“We don’t have any target property right now that appeals to us.”
That’s how representatives of the Hampshire mosque recently characterized their ongoing struggle to pursue plans for a larger mosque in the Amherst area.
A former Islamic target property
Plans for expansion to a Harkness Rd. property were hastily withdraw when Hampshire mosque Inc. discovered that they “might not have been able to expand on Harkness Rd,” frustrating the declared purpose of their Bylaws – Article II-1-e.
According to the Hampshire Gazette article, Dr. Hazratji assured the non-Muslims that he harbored “no hard feelings” against them for the “opposition”, “illegitimate concerns”, “bias”, “bigotry”, “badgering”, and “hostile acts” that he had pointed out during their recent “discussions.”
“We have no hard feelings towards anyone,” Hazratji told them.
Town Manager Larry Shaffer said he “continues to recommend expansion of the mosque in Amherst.”
Perhaps in the not-too-distant future Amherst, Pehlam, Belchertown, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, New England, and the other United States will become ... “an environment where respect and sensitivity to Islamic teachings and practice will be observed, without any violations of and/or offensive behaviors to the principles of Islam based on The Qur’an …” – Hampshire Mosque Inc. Bylaws II-1-e
The Republican recently reported that Ali Awkal has “scouted parcels” around the region and has decided that Belchertown would be an ideal location to consider for a possible cemetery, prayer room, and eventual mosque to serve the “large influx of people from India, Pakistan and the Middle Eastern area” which is causing his “Community to get big in number.”
A location near the center of town is being considered.
6/4/10 The Republican – Belchertown ‘scouted out’ for cemetery
GazzetteNET – Mosque Pulls Plans – 6/4/10 (pdf)
Previous Related Newspaper Articles
8/25/06 Amherst Bulletin – New mosque seeks way to bridge faiths – offers “non-Muslims” … an opportunity to learn more about Islam.”
“Traffic or Bias – Muslim leader says it’s bigotry – April 2010
Amherst Bulletin | Mosque plan inches forward 4/30/10 April 2010
Mosque Move Stirs Concerns – April 2010
REFERENCES
Qur’an on Friendship with non-Muslims
Qur’an on Characteristics of non-Muslims
Qur’an on How to treat non-Muslims
The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers…
