The councilors of the British town of Newark announced during their June 10 meeting the town’s newest place of worship, ‘Newark Islamic Centre,’ Newark Advertiser reported.
“There was unanimous support for the proposed change of use. We welcome this plan,” said councilor Jane Olson who offered her wholehearted supported during the meeting of the town council’s planning committee.
The town’s first mosque was approved by Newark Town Council’s planning committee, and the district council shall grant the planning permission soon.
“At the minute, there’s nowhere for Muslim’s to meet in Newark and I wholeheartedly support it,” Olson explained.
Another councilor, Gill Dawn, said: “There had been no backlash or negative comments surrounding the mosque. This place has already been operating for some time and there has been no hint of any trouble or any disruption. Everyone has a right to worship whoever they want to and I wish them all the best of luck.”
The Muslim applicants say the center aims to be an integral part of Newark and want it to be a societal hub of the community, not just for Muslims but for the town as a whole.
Like ordinary Islamic centers throughout the entire world, the Newark Islamic Centre recently became a registered charity and, in the future, hopes to buy premises to use as a permanent base.
The alterations at Appletongate would see a change from mixed-use retail to a community center, mosque, café and shop on the ground floor; providing space for community events; meetings for clubs and groups, after-school activities and charitable support for the local homeless.
On his behalf, Laurence Goff said: “Newark should be inclusive for everybody and its good for the town. We should all welcome the idea.”
Islam is England’s second largest religion after Christianity. Most Muslims are immigrants from South Asia and Africa. According to the 2011 Census, 2.7 million Muslims live in Britain, up by almost 1 million from the previous census, where they form 5.0% of the general population and 9.1% of children under the age of five.
Historically, there was minor contact between England and Muslims for many centuries.
References to Britain are also found in early Islamic geographical literature, such as the 9th century work of Ahmad ibn Rustah, which describes the islands of ‘Bratiniya’.
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