Local Muslim Cubans get first prayer room
13:30, 11/07/2015, SaturdayU: Update: 13:40, 11/07/2015, Saturday
Yeni Şafak
Turkey has built the first prayer room in Cuba which opened in time for indigenous Muslims to observe Ramadan, since only foreign Muslims have been provided a place to pray until now
The small Muslim community of the Latin American Island of Cuba can now perform their Trawih and Friday prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.
As the Muslim world celebrates the holy month of Ramadan with joy and prayer, the Muslim community in the Latin American Communist country, Cuba, is experiencing their most joyful Ramadan after praying together in their new prayer room.
Cuba's small Muslim community of nearly 4,000 people didn't have a prayer room or mosque to perform their holy religious duty.
The Turkish Religious Foundation, or TDV, opened the prayer room for the Latino Muslims in Cuba, who had been performing their congregational prayers in houses or open fields.
“The prayer hall will remain open for use until the mosque in Havana, which is currently under construction with Turkish funding, is completed," said Ismail Palakoğlu, the head of TDV.
The Muslims in Havana can perform congregational prayers there, such as Friday prayers, Trawih and Eid Prayer, which must be performed in a proper mosque, he added.
The prayer room is located inside a historical building allocated to be used by Muslims.
The country only has a section inside an old museum, which is functioning as a mosque for non-Cuban Muslims, while the country's local Muslim community is not allowed in.