Despite the lockdown, a Nottingham mosque will open its doors this weekend to the public with a virtual tour of its premises as part of a national initiative to 'reduce misconceptions' about Islam.
The live virtual tours are taking place at mosques across the country, including the Karimia Institute (also known as Masjid Ash Shifa) as an effort to safely "welcome neighbours" into their community, regardless of the current restrictions in place.
At the Karimia Institute on Berridge Road West, Bobbers Mill, the local Iman will guide viewers around the mosque using a mobile camera and will be live streamed on the 'Visit My Mosque' website.
The event - taking place on Sunday, June 21, from 1-2pm - also serves as an opportunity to show the precautions the mosque is taking in relation to the coronavirus outbreak as places of worship have been allowed to reopen since June 15 for individual prayer only.
Shahid Shabir is a youth worker and also a centre manager at the Karimia Institue.
The 23-year-old, who grew up in the Bobbers Mill area, said: "Karimia has been doing this for a couple of years now and we run this for the community along with the Muslim Council of Britian as part of a national initiative where we want to welcome our neighbours into our mosques
"Despite Covid-19, we will be doing a tour this year but it will of course be virtual.
"For one hour on Sunday we will be able to show others what Karimia is all about. Our Imam will be the only person inside the building and will give a tour throughout the building showing our classrooms and radio station based here too.
"We are a community centre with a mosque at it's heart, so other things go on here too.
"Days like this open the door for the community to come here and help reduce the misconceptions about the religion. People can ask any questions they like.
"It's about showing what happens behind the doors in mosques.
"We will also discuss with the community the precautions we are taking since we reopened for individual prayer a few days ago."
Precautions in place at the Karimia Institute include bringing your own prayer mat, wearing a face mask if required, avoiding shaking hands or hugging, a one-way-system, and bringing your own Qur'an.
These tours are taking place as part of the national #VisitMyMosque campaign, facilitated by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which would have ordinarily seen tens of thousands of visitors being welcomed by hundreds of mosques across Britain.
Harun Khan, MCB Secretary General said: “This year, rather than communities visiting their local mosques, mosques have been visiting their local communities, through food bank collections, cooking hot meals, delivering free PPE and more.
“The role that faith communities have played in supporting the most vulnerable in society during the past three months of the coronavirus lockdown has been formidable.
"As the full impact of the lockdown begins to be felt, mosques and Muslim communities stand ready to continue playing their part in post-lockdown Britain.”
In addition, Old Kent Road Mosque in South London, home to London’s oldest Nigerian Muslim community will be offering insights into the #BlackLivesMatter movement and how the mosque positively impacts on the local community, whilst some of the UK’s most northerly mosques in Inverness will be opening their doors virtually too.
Virtual mosque tours will be taking place between Friday 19 and Sunday 21 June. To book to join a tour, visit www.visitmymosque.org
