Cape Town - Threats of a stabbing and an attempt to bar the doors of the controversial “Open Mosque” failed to keep Dr Taj Hargey from opening his new masjid on Friday.
Amid claims that his mosque was an “abomination” and that it violated every principle of Islam, it opened its doors for the first time in Wynberg, attracting about 20 people and almost as many journalists.
Outside the mosque, a small group of protesters waited to confront Hargey. One protester threatened to stab him as he stood outside.
“Stiek die f****n vark (stab the f*****g pig),” a man shouted, before being quickly led away.
A feeble attempt to block the door of the mosque saw worshippers enter instead through a side door.
Hargey claims his mosque is the first in South Africa which is Qur’an-centric, gender equal, non-sectarian, cross-cultured and completely independent.
It has also welcomed gays and lesbians, is happy to marry Muslim women to non-Muslim men, allows women to lead prayers and allows men and women to pray together.
Hargey, who has a PhD in Islamic theology, said he had received several threats, including to castrate him, behead him and string him up. “We have endured sabotage, dirty tricks, and so many other attempts to see the mosque closed but we have been successful,” he said.
But the mosque has infuriated parts of the Muslim community and is considered by them to be blasphemous. Shaheem Vardien said:
“The Mosque and Hargey are abominations to Islam. Hargey has insulted our religion.
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Hargey has been extremely critical of the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) in the past, and has said the council used Islam as a funding scheme for its own benefit. Before the lecture Hargey called the MJC the “Maniacs and Jokers Club”.
The mosque’s first lecture was on the need to unite Muslims and Christians. Hargey endured several hecklers throughout.
Others, however, were more open-minded. Reza Williams, from Worcester, said:
“I’m here out of curiosity and to look beyond traditional Islamic teachings. If this place takes someone away from a life of servitude or misery, why not listen and find out more about it?”
Weekend Argus