Cambridge Central Mosque in Europe evokes God to get Muslims fighting against climate change
Europe’s first “green” mosque is hoping to tap into Islam to tackle climate change, urging Muslims who worship in the British facility and join the battle against global warming.
Cambridge Central Mosque opened its doors in May just in time for the fasting month of Ramadan. It is adorned with latticed columns, clad in solar panels and surrounded by crab apples, with space for 1,000 and a mission to become a force for climate good.
“The mosque symbolizes the spiritual heart of the Muslim community, it’s the central locus where the worshiper connects to God,” said mosque trust patron and musician Cat Stevens.
“It (the mosque) is part of the re-education process, digging deeper into the true nature of Islam to reveal its harmony with the balance of the universe,” said Stevens. “Many Muslims have forgotten this and are not contributing enough to the present climate crisis.”
The $30-million building, funded largely by the Turkish government, will welcome hundreds of worshipers for night prayers every night, during this month of Ramadan, following a 18-hour fast from food and drink in daylight hours.
“The Koran emphasises the beauty and harmony of the natural world as a sign of God’s creative power and wisdom,” said mosque trust chairman and Cambridge University professor, Timothy Winter, also known as Abdal Hakim Murad.
“The struggle against climate change and the mass extinction of species is not only a practical question of human survival, but is a battle to respect and protect God’s gifts.”
“Muslims could be a powerful force that can be mobilised against climate change,” said Shanza Ali, co-founder of Muslim Climate Action, a British advocacy group.
“However this would require us to go back to Islamic teachings and back to valuing the skills, ideas and respect that communities would give the environment,” she said.
For Ali, a fixed eco-message would not work for the world’s diverse 1.8 billion Muslims; a pluralistic approach could better “revive the connection” between Islam and the environment.
“Projects like the Cambridge mosque are going to be critical in raising awareness and showing people that this isn’t just a niche issue that some Muslims have picked up, but it’s an issue at the heart of our belief,” she said.
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