The church that's opened its doors to Islam: Christians roll out welcome to Muslims who were having to pray in the wind and rain because their mosque was so small



The Syed Shah Mustafa Jame Masjid mosque was too small to fit everyone in



Church minister Rev Isaac Poobalan saw worshippers praying outside

Now he has handed over part of St John's Episcopal Church in Aberdeen

Bishop says: 'It would be good to think we can change the world'



A Scottish church has become the first in the UK to share its premises with Muslim worshippers.

St John’s Episcopal Church in Aberdeen now welcomes hundreds of Muslims praying five times a day in their building as the nearby mosque was so small that they were forced to worship outside.

The minister of St John's, Rev Isaac Poobalan, has handed over part of the church hall to Chief Imam Ahmed Megharbi and the imam has led prayers in the main chapel.

Rev Poobalan said today that he would not be true to his faith if he did not offer to help.

Sheikh Ahmed Megharbi, left, and Rev Isaac Poobalan, right, behind the altar at St John's Episcopal Church, Aberdeen, which is also being used as a place of worship for Muslims

Rev Poobalan, right, said he would not be true to his faith if he did not offer to help his neighbours with their overcrowding problem

He said: 'Praying is never wrong. My job is to encourage people to pray.

'The mosque was so full at times, there would be people outside in the wind and rain praying.

'I knew I couldn’t just let this happen - because I would be abandoning what the Bible teaches us about how we should treat our neighbours.

'When I spoke to people at the church about the situation, someone actually said to me this was not our problem, but I had seen it with my own eyes, so it was a problem.

Rev Poobalan said: 'They were out there praying and the snow came on for the first time in winter, it was really hard to watch.

'When they were doing the prayer they had their hands and feet exposed and they were sitting on on the pavement, which is very rough.

'You could even see them breathing because it was so cold and I think when I saw that, the visual impact was such that I just couldn't walk past.

'It felt wrong, mainly because the church is next door, it's a big building and it remains empty on a Friday lunchtime which is when they need the place most as that's when they are at their busiest.

'We had something we could offer and they were just standing out in the cold and I said to my congregation "we need to do something".'



Rev Poobalan said he wanted the move to help build bridges between Christians and Muslims after some initial resistance from his congregation about the move.

He said: 'It's a move that is so basic and fundamental. It has nothing to do with religion - it's all based on human need.

'The religious divide shouldn't divide us as people.



'But I anticipated there would be some opposition as it's strange and new and there was some natural anxiety in the beginning.

'But once people realised that there is more commonality between us.

'I certainly hope, wish and pray that this will help relations between the two religions.



'When I spoke to the imam there was some hesitation on their part too, because this has never been done before.

'But they took us up on the offer and it has been a positive relationship.'

St John's Episcopal Church in Aberdeen is believed to be the first in the UK to share with Muslims

Rev Poobalan, 50, said being surrounded by Islam while growing up in India helped break down the divide for worshippers of two religions praying together in Aberdeen. Sheikh Ahmed Megharbi of the Syed Shah Mustafa Jame Masjid mosque said: 'What happens here is special and there should be no problem repeating this across the country. 'The relationship is friendly and respectful.' St John's is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church, which is part of the Anglican Communion and distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland.

The Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, the Right Rev Dr Robert Gillies said that this relationship could be the start of a change in dynamics between the two faiths. Dr Gillies said: 'It would be good to think we can change the world. 'Most of us most of the time feel we can’t so don’t bother. 'But sometimes, someone has a vision we can do something of global significance on a local scale. 'This is what is happening between St John’s and the mosque in its grounds.

'Everyone can do something locally and if more were to do so then something big might just begin to happen globally.' Dr Gillies said that the 'eyes of the world' were now focused on the two faiths represented in the building on the city’s Crown Terrace. Although the Christian church regards Jesus as the son of God, the Muslim faith views him as a key prophet. Sections of the church hall have been handed over to the mosque and the imam has led prayers in the chapel

Even with differences like these, there can be a mutual respect, said Dr Gillies.

The relationship between the mosque and St John’s has developed over the past few years.

On Christmas Eve 2010 both opened their doors for prayers, food and socialising.

In 2011, the church and mosque teamed up to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the USA.

Verses were read from both the Bible and the Koran to commemorate those who died.

There have been cases of Christians allowing Muslims to pray in their churches in parts of America.

In 2011, two Florida churches were criticised for opening their doors to Muslim groups.