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THE sound of people worshipping in the kirk had a distinctly different tone.

In place of the usual hymn-singing was the reverberating echo of the imam’s call to prayer as a Scottish church became the first in the world to open its doors to Muslims.

The remarkable union at St John’s Episcopal Church in Aberdeen came after the Reverend Isaac Poobalan saw his Muslim neighbours – who had outgrown their Crown Street Mosque – worshipping in the street.

Mr Poobalan, 50, said: “We are all worshipping the same God. In Islam, in its call to prayer, there is one God. We also believe there is only one God.

“I told my congregation, and especially the church council, I’d seen people sitting on the pavement in the sleet and I thought we should do something.”

The Right Reverend Dr Robert Gillies, the Episcopalian Bishop of

Aberdeen and Orkney, said: “Internationally the news speaks of tension and struggles between Islam and Christianity.

“Yet here in Aberdeen a mosque and a church have built bonds of affection and friendship.

“Mutual hospitality and goodwill exists. Cooperation is there aplenty. Laughter can be heard as humour links people.”

Chief Imam Amed Magghabri said: “What happens here is special and there should be no problem repeating this across the country. The relationship is friendly and respectful.”

Muslims in the city centre are now looking forward to taking up a lease on part of the church, formerly St John’s primary school, which is being renovated at their expense.

After prayers yesterday, Jaffar Mohammed, 27, who works as a train engineer with ScotRail, said: “We are grateful to our brother Isaac for giving us the chance to pray here.

“Friday is an important day for us, as Sunday is for the Christian community, and we do not like to miss prayers between 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

“Muslims would come from throughout the city centre to the mosque. Often we’d find ourselves putting a prayer mat on the street until St John’s took us in.”

Mozahid Sufiwan, 35, a project engineer with BP, said: “What’s happening is really wonderful. I haven’t seen anything like this.

“We tend to pray at different times from the St John’s congregation but sometimes we meet. There is no tension – the people of Aberdeen are great.”