Mosques in disrepair

MOSQUES in the Kingdom, whether in major urban centers, remote villages or along highway rest stops, are visited by the faithful in large numbers. However, many mosques are in a state of disrepair and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs has been urged to look into the matter and establish a mechanism where neglected mosques can be repaired and maintained in a timely manner. Truck driver Ahmad Al-Saji delivers goods all over the Kingdom, a job that takes him to several cities on an almost daily basis. Al-Saji stops at mosques along the road to offer daily prayers and he said most roadside mosques are poorly maintained, dirty and ill equipped to handle the number of visitors they receive. Many travelers stop at highway rest stops to offer prayers. But some of the mosques look haunted and their overall poor condition often discourages people from going inside. “The mosques located on the road between Dammam and Jubail, in particular, are not suitable for a house of worship. They have poorly-maintained bathrooms and the filth inside is nauseating,” he said. Ahmad Al-Shammary, a citizen, agreed with Al-Saji and said in addition to filthy bathrooms, roadside mosques suffer from poor ventilation and lighting. He also called for supervisory authorities to do more to hold those building mosques responsible for maintenance and cleaning. “These facilities are located on highways and whether they are mosques or restaurants, they are dirty and poorly maintained. Quality and maintenance should be paramount. This issue, though urgent, has not been addressed in any way. Travelers are always in a hurry and they rarely report the shortcomings in these places,” he said. Abdullah A-Majid, another citizen, said the parking lots of highway mosques are often full of trash and from afar, the mosques look nothing like a house of worship. “People litter everywhere. Parking lots are full of trash and no one is there to clean it up. It is a dangerous and contaminated environment, perfect for spreading diseases. Doors of mosques are often left wide open for dust to blow in and settle on the carpets inside. This is very disrespectful to the mosques as they are sacred places of worship. Moreover, this does not promote a suitable environment for spirituality,” he said. Ahmad Al-Jarah, the head of maintenance at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, was contacted via e-mail and text messages several times for a comment but he did not respond. — SG