lines get filled.

Like in my own area there are around 7 mosques. considering the population, the number of mosques is almost 3 times higher than required.

Another issue is the construction of mega mosques, i mean high capacity mosques like we have Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, which i think never got filled, which just made it a picnic point rather than the mosque. Even a safe place for couples to visit there.

Now:
- Do we really need a Huge Number of mosques?

- Can a legislation be made for restricting the number of mosques considering the Sq. KM area.

- before allowing construction of additional mosques, it should be made mandatory to prove that the mosque already in the area remains full / out of space.

What are your views.

 

[W.11]

hmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[bc040400065]

State should not interfere in any religious matter.............. Thats what secularists preach every where, so why you want legislation for number of mosques? isn't it interference in religion?

Hypocrisy at its best.

 

[jayron]

State should not interfere in any religious matter.............. Thats what secularists preach every where, so why you want legislation for number of mosques? isn't it interference in religion?

Hypocrisy at its best.

If mosques are getting tax rebates and other concessions from the state, it should be regularized by the state too.

 

[Safriz]

they have similar regulation in Tunisia...New mosques are not allowed anymore.
I loosely agree with the OP..Too many mosques are being disused or never used to full capacity and yet new mosques in the same area are being constructed.
Our little mosque somewhere in Abbottabad was a small room with capacity of 24 people...in 1992...still the same..No room for ablution ..minimalist mosque..but always full to capacity..Until the time more people come for prayers we dont feel like expanding it..despite many readily available sponsors and empty land dedicated to the mosque..In Ramadan we do face trouble as taraweeh attracts over a hundred people every night..but we do away with temporary arrangements..
Personally i don't like too many mosques built in same area as it causes conflicts..and none of the mosques is used to full capacity..people get distributed..and mosque is not about distributing people..its about uniting them and creating a community.
Large iconic mosques are good as their purpose is to be a hallmark of an islamic country..The view of Grand Shah Faisal Mosque in Islamabad gives you an idea that you are in an islamic country..Most of the The islooites wont give you same impression..

But let people decide..state better not interfere..

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

I am sure the mosques gives employment to many.

 

[Kambojaric]

I agree. There should be a decided number of mosques per Sq. Km. E.g. in DHA you have 1 mosque per block. A point of the mosque is that all Muslims should come and meet each other. However if you look at Pakistan in general , there will be one deobandi mosque, one barelvi mosque and so on. So instead of all the Muslims of an area gathering together in one congregation you are further dividing them up into different sects.

 

[Safriz]

I agree. There should be a decided number of mosques per Sq. Km. E.g. in DHA you have 1 mosque per block. A point of the mosque is that all Muslims should come and meet each other. However if you look at Pakistan in general , there will be one deobandi mosque, one barelvi mosque and so on. So instead of all the Muslims of an area gathering together in one congregation you are further dividing them up into different sects.

DHA is a bit painful...if you want to go mosque for your 5 times prayers ,, you cant because the mosques are too far apart..unless you have a car.

 

[Safriz]

I am sure the mosques gives employment to many.

No most of it volunteer work.....The permanent Imam and Moazin are paid employees but most of the time not well paid.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

I agree. There should be a decided number of mosques per Sq. Km. E.g. in DHA you have 1 mosque per block. A point of the mosque is that all Muslims should come and meet each other. However if you look at Pakistan in general , there will be one deobandi mosque, one barelvi mosque and so on. So instead of all the Muslims of an area gathering together in one congregation you are further dividing them up into different sects.

That is correct that having Mosques for every school of thought or for every sect in Islam actually divides the people.

However, men being what they are, one cannot prevent them to have their own sectarian interpretation.

Therefore, what is the answer?

 

[Evil Flare]

Dear members,

I am just pointing out a very important aspect of our society, which in my view remained under gross negligence. That is the Number of mosques in every Area.

I am not aware what procedure is followed while allowing construction of any mosque. I mean whether population of area is considered or not. As it is observed that most of the times (except jumma prayers) all the mosques lie vacant, just 1, 2 or 3 lines get filled.

Like in my own area there are around 7 mosques. considering the population, the number of mosques is almost 3 times higher than required.

Another issue is the construction of mega mosques, i mean high capacity mosques like we have Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, which i think never got filled, which just made it a picnic point rather than the mosque. Even a safe place for couples to visit there.

Now:
- Do we really need a Huge Number of mosques?

- Can a legislation be made for restricting the number of mosques considering the Sq. KM area.

- before allowing construction of additional mosques, it should be made mandatory to prove that the mosque already in the area remains full / out of space.

What are your views.

you forget the important thing ... do you know how many sect Pakistan have ?? & each & everyone declaring other Kafirs ..

so every sect have each mosque in an area .

 

[mehru]

Dear members,

I am just pointing out a very important aspect of our society, which in my view remained under gross negligence. That is the Number of mosques in every Area.

I am not aware what procedure is followed while allowing construction of any mosque. I mean whether population of area is considered or not. As it is observed that most of the times (except jumma prayers) all the mosques lie vacant, just 1, 2 or 3 lines get filled.

Like in my own area there are around 7 mosques. considering the population, the number of mosques is almost 3 times higher than required.

Another issue is the construction of mega mosques, i mean high capacity mosques like we have Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, which i think never got filled, which just made it a picnic point rather than the mosque. Even a safe place for couples to visit there.

Now:
- Do we really need a Huge Number of mosques?

- Can a legislation be made for restricting the number of mosques considering the Sq. KM area.

- before allowing construction of additional mosques, it should be made mandatory to prove that the mosque already in the area remains full / out of space.

What are your views.

Good point. I have noticed that too. Frankly this is one of the reason that mosques are used for encroachment as well. Many times unauthorized mosques are constructed first and then adjoining madrassahs. You can't demolish them even if you realize they are illegal because of the fear of religious backlash. I support your stand. We certainly need a legislation to check the number of mosques in a given area. Even in my sector they are too many.

On a separate but related issue, our failure to check this trend led to Lal mosque siege.

According to a CDA survey conducted in 2007, 194 mosques in Islamabad were legal while 60 were built on encroached land. However, even of the 194 legal mosques, 165 had encroached on CDA land.

In January 2007, the Islamabad administration identified five illegal mosques, constructed in green areas and on VIP routes. On the direction of the interior ministry, these were demolished. The management of Lal Masjid reacted and students of Jamia Hafsa occupied the adjacent children’s library. A few illegal acts of the mosque’s management, running of a parallel administration in the capital and failure of negotiations by various renowned ulemas, led to an army operation on July 3, 2007.


Lal Masjid siege

 

[Karachiite]

Your wajib ul qatl now. But on a serious notes no offence but too many mosques now. Mosques are built on illegal land, can't even demolish them or else bearded apes will say you are wajib ul qatl for being a kaffir.

 

[mehru]

you forget the important thing ... do you know how many sect Pakistan have ?? & each & everyone declaring other Kafirs ..

so every sect have each mosque in an area .

well in that case, this even justify it more to have less mosques so that people could develop tolerance for each other.

 

[mehru]

State should not interfere in any religious matter.............. Thats what secularists preach every where, so why you want legislation for number of mosques? isn't it interference in religion?

Hypocrisy at its best.

Pakistan is a religion based state and our state interferes in every religious matter. Going by this equation, this will justify the legislation.