To complain about this prayer house?

[Chocolocolate]

There is a house at the end of our road, that seems to have been converted into some sort of Islamic prayer house (forgive my religious ignorance).

We drive home from work and past it around 10.15pm every evening and there are lots of men inside and arriving, all in religious dress and appear, from what you can see through the obscured glass window, to be praying.

The problem that we have is that all of the visitors park there cars (most of which seem to be large BMW-type cars) right next to the house and really crowd the road. They park on either side of an already narrow road making it really difficult to get our car through.

Anyone pulling out of our street couldn't see either direction and it's very difficult to squeeze our car through the cars and down our street.

There is ample parking around the residential area so if the visitors were willing to park a little further away there would be no problem.

WIBU to complain? If so, who to? The prayer house, the police he council?

[gorionine]

You are rught solidgoldbrass but I would go straigt to them rather than straight to the council though as IMHO it is better to try ans solve things amicably. Obviously if amicable does not work going to the council is probably the next apropriate step.

[gorionine]

right even!

[OTheHugeRaveningWolef]

IIRC Eid is next Wednesday. So if you can hold out till Thursday the parking problem may go away on its own.

[Chocolocolate]

You've all really helped. If this is only going on until next week, there's not that much point complaining.

Hope no emergency vehicles have to get through though as there's only just room for our car!

I'm not sure whether the parking is legal or not: both sides of the street, right near the junction so that only a small car can fit through.

The fact that it's a prayer house was only mentioned in the OP to try to explain why it was a problem at the same time every night (unfortunately when we're on our way home from work). Also, I have to admit that I was curious when the praying first started happening.

I suppose I should be thankful that, with it being a prayer house, the obstruction is only at certain times of day and not all the time!

[JuJuMoo]

Yep I'm pretty sure it will all be over by Wednesday or so when Eid (end of Ramadan) is predicted to take place. However I do think it is worth mentioning the problems the parking has caused directly to the masjid (mosque) itself, as the committee are normally very good with working with the community, and taking into account their views, safety and wishes- I'm surprised they didn't consult with residents beforehand tbh. Maybe even if you drop a note in and ask somebody to call you.

I'm Muslim and attended a talk last Ramadhan, it stands out in my mind in fact, as the Scholar reinforced the rights neighbours have over us in the Islamic belief system, and reiterated that if even one neighbour was troubled or inconvenienced by the way a Muslim had parked at the masjid, then it would have been more rewarding to have read the prayer at home rather than cause a problem for someone else. So I am hopeful you'll receive a positive response if you mention the problems, and ask what solutions they are looking at. Hope it gets resolved.