Overcrowded Brussels mosques apply for expansions

At least 14 mosques in Brussels are hoping to expand soon to address overcrowding, with renovations as small as adding an extra floor to as substantial as buying up an entire block of buildings.

Al Firdaws in Schaerbeek is one of the mosques raising funds for expansion plans, Bruzz reports, with donations from worshippers and a lack of space driving the move.

“The project for the new mosque is progressing very well,” the mosque told its Facebook followers in a recent post.

“The new location will, God willing, enable us to provide suitable prayer areas for men and women and a space for teaching the Koran and Arabic to our children.”

Other mosques planning expansions include the El Chatibi Mosque in Laeken, which announced in early March that it had already raised €1 million in donations for the planned purchase of an adjacent complex spanning no less than 1,400m².

The property in question is a warehouse which, in a video from a year ago, was still full of car parts and surrounded by small urban gardens.

The purchase, for which a further €270,000 is still needed, is intended to provide more space for religious services. At the same time, part of it would be let out to guarantee a steady income.

In Brussels-City, Al-Jadid on Boulevard Lemonnier is aiming for €1.1 million to acquire an adjacent building, whilst Centre El Hikma in Forest hopes to raise €400,000 to add an extra floor to its existing premises “to further develop our educational, spiritual and social activities”, it said.

In Jette, the Islamic place of worship run by the non-profit organisation Averroes is under construction. In 2019, the project was met with a "no" from the consultation committee, partly due to fears of traffic problems and noise pollution, but early last year it was finally given the green light.

By mid-February, the project had already cost €1 million, but the target to be raised remains €2.5 million. The four-storey building is to house not only a prayer hall but also classrooms, a conference hall, a relaxation area with a cafeteria and even a fitness room.

Lack of space is the most common reason given for mosques' expansion plans.

“On Fridays and during public holidays, the prayer hall is absolutely packed,” Karim Abbas of the Assouna mosque in Anderlecht told Bruzz.

Friday is traditionally the most important day of prayer for Muslims, when it is, in principle, obligatory to attend the mosque.

“Usually there is a capacity shortfall of 10%, but on major holidays, such as Eid al-Adha and at the end of Ramadan, that rises to at least 25%.

"Up to 500 worshippers then cannot find a place. As a solution, the board has to ask the local council for permission to pray in the street."

The mosque recently launched a fundraising campaign to raise €500,000 and purchase an adjacent building.

Al-Azhar in Saint-Josse also launched a fundraising campaign some time ago, for the same reason.

“We can currently accommodate 300 people,” said representative Hassan Lamarti. “On Fridays and during Ramadan, however, that number should be double.”

Lamarti said he also wants to use the larger space for humanitarian work: “For example, to prepare meals for people in need, or for funerals.

"Many elderly people who pass away live in small homes, meaning there is not enough space for people to come and mourn. That could then take place in the new space from now on."

It is illegal in Belgium to collect statistics about people’s religion, so there are no exact figures on the growth in the number of Muslims.

Estimates usually hover around 25% of the population of Brussels. What is certain is that their numbers have increased in recent years due to migration and a growing birth rate.

“The places of worship will certainly not be full every day,” said Corinne Torrekens, an expert on Islam at the French-speaking University of Brussels (ULB).

“The fact is that 30 or 40 years ago, many mosques often started out in small houses, so there wasn’t much space available from the outset.”

But Torrekens observes several trends that could increase the pressure on prayer spaces.

“Fewer deceased are now being repatriated, as was the custom among first-generation migrants,” said Torrekens. “These ceremonies now often take place in a local mosque.”

Women are also playing an increasingly prominent role in Islam, "yet in most places, the prayer areas for women are still rather makeshift," she added.

"They are often smaller spaces off to the side, where they sometimes can barely see or hear the imam."

Mohamed El Farhaoui, who is active within the Al Ansar mosque in Schaerbeek and the Brussels Federation of Mosques, estimates the capacity shortfall in Brussels at 15%.

“We ask people to make sure they arrive early enough, because once it’s full, it’s full,” said El Farhaoui.

“Parking is a major bottleneck in this regard: I always encourage worshippers to take public transport.”

El Farhaoui also points out that women and young people in particular need more space.

“The mosque must be able to play a role in young people’s lives, after all, we try to protect young people,” he said.

“They need to use their time productively rather than hanging around outside. These are the tasks expected of us, but none of this comes for free.”

Mosques rely almost entirely on donations for major investments. “The faithful pay for everything,” said Karim Abbas of Assouna.

"Without donations, there wouldn’t even be water, which is, after all, essential for the purification rituals.

"Neither the local council, nor the federal government, nor authorities abroad provide any funding: everything is made possible thanks to the generosity of our faithful.”

To finance the project in Jette, for example, the imam has explicitly stated on several occasions that he does not wish to be dependent on funds from Saudi Arabia.

To be eligible for state support, a mosque must be recognised, but that procedure can easily take years. Brussels has about 25 recognised mosques, but there are also dozens of unrecognised ones.

“We’ve been waiting for ten years,” said Abbas in regards to recognition.

El Farhaoui said the state should make this recognition a priority.

“That would help mosques financially and administratively, enabling them to become properly integrated into society,” he told Bruzz.