SUPPORT BUILDING THE LINKÖPING MOSQUE

The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said:

”For whoever builds a mosque, Allah will build a house in paradise.”

(reported by Bukhari)

Support building the Linköping Mosque

All contributions, small or big, are welcome. By giving SEK 14,000 you contribute to one prayer space (0,5 m²) in the mosque.

Within Sweden:

The easiest way to contribute is through our swish account: 123 219 38 11

Or use your bank card directly with us in Linköping.

Contributions from abroad, please use:

IBAN-NUMBER: SE 609500 0099 6026 0462 4987

BIC-KODE: NDEASESS

Name of receiver: Linköpings moskéstiftelse

Contact us:

Linköpings moskéstiftelse

Visiting address: Hamngatan 49

Postal address: Box 374, 581 03 Linköping, Sweden

e-mail: lims@linkopingmoske.se

www.linkopingmoske.se

The Linköping Mosque Foundation

About Linköping

At the heart of southern Sweden, 200 km south of Stockholm, lies the country´s fifth largest municipality Linköping, a fast-growing city with more than 160,000 inhabitants. The municipality is home to a highly ranked university, several high-tech industries and one of Sweden´s leading science parks – Mjärdevi Science Park. Well-known companies in Linköping are Saab, Ericsson, IFS, Sectra, Scan, Arla, Autoliv, Arris, CybAero. As a vital centre for education and technical innovation the city attracts students, workforce and immigrants from all over the world. During the last few decades Linköping has also attracted a great number of well-educated people not only from the Middle East, Asia, and Afrika, but also from other European countries.

Muslims in Linköping

The first Muslims in Linköping arrived about 50 years ago. At present the number of Muslims in the municipality is around 15,000, and in Sweden only Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö see more.

In the year 1992 The Islamic Association of Linköping (IFIL) was founded to safeguard the common interests of Muslims; provide premises for prayer, education, and social interaction; and organize the Eid prayers. IFIL also takes as its responsibility to officiate marriages and administer funerals for Muslims in Linköping and environs, as well as convey information on Islam to Swedish public. The majority of the congregation´s members has its origin in the Middle East and Africa, in particular Somalia, but there is also a growing number of Swedish converts as well as Muslim guest students at the University of Linköping.

Over time the congregation has grown and so has the need for facilities. At present IFIL rents premises, approximately 150 m², just outside the city centre, that function as mosque and meeting hall for the Muslims of Linköping. The premises are also used for education of children, youth, and adults.

Needs

Since 1992 the congregation has grown by 500 percent and the activity has become more diverse and complex, not the least in its interaction with the surrounding society. The number of visitors and the activity in demand requires facilities that is lacking in the now existing premises.

Because of this the association cannot expand its activity and is forced to prioritize some activities at the expense of others. The premises are not adjusted, nor has the capacity, to welcome guests, study visits, various social and societal actors, or those who want to learn more about Islam. Instead the association is forced to look for alternative premises for some of its activities, which ends up being costly, unpractical, and uncertain.

An increasing and serious concern is the fact that participants at Friday prayers and other congregational prayers are forced to do their prayers in open air outside the mosque, in public space on land that the association, in fact, is not in disposal of.

Religious activities

Despite these circumstances the association offers basic services, such as the possibility to offer the five daily prayers, Friday prayers, the special prayers (tarawih) of the fasting month, and the Eid prayers; as well as officiating marriages for Muslim couples and helping families in times of mourning by administering funerals. The association also arranges education in the Quran, the Arabic language, knowledge in Islam, and more; as well as organizes lectures on different subjects, family- and youth-programs and conferences. In addition, we help with guidance in various community issues through family counselling as well as counselling in economical and legal matters.

Friday prayer

An increasing and serious concern is the fact that participants at Friday prayers and other congregational prayers are forced to do their prayers in open air outside the mosque, in public space on land that the association, in fact, is not in disposal of.

Eid prayer

Weather and climate conditions as well as community issues most often means that it is not possible to do the Eid prayers outside in open air, and our present premises are not sufficient to welcome all Muslims who want to be present. The solution so far has been to rent big and spacious premises. The selection of such halls is somewhat limited and the accessibility dependent on the benevolence of the owner. Halls that has been used is the sports centre at Linköping University, and an indoor arena used for soccer during the winter.

A mosque and a cultural centre

As described above, the now existing premises and facilities do not suffice for the needs of the Muslims in Linköping and environs. During many years, the Muslims of Linköping actively has worked to get permission to build a mosque and a cultural centre on their own land, and has also established a foundation for this purpose ­– The Linköping Mosque Foundation (LIMS).

The mosque and the cultural centre will function as a meeting spot for the congregation and the surrounding society. The ambition is that the centre simultaneously will function as an educational institution for congregational members, and an open educational institution for anyone interested in learning about Islam. Hopefully, the centre will work as a bridge-builder and prevent ignorance about Islam.

Vision

Our vision is that Linköping will get an Islamic cultural centre that fills the needs of the Muslim community with regard to capacity and function, so that each and every one is able to do their prayers and participate in other activities. Besides the religious functions, the centre should be characterized by an openness in receiving study visits from schools and other actors for educational purposes. In the same manner as other religious buildings the mosque should blend in the city profile and function as a meeting spot for everyone interested in Islam.