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Original poster

Living opposite a mosque

64 replies

Sandrine1982 · 14/08/2021 12:42

Just after a bit of advice. We're thinking of putting an offer on a house that ticks most of our boxes.
It is just across the road from a (not very large) mosque, so I wonder what the potential drawbacks might be. I'm very sensitive to noise but I don't think mosques are particularly noisy places of worship, since in the UK they are not allowed to broadcast the call for prayers. (For the same reason I wouldn't want to live next to a church if the bells rang several times a day, even just on a Sunday.) I've also heard that parking can be an issue especially on Fridays, but this shouldn't be a problem as we don't really use our car much. But it might bother me if cars are constantly revving outside our windows trying to find a space? I don't know.
Does anyone have experience living near a mosque? How would you describe it?

(Respectful replies only, please. This is not about religion)

Thanks in advance :)

OP posts:
Zilla1 · 14/08/2021 13:42

I've not heard a call to prayers from a mosque that was louder than a church's bells. Can hear from home several different churches' bells ring from miles at night. I like that though. Did see a news story about neighbours trying to stop church bells ringing - www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-42086315

Original poster
Sandrine1982 · 14/08/2021 13:44

We have a toddler and I would be concerned if the call was allowed at sunset as in the summer her bedtime might be earlier than the sunset ...

OP posts:
TakeYourFinalPosition · 14/08/2021 13:45

Our nearest mosque is medium sized, so it might be different - but parking is chaos a lot of the time, always bad on Fridays (the most important day of prayers) and they have a lot of events like weddings.

There tends to be a lot of people hanging around talking after going to the mosque, which is friendly, but might be annoying if it’s a lot of the time. There’s also a few ladies who cook samosas and the like and sell/serve them outside the mosque after busy sessions - they’re delicious but again, could be annoying to live next to.

I’d do a lot of drive pasts to see traffic/people/noise at different times; and consider the layout of the house, but it wouldn’t be a hard no for me.

I don’t think ours play any kind of loud music etc unless there’s a wedding or similar event, and that’d be no different to church bells etc - people buy houses near churches so I don’t think that’d be a major issue for resale, as long as you can live with it.

ATrifleofFun · 14/08/2021 13:51

Funnily enough I am currently living in a rented house opposite a small mosque. You can hardly tell it is even there most of the time. It is busy during the day on Fridays and their holidays. They seem like a polite bunch and their main prayer time on Friday is at lunch so it doesn't clash with school traffic. They have their own parking area so that isn't much of a problem. Certainly no revving engines. Definitely worth walking round there on a Friday to get a feel for it.

NiceTwin · 14/08/2021 13:53

@flashbac east lancashire.
I don't mind the call to prayer, just like I don't mind the church bells.
The church is a mile in the other direction but we rarely hear them as the wind is more often than not going in the wrong direction.

EvilPea · 14/08/2021 13:54

Parking, lots of coming and goings and hanging around. Like a busy shop.

Like any successful place be aware if there’s scope to expand and any potential impact that may have on you. As with pretty much any religious centre councils are reluctant to step in and intervene if there’s issues, most you’ll get is parking restrictions between certain hours.

Considerations but wouldn’t necessarily put me off.

ATrifleofFun · 14/08/2021 13:56

Also, I have a toddler and she has been absolutely fine with it. We hardly notice a call to prayer and have only seen significant early morning attendance at Eid. The pub nearby was far far worse for noise when the Euros were on!

SaharaFlower · 14/08/2021 14:17

I wouldn't want to live opposite; adhan is a serious annoyance.

2bazookas · 14/08/2021 14:17

You find out when their Friday prayers are and go there at that time to see what the level of parking /noise is like. Then decide.

Just like I would if I was considering a house opposite a school, chip shop, cinema etc.

ohtobeinengland · 14/08/2021 16:05

Just moved from around the corner to a mosque, no problems except parking tight in adjoining roads on a ( usually ) Friday early afternoon and very difficult on religious festivals but this only is for around an hour or two on each occasion , the people worshiping always are curtious and respectful

JLQ1020 · 14/08/2021 17:00

My first thought was would it not be considered a safer area and lower crime rates?
During services likely to be more busy yes. But over all I think it wouldn't bother me.

LoveFall · 14/08/2021 17:19

We lived in the same block as a Catholic church. It was very, very busy parking wise on Sundays. We didn't mind all that much but it was very busy and crowded,

flashbac · 14/08/2021 17:27

Where are these posters living in the UK that the mosques are allowed to broadcast the call to prayer on a permanent basis and not one off periods or celebrations like Eid or Ramadan? Is it broadcast five times a day? I've never heard of this?

Bananarice · 14/08/2021 17:51

According to pp the call to prayer was allowed to start during the first lockdown, when mosques were closed Hmm.

I don't live close to a mosque so I don't know how it feels living close to one.

Mochudubh · 14/08/2021 17:56

I used to live next door to a mosque as a student. It was fine, most of the time you wouldn't know it was there. I did get a fright one dark evening when I glanced out the window and saw a row of hooded figures. Then I realised it was just women queuing to enter the mosque. 😊 (I was young and from the sticks).

I didn't have a car then but I now work close to that same mosque and parking is a nightmare in a Friday but OK otherwise.

AwaAnBileYerHeid · 14/08/2021 18:20

I used to live in student accommodation across from a mosque. This was around 15 years ago now. There used to be prayer calls through loudspeakers in the early hours. Never used to bother me however it might be different if you have kids. Other than that, I don't really remember anything else.

FurierTransform · 14/08/2021 18:26

I wouldn't do it. It will be very busy, with lots of people hanging around, often quite large groups of men, that can be a little intimidating (I know they probably aren't, but I wouldn't want that right outside my house)

viques · 14/08/2021 18:34

I don’t think it is prayer times that are the issue, near me the congregations are made of local people/ men who walk to prayer at the various small mosques we have locally. But the traffic log jams happen at mosque school opening and closing times, which are early evening Monday to Friday throughout the year except for Ramadan.

viques · 14/08/2021 18:38

And I don’t know why people keep referring to Fridays as the busy day, mosques open for prayer every day during the week, devout Muslims aren’t like once a week Christians and many mosques seem to have congregations that attend daily.

hannahcolobus · 14/08/2021 19:02

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

DrDetriment · 14/08/2021 19:02

I wouldn't live near one. The one I go past a mile away is very busy and parking near there can be very difficult. You definitely hear the services outside and on some days there are lots of men hanging around on the pavement that can be quite intimidating.

MrsSkylerWhite · 14/08/2021 19:04

Like others, I’d hang about on a Friday to see if there are any issues. You should also ask the current owners, they are obliged to tell you the truth I think.

eurochick · 14/08/2021 19:04

I've lived near one. The main issue was very antisocial parking.

flashbac · 14/08/2021 20:00

@viques

And I don’t know why people keep referring to Fridays as the busy day, mosques open for prayer every day during the week, devout Muslims aren’t like once a week Christians and many mosques seem to have congregations that attend daily.
Because many make the extra effort to go to the mosque on Friday, given its a holy day.
Mochudubh · 14/08/2021 20:18

@viques

And I don’t know why people keep referring to Fridays as the busy day, mosques open for prayer every day during the week, devout Muslims aren’t like once a week Christians and many mosques seem to have congregations that attend daily.
Because Fridays are observably busier.
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