Yes - demand these services but then also be prepared to pay for such facilities.

You see that's the problem with our lot - we don't like to cough up...

Are you taking the p**s? Who do you think pays for these mosques. It is the people.

No I'm not Freddie... go back and read the article again...

'Why shouldn’t we insist on our mosques being open twenty four hours a day, a safe place of refuge for a young girl who’s having trouble at home; where youngsters get help with their schoolwork; where keep fit classes take place;'

Just to keep a mosque open 24 hours - its not cheap. On top of the gym class? And how much would even basic equipment cost for people to use and maintain? I do currently help with a homework club in a mosque - so I know how much funding that requires... its not cheap. Oh you want toddlers at the mosque - so you need to make sure staff at the mosque have relevant training, CRB, health and saftey first aid etc.

Your loose change at a jumma collection will not cover all of the above. So if you want it cough up.

I'm not mocking the article, I agree with the intention and reasoning. But I'm just being practical. Our own lot would rather splash out on lavish weddings, 2nd and 3rd homes here, a large mansion back 'home' - perhaps this article is a little misdirected.

Of course money is needed - but the community DOES have the money. It's just that most people can't see the importance of spending it in a sensible way

That's right, sensible. Let's spend our money on yet another mosque and its programmes, rather than the feeding, housing, education and care of our families. Brilliant.

lets hope the rest do the same.one change though,FOR GOOD!

Mosques should be funded by the British Government. As all British Muslims pay there way in the country via Taxes etc, we should have the right for our taxes being channelised in sustaining funding for British Muslim Mosques.

If we pay the taxes on a equal merit, like everyone else, then we have the equal right as any person to demand our needs from the government.

Every community get's recognition, our recognition and beacon of light, is the Islamic Mosque. It is our ultimate right and absolute right that our mosques should be and must be funded by our government.

A 24 hour mosque is a definate MUST in London.


Efforts must be made to increase government awareness.

Who cares?

Burn all mosques, churches and other places of "worship".

Fantastic point!well made and agreed upon..

I agree with the article and Optimus Prime's comments.

As someone who was closely associated with the largest mosque in Britain, for over 20 years, I can concur with what Optimus said about how expensive the running of a mosque is.

As a society, we muslims are not that generous when it comes to this kind of funding. There is usually a lot of money and donations of land, property and equipment when a mosque is first proposed, but the continual running cost seems to be too much for us. I think that partly it is a social thing. At the beginning, community elders and rich patrons, like to be seen to be helping with the founding of a mosque, but they do not seem willing to sustain their commitment, once the initital fuss is over.

As for Mohsin's comments, it would be unrealistic to expect the government to fund ALL mosques. Or to expect all mosques to be open 24 hours at the governments expense. There are no 24 hour Churchs in this country, so don't expect a 24 hour mosque anytime soon, unless we pay for it.

However, I do think that some mosques could be funded by the government. But there would have to be certain obligations attached. Such as, the need for the mosque to serve the broader community, and not just the muslim one, all Imams, preachers, events, and organising committees have to be vetted by the Home Office. The mosque could help to provide some translation services or even provide English classes, to help muslim immigrants into the area learn the language and integrate with the community. Organise multi-faith events with local churchs and synagogues... and so on.

If we are willing to do all this, then I don't see a reason why the mosque couldn't apply for a charity status and receive money from public funds.

But don't expect the government to fund a mosque that increases an ethnic minority's insularity, or increases tensions in the local community. Remember, non-muslims also pay taxes, in fact, more non-muslims pay taxes than muslims do. So just as you argue tax-money should go towards funding a mosque, non-muslims will argue the exact opposite with more authority.

If WE (muslims) want it, WE have to pay for it. If we want THEM (the government) to pay for it, then we have to accept THEIR conditions. But we can't have it both ways.

Does the British Govt. fund churches - I don't think so because so many have closed. If churches were funded thay would not be closing would they?

So if they don't fund churches and synagogues I doubt very much that they would fund mosques. You must remember that the State and Religion are separate entities in UK.

It is the same in Muslim countries which I lately visited such as Saudi Arabia. Mosques are closed for a period of time because users have often abused facilites such as the toilets which need a huge investment in their maintenance and cleaning etc.

It is true mosques need to diversify and cater to communities including the services which the article suggested. I will also prefer if they attracted youngsters with pool/snooker tables, tennis tables etc.