‘Unjust’: Sydney Council's Prayer Ban at Community Center Draws Condemnation from Muslims
The recent decision by Campbelltown Council to prohibit what they refer to as the use of a local community center for prayers has sparked widespread criticism within the Muslim community, who believe the council's actions are directed at their religious practices.
According to a report by the Daily Telegraph, the council issued an official order that prevents members of the Australian Muslim Welfare Centre in Minto from utilizing the facility for prayer, following a complaint from a local resident.
Anisul Afsar, the president of the welfare center, vehemently denied the claims that the center had transformed into a place of public worship. He explained, “We have more than 1500 members who are all Muslims, and they come to the center for classes, sports activities, counseling services, and other events.”
“If you’re a practicing Muslim, it’s your obligation to pray five times a day, so at prayer time, people pray wherever they may be, but that doesn’t mean we’re operating as a place of public worship. We’re not a mosque; we don’t have preaching; we’re a community center.
“If you go to any other community center in Sydney at prayer time, there’s a mat or cloth, and we stand or pray. This should not be misconstrued as an indication that the property is a place of public worship.”
Jim Baldwin, Campbelltown Council's director of city planning and environment, clarified that the center must adhere to a capacity limit of 50 people for regular activities, which can be extended to 150 people for “special occasions” up to 12 times per year.
According to Baldwin, the council investigation “found that the site’s development consent for use as a community facility had continuously been breached, and the site was not being used in accordance with its development consent.”
Afsar countered by asserting that the center already complies with the planning controls, including “shutting the center’s gates” during Friday prayer periods once the capacity limits have been reached. He emphasized the growing Muslim population in the area and the limited availability of mosques, saying, “If we have classes and community events and are not allowed to pray, what do we do? People will have to leave or go home to pray. We’re saying it’s unjust, and in our view, the council is targeting us.”
Australian Muslims constitute 2.6% of the nation's population of 26 million, as per the 2016 census, which reflects an increase from 2.2% in the 2011 census. Muslims adhere to a practice of praying five times a day, with each prayer consisting of a series of postures and movements, referred to as rak'ah. These prayers are conducted throughout the day, commencing with the Fajr prayer at dawn and concluding with the Isha prayer at night.
Source: Agencies
