Mosques throughout South Africa welcomed thousands of neighbours, colleagues, and curious citizens yesterday as part of the annual National Mosque Open Day. Held on Heritage Day, 24 September, the nationwide initiative gave South Africans from all walks of life free access to local Islamic centres of worship to ask questions, explore sacred architecture, and engage directly with the Muslim community.
Co-ordinated by the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET), the campaign saw dozens of participating centres across South Africa host guided tours, calligraphy exhibitions, prayer demonstrations, and open discussions. The programme operates as an inverted bridge between communities, aiming to dispel persistent misconceptions by replacing hearsay with firsthand personal engagement.
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Building bridges through open dialogue
Mohamed Kharwa, executive at SAMNET, emphasised that opening the doors of places of worship is crucial to confronting intolerance.
“Prejudice thrives on people not knowing other people, on people having preconceived ideas,” Kharwa said. “Yes, we are different. People have their own ideologies, their own religion, their own beliefs. But that shouldn’t actually be a line of division. It should be a line of difference. But it should also become a point that we actually cross over. For that to happen, we’ve got to open the doors.”
Kharwa noted that establishing National Mosque Open Day nearly a decade ago was designed to highlight the profound historic presence of Islam in South Africa, extending back to political exiles and slaves brought to the Cape who helped shape the local culture and early written language.
“What we want to do is identify the contribution of Muslims to the heritage of South Africa,” Kharwa explained. “Over and above that, it’s an opportunity for us to be able to engage with our neighbours, with our communities around Islam and introducing them to it.”
Visitors participating in the initiative were treated to guided tours of prayer halls, ablution walkthroughs, health screenings, and refreshments, with host venues encouraging guests to ask candid questions about daily practices, traditions, and faith. While most events took place on Heritage Day, select participating centres — such as Houghton Masjid and Habibiyah Soofie Musjid in Ladysmith — have scheduled complementary programmes into early October to accommodate broader public attendance.
Image via SA Mosques.
