The Spanish Islamic Council has written to the Pope to request permission to pray in Cordoba’s maginificent Mosque, which is causing quite a stir in the Spanish press. Matthew at the Big Chorizo has outlined everything exceptionally well and I suggest you read his summary of events, but this is obviously a very tricky debate.
The place was built by Muslims to serve as a mosque. The Christians kicked them out and built a hideous carbuncle of a cathedral right in the middle of the mosque. There is plenty of room for everyone and dedicating an area for Muslim prayer would not be difficult. There are certain paranoid parties that are bound to see this as a step towards the reconquest of Al Andalus by Islam.
Personally I think there is room for everyone and it would be a noble gesture to let the faith that originally built the Mezquita share this astounding space. What do you think?
Edith
29 Dec 06 at 11:05 am
Only if the gesture would be reciprocal and if Christians would be allowed to pray at the Aya Sophia in Turkey, which used to be an Eastern Orthodox church until the Turks conquered it in the fifteenth century. The problem is that while Islam is making its headway into Europe, Christians and Jews do not enjoy full religious freedom in many Muslim countries.
Madrid teacher
29 Dec 06 at 12:05 pm
I think that it is a wonderful thing. It is through dialogue that conflict can be stopped. When the Pope went to Turkey even though there was all the uproar there were only a few thousand people who demonstrated against his visit even though we were led to believe that it would be all of Turkey.
If they do re-open part of it as a mosque they just need to make sure that the planning permission goes through properly or it could be knocked down as quick as it is built
Jon Hundt
29 Dec 06 at 5:11 pm
perhaps this can be a negotiating item to encourage religious freedom in other areas, like Saudi Arabia for example. But I don’t expect that it will go that way. While we welcome and encourage religious freedom in Europe, it does not appear to be the current trend to do so in many non-Christian countries.
ValenciaSon
30 Dec 06 at 12:00 am
Religious tolerance has to start somewhere, why not in Spain?
Noureddine from Paris
30 Dec 06 at 1:08 am
I visited the Mezquita in Cordoba and I couldn’t describe how muslim can feel just to walking into this maginificent Mosque. Praying into would be fabulous thing.
Turkey or saudi arabie don’t represent muslim…
Let’s go for evry signe of tolerance… We need it
Jon Hundt
30 Dec 06 at 10:19 am
you’re right Noureddine from Paris, and ValenciaSon, let’s go for all the tolerance we can get.
May I ask a serious question about muslim prayer – I don’t know too much about this. Is there some reason that a muslim can’t pray in the building now, or is a special area really needed?
Rosalia
7 Jan 07 at 6:50 pm
Yes the muslims want people to be tolerant with their religion. That is wonderful. But they should start first, so that we can see their good intentions. So instead of wanting to pray in Spain, they should go to arabs countries an make a cruzade so that christians could pray in their mosques. This would be a real example of tolerance. Begin in your house and after that go to the neighbord’s house.
( sorry for my english)
Amy lewis
21 Jan 07 at 8:38 pm
if tolerance is so important to our differing religions then why are christians forbidden to entering mosques especially women who would have to wear a headscarf although we would do it anyway as a sign of respect. My point here is that we need to meet in the middle but it seems us christians are moving the past the half way mark !!!!!
Joe
9 Mar 08 at 11:14 am
Arabs should let the idol worshippers pray inside the Kaba building in Mecca.
richardksa
9 Mar 08 at 3:05 pm
Excuse me, Amy, but aren’t Christians meant to love their neighbour and turn the other cheek. This, surely, is the basis of the religion.
Christians are not forbidden to enter mosques. I have been inside several many times, but I removed my shoes as a sign of respect.
@ Jon Hundt, it is my experience that Moslems can pray anywhere so long as they have the direction to Mecca. But the prophet urged them to pray “as a congregation”, hence the need for mosques.
Personally, I look forward to the day when we all grow up and don’t feel the need for religion, but that’s another can of worms.
ValenciaSon
9 Mar 08 at 4:29 pm
I have faith that humanity will grow past religion.
Shim
9 Mar 08 at 5:23 pm
My all time favorite bumper sticker:
“Dear God, please save me from your followers”