Auburn Gallipoli Mosque opens its doors

Amid the current furore of anti-Islamic feeling in the Australian, and indeed, the global community, it becomes evident that a greater promotion of trust and understanding is needed in order to quell the increasing polarization between 'Muslim' and 'the rest'. In Islam, the coming together of Muslim and non-Muslim for purpose of dialogue is highly encouraged and in the contemporary environ of fear, it becomes perhaps more appropriate than ever. By opening its doors to Sydney on the 1st of September, Auburn Gallipoli Mosque enabled many people to get a closer encounter with Islam and Muslims for the first time.
Over 500 visitors were welcomed to the Mosque, which was originally established in 1979 in a neighboring house, modified for prayer by removing the internal walls. The present structure, based on traditional Ottoman design and decorated accordingly, was begun in 1987 and officially opened in 1999, taking 12 years to complete. The public was invited to attend informative tours, ask questions, listen to guest speakers on a broad range of topics, partake of traditional Turkish delicacies, hear spiritual music and if they so wished, purchase books on subjects which may have excited their curiosity.
Overwhelmingly, the response was a positive one. Many people had seen the Mosque from the window of the train or viewed the minarets towering above other buildings from the road and had their curiosity aroused but had previously been too cautious to seek information. Others had come with their Muslim workmates or fellow students in order to fully comprehend why lunch hours were spent partially in prayer, why Friday afternoon visits to the bar were not appropriate and why for a month of summer, fasting is undertaken. Muslims from other Mosques also joined the mélange. The relaxed and peaceful surrounds were highly conducive to interaction between all groups, indicative of the overall success of the event.
As the idea of bringing people of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds together is very much in line with its mission, Affinity Intercultural Foundation provided resources for the Open Day, which is now an annual event that is expected to draw increasingly greater crowds as the years progress.