In the afternoon of Monday 16th I go to Luton Central Mosque in Bury Park.
I have always loved hearing the call to prayer. I arrive outside the mosque just before it starts and wait for Sultan who will guide me round the mosque. I enjoy waiting here. Listening to the call to prayer. Thinking about how good it feels just to stand somewhere in public space not doing anything. Just waiting. Relaxing in public spaces feels so rare for me - I'm constantly on the way to somewhere. Yet I think to the groups of people or people on their own sitting on benches in the Mall, or in St Georges Square - socialising, or just sitting. Creating spaces of stillness within shopping complexes. And I think about the fear that populates peoples imaginations of people (particularly teenagers) who are just being in public spaces - what are they doing? why aren't they doing anything? They must be up to something.
Sultan works for the local council, and used to live in one of the houses where the mosque now stands. I find out this story while we are walking round. I love imagining the houses before the mosque was here and I imagine all the buildings that came before this one. All the domestic lives that took place here, and all the walls and rooms. I wonder if Sultan thinks about his childhood home when he comes here?
Its a beautiful building and Sultan is an excellent guide. We enter the hall where men are praying. We talk about the prayers, and Sultan translates the prayers to english for me so I can understand. We stand at the back, people say hello or nod to Sultan when passing. Lots of people know Sultan here.
I am really struck by the carpet, which Sultan says can act as a kind of guide for people standing side by side. When people stand next to each other their shoulders should be touching.
Salat, the ritual Islamic prayer, happens five times daily, I wonder how many people come to this mosque for each of these daily prayers? a continuous reminder of faith, community, and connection.
We explore all round the building - going in and out of rooms with Sultan explaining about the building and his faith. Its really interesting to come here and learn and again I'm struck by what I do and where I go on a daily basis is usually limited to the things I know. Going the places I normally would not go to is liberating.
We go to the rooftop. Sultan presses the bar down on the door to go outside and the alarm goes off! Again Sultan is very relaxed!
It feels such an honour to go on the roof and see a view of Luton from here.
I really love the encouragement Sultan brings, his enthusiasm, and his desire to share information with me. He constantly assures me that I can ask him anything as well as taking pictures. Here are two we took of each other.
