Last Wednesday, the pews were packed with Muslims and Jewish folks—alongside people of varying levels of other beliefs—as Planning Commission considered whether to grant permit modifications for a local mosque.
The West Valley Muslim Association was asking that indoor prayers be allowed to occur as early as 1.5 hours before sunrise, for night prayers to go until 10:30pm (but only during the summer months), and for 30 days of extended hours during Ramadan (2-2.5 hours each night as they work their way through the Quran).
“A mosque cannot be a mosque if it cannot offer congressional prayers,” said WVMA founder Razi Mohiuddin. “This is fundamental. And they have to be offered at the time. These times cannot be changed by individuals or institutions.”…