After years of wishing and planning, a major dream for the local Muslim community has finally been realized.
That dream was shared with invited guests Saturday afternoon as the Prince George Islamic Centre was officially opened, marking the establishment of the first mosque for Northern British Columbia.
"This beautiful centre is a dream come true. It was a dream for our community for more than 15 years," said Dr. Mostafa Mohamed, president of the Prince George chapter of the British Columbia Muslim Association (BCMA).
Two years after ground was broken, the community welcomed family, friends and guests from across the country to the new 7,000 square foot prayer and multi-purpose cultural space.
"Our mosque is a symbol of light, perfectly located at the Foothills site," said opening ceremonies emcee Jamil Akhtar in a recurring refrain.
The centre, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Foothills Boulevard, was designed by architect Sharif Senbel, who told The Citizen he didn't let the fact it was the north's first mosque influence his work.
"I was just hoping to make a beautiful building, wherever it is," said Senbel, whose work on the Prince George building marks his fifth mosque design.
With a steadily growing Muslim population in the area, a focal point for the community was becoming a greater necessity.
In a post-9/11 society, Islam is the most misunderstood religion, said BCMA president Sikander Khan, who travelled from Vancouver for the opening.
Not only is a mosque a place of prayer for Muslims, but it is also a space for learning and education for Muslims and non-Muslims alike - a place to share experiences and cultures and to promote the faith and the faithful's activities.
The community needs to see its neighbours practicing Islam to be a correct representation of the religion, said Islamic scholar Mufti Aasim Rashid.
"When we establish a house of Allah, when we establish a mosque, it's a very auspicious occasion," Rashid said. "But this is the beginning, where the journey starts. It's not about erecting a building... it's about the purpose behind it." Part of that purpose will be to unite people of different faiths into one functioning society.
"Where our political leaders have failed, we as religious leaders can succeed in bringing people together," Khan said.
That spirit of sharing and collaboration has been evident in Prince George for years, reflected in the thanks and well wishes to various community partners.
Established in 1995, the Prince George BCMA held congregational prayers in classrooms at the local post-secondary institutions, rented motel rooms and finally weekly classes were held in rooms provided by the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society. Friday prayers were also offered in space rented from Knox United Church.
On Saturday, Mohamed and project manager Dr. Firas Mansour were able to return the keys to IMSS executive director Baljit Sethi and Knox pastor Rob Smith.
But Sethi said it was her organization that had reason to be thankful to the Muslim community. She said retaining immigrants from the Middle East and other Muslim communities has been difficult because they could not feel comfortable in Prince George without some place to share their faith.
"You're creating a threshold for many immigrants to come and be satisfied," Sethi said.
In fact, it was the promise of a mosque that played a large role in the decision of eventual project manager Mansour to move back to Prince George from Quesnel in 2006.
The Prince George Islamic Centre will host a public open house in the near future.
