Worshippers Should Not Obstruct Major Roads
As mosques accommodate growing congregations, Abdul-Ganiyy Raji calls for better planning to prevent worship activities from disrupting public roads and imposing avoidable hardship on other citizens.
By Abdul-Ganiyy Raji
A public road is a shared public space. Muslims, Christians, traditionalists, atheists and agnostics all have the right to use it. No religious group has the right to prevent others from using a major public road unnecessarily.
It has been observed that in some communities, worshippers obstruct roads and cause unnecessary hardship to road users. This sometimes happens around Muslim places of worship, and it also happens in some Christian communities. But whether it is done more by Muslims or Christians is not the issue. The practice is wrong, regardless of who does it.
In a multi-religious country like Nigeria, public roads belong to all citizens, regardless of their religious affiliation.
I recently saw a video of a lady expressing her anger over Muslims obstructing a road. My message to her and to others who may have experienced such obstruction by Muslim worshippers, whether on Fridays or during Ramadan, is this: do not blame Islam for poor logistical planning by mosque leaders.
Islam does not permit Muslims to unnecessarily obstruct public roads or cause avoidable hardship to others. People have important appointments, businesses to attend to, emergencies to respond to and livelihoods to pursue. They should not be kept captive because others are worshipping. Some of those affected do not even share our faith.
Mosque leaders should therefore plan adequately for large congregations. Where the mosque is too small, arrangements should be made for additional space without unnecessarily blocking major public roads, particularly where road users have no reasonable alternative route.
Mosques with limited space should consider expansion, while those planning new mosques should think about future growth and provide adequate space for worshippers.
Mosques are places of worship. Roads are public infrastructure. We should not turn major public roads into worship centres and inflict avoidable hardship on other citizens.
I have seen some non-Muslims mistakenly assume that road obstruction during Muslim worship is a fundamental feature of Islam. It is not. In fact, I have seen the practice cited by some Christians in discussions about a recent proposed government bill concerning preaching in public vehicles, with arguments that government should also restrict Muslims from blocking roads during worship.
Such arguments should not be necessary. Road obstruction is not a teaching of Islam, and it should not be defended simply because the people involved are Muslims.
At the same time, this issue should be addressed with wisdom. Fighting worshippers or verbally abusing them for road obstruction will only make matters worse. Polite engagement with the leaders of the affected religious centres, alongside appropriate intervention by relevant authorities, can achieve much more.
Muslims building new mosques should have a plan for future expansion.
The principle is simple: Worship freely, but respect the rights of others.
No religion has a monopoly on public roads.
Abdul-Ganiyy Raji; National Da’wah Officer, NASFAT
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