Muslim service in Welsh held at National Eisteddfod

A Muslim service in Welsh was held on the National Eisteddfod Maes for the first time today.

Imam Mirazam Khan, who is from Caernarfon but is a chaplain at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, led the service which was attended by men, women and children in the Eisteddfod’s dedicated prayer room.

The Iman made the traditional call to prayer and the prayers were said in Arabic as the Quran requires. He then went on to give a khutbah (sermon) in Welsh.

‘Powerful message’

Before the service he said the prayers showed “everyone belongs here regardless of how we look” and a Welsh language khutbah sends a “powerful” message.

“Wherever we are – whether that be a church or mosque, it’s important that we have these religious buildings here to keep ourselves connected, to remind us that we are Christians, Muslims or Jews, that we have our traditional roots,” he said.

The service was organized by the Cardiff-based Now in a Minute group.

Significant

The group’s co-founder Mariyah Zaman said the service in the Eisteddfod’s prayer room was very significant.

“It shows there is a welcome for everyone at the festival,” she said.

She explained the khutbah is normally given in the local language.

“I was in China recently and the khutbah was in the language of the people. Here in Wales almost all Muslis speak English so it is given in English but here we recognize that Welsh is the predominate language and the Iman was able to give it in Welsh.”

Following the service and a meeting in the Communities tent Welsh Muslim speakers discussed Welshness and Islam and later, at Sinemaes a new video, O’r Mosg i r Maes was screened for the first time.

Made in partnership with the National Eisteddfod the video shows the life of Muslims in the Wrexham area.