Seek2Change hosts an open day for non-Muslims at mosque

A faith group hosted an open day at a mosque in Nelson to educate and inform non-Muslims about Islam.

The event which took place at the Nelson Ghausia Mosque on Saturday the 18th of May from 3pm was organised by Seek2Change and will give an opportunity for locals to come and see what happens inside the beautiful mosque.

They were able to learn and see what Muslims do in mosques and what Islam teaches such as praying and ablution. Up to 70 people are expected at the event.

The organisers hope to introduce teachings of Islam so attendees can understand Islam better. They also want ⁠to promote harmony and welfare and bridge the gap between different cultures and communities and remove barriers and address any misconceptions people may have about Islam.

There will be plenty of activities such as a bouncy castle, a ⁠henna and hijab station. Workshops will be held about universal teachings, like how to break bad habits, and how to be an advocate for peace.

⁠Lectures were delivered alongside mindfulness meditation. 

Seek2Change was established in 2023 with a vision to promote global peace. Their mission is to recognise the importance of raising awareness about the diversity within communities and to nurture mutual understanding among people with varying religious and non-religious backgrounds.

Hammaad Shafiq is one of the directors at seek2change. He is a pharmacist by profession and is also a hafiz of the Quran.

He said: “Practicing Islam is beneficial for all of humanity. Nowadays people are struggling to find peace as they are looking in the wrong places and not finding it. The result is mental health problems are on the rise. People seek peace in holidays or taking drugs and alcohol.

In essence, Islam frees you up from being under the thumb of all these things and it allows you to live a free life.

We don’t expect people to convert to Islam. We don’t push Islam onto people but our ethos is that there is a peaceful way of living. What we offer is an alternative way of living. We can become a source of goodness for everyone.”

He added: “What we are trying to do is show people the beauty of Islam because it is the true way of attaining peace. We have a passion for people who are struggling and don’t know a better way of living. As born Muslims we don’t truly value Islam.

The message of Islam hasn’t reached the non-Muslims. People are actually scared of the obligations of Islam.

In our events we don’t even mention anything about Allah or the Quran and Hadith. But we convey the essence of the teachings in a universal language that can be understood by everyone, Muslim or otherwise.

Their previous open day held in a mosque in Bolton was a success. They had an Islamic mindfulness session which was received very well.

Hammaad added: “We conveyed the message of peace and showed them what Islam has to offer. They also enjoyed observing the salah and walking around in the mosque. Seek2change are offering their services to all mosques to open their doors to non-Muslims.

We want to promote understanding between communities and bridge the gap so non-Muslims know what Islam is and what it offers and how they can practically follow the teachings of Islam without converting. Ultimately, we hope people are receptive to our message of peace.”

Abdus Samad, a quantity surveyor, is project manager at Seek2Change. He stated: “At Seek2Change we have many diverse members. We don’t focus on religious differences.

In a nutshell, we focus on the 80% we have in common with other world religions like Judaism and Christianity. Almost every religion teaches followers to be good to neighbours, loving one another and living in harmony.

How can people find peace if they don’t know what it is. They may associate peace with pleasure, but ultimate that is a short-term relief not a cure.”

Imam Qays Miah studied abroad and is a trainer at Seek2change. He is an Imam at various mosques including Manchester and Nelson.

He said: “The moment you have taken the shahada and accepted Islam then the duty on every Muslim is to take on the legacy and mission of Prophet Muhammad (saw).

It becomes incumbent on us to convey the message to others as there will be no more prophets to come. We start with ourselves, then our families, then your locality and then the whole of humanity.”