There are unique opportunities presented when we are discussing the development of mosques in the United Kingdom. The opportunity to build more suitable buildings, improve existing infrastructure, meet the needs of the existing community, and foster new connections in the local area are just some of the exciting conversations happening in many Muslim communities as they grow and evolve. However, this also presents unique threats in harnessing and nurturing scholarship and community. If the opportunity to learn from past mistakes isn’t taken up by mosques to implement positive change, they run the risk of falling into a cycle that further excludes vital members of the community and reduces the mosque to a space that is exclusively used for prayer.

Mosques in the UK aren’t without problems, around 1 in 5 Muslim women in the UK never go to the mosque. At a time when many Muslim communities are at a pivotal moment whereby the expansion of their community has created a vacuum for cultural, religious, and social spaces, mosques should also be expanding to fill this vacuum. However, the statistics are worrying as they suggest a large gap between community wants and mosque capabilities.

The Muslim community in the UK are extremely skilled, however, mosques are largely run by a closed community of elders. While community elders play a vital role in mosque and community building, how can “the mosque” utilise the skills within the community to improve and respond to the needs of its users?

According to sociologist Tracy Brower, there are three factors to building community; Purpose, Belonging, and Resilience.

Purpose

The purpose of the mosque as a place of worship and one where community can be built is in alignment with Islamic teachings and the principles Muslims uphold. A strong sense of purpose is key to building and maintaining community. By opening up mosques to be a space for Islamic scholarship for all members of the community, particularly women, members of the community will feel obligated to be active members of their mosque (for the sake of Allah). However, excluding members of the community from accessing the mosque or Islamic scholarship through the mosque, there is no shared purpose amongst the community.

Belonging

Mosques in the UK tend to be extremely segregated by gender leaving a gap between the services provided to men and women. To foster belonging, Brower says there needs to be “high levels of trust and psychological safety.” Additionally, she says that all members of the community must feel like they are valued both for their contribution but also by meeting their needs. We can reframe the way Muslims think about work and give back to the community from purely a monetary exchange, like giving to charity, to one that can include their skills and labour.

Resilience

In order for mosques to be resilient, they need to adapt to the community by embracing differences of opinion among their members, having open dialogue and being open to feedback. By introducing ways for the community to participate not just as a service user but also as a service provider (utilising their skills to improve the mosque and its services), mosques can become more resilient as more members hold it up. The main challenge is changing the ways mosques ask for feedback and implement the feedback to improve the community.

Ultimately, mosques can use this time, as the community needs change, to become a pillar of the community. The needs of the community, particularly women’s needs, need to be addressed imminently. If mosques fail to do this, they run the risk of alienating at least half of the community.

References:

https://muslimcensus.co.uk/muslim-womans-faith-experience/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2020/10/25/how-to-build-community-and-why-it-matters-so-much/?sh=53040a2b751b