The church and mosque six feet apart

The distance between Gospel Healing Centre International church (Left wall) and Munazzamat al Dawa al Islamiyya Mosque in Kajjansi. The two are only six feet apart. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA

What you need to know:

Brotherliness. Two different faiths, harmonious followers. Gillian Nantume visits the church which is six feet away from the mosque

The church came before the mosque, but the area is predominantly Muslim. With that in mind, I wear a long dress and head to Lwezza on Entebbe Road, to attend the first service at Gospel Healing Centre International. I’m late though. Bishop Patrick Makumbi is already into his sermon.

The sight of Uganda Police Force officers manning the entrance and the parking lot checks my stride. My camera cannot escape detection, so I cross the road and listen to the service from a matooke and vegetable stall. The vendor and her children are having a breakfast of last night’s leftovers. A few feet away, the mosque is deserted. As the clock ticks towards 1pm, I wait for the clash. The praise and worship session of the second service begins at the time the Imam should issue the Al-adhan (call to prayer).

Nothing of the sort happened. In fact, before you can blink an eye, the Muslims have finished praying – without a sound, and life goes on, on this near empty dusty street. It is almost inconceivable for a born-again Christian and a Tabliq Muslim to serve their faith in the same environment. That is the enigma of a church and mosque that are only six feet apart.

Unlikely neighbours
One has to remove their shoes to enter Bishop Makumbi’s office. It could be for hygienic reasons, or because this is holy ground. There is a calm assurance about the man as he reclines. He gives the impression of one sure of his domain; though, his open face does not invite prying questions.

“We came to this area in December, 2000 and started a church in a rundown bar, whose owner was the only Christian in the area. Five months later, the church was burnt down in the middle of the night. We really struggled at that time.”

Challenges are the stepping stones to opportunity; a few months after the arson attack, Makumbi was invited to preach in West Ham, London where he prayed for three barren women. One year and two months later, they had given birth. They invited him back to West Ham to dedicate their children and blessed him with £15,000 (about Shs37m in 2002).

“When I came back, this property (where the church now stands) was up for sale. It formerly belonged to Hajji Katongole but he had failed to pay a loan he took from Bank of Baroda. We used to come and pray around the place, claiming it and believing God for it. The watchman mocked us, calling us noisemakers who could not afford to buy the place.”

There were two other prospective buyers but the bank decided to sell the land to Makumbi. “The local leaders congratulated me upon the purchase. There was no mosque at the time.”
The land surrounding the church belongs to the Saziri family. Before his death, Hajj Saziri Luutu decreed that a mosque be built on the land next to the church.

The devil is in the details
Muhammad Musuuza, general secretary of Munazzamat al Dawa al Islamiyya Mosque says in 2009, Hajji Saziri’s wish was granted. “The beginning is never easy. Those Balokole (born-agains) thought we had built the mosque to fight them, but that was never our intention.”
Bishop Makumbi concedes that they were also anxious. “We wondered what was going to happen. A church next to a mosque! However, my belief is that every man who called by God – whether Christian or Muslim – should stay in their lane and not harm others. We decided to mind our own business.”

However, the mosque was built in such a way that the mimbali (mimbar) is six feet from the church. A mimbar is a pulpit inside the mosque where the imam stands to lead prayers and deliver khutbah (sermons).

Sheikh Ali Yunus Lwanga, the imam, is a jovial man who immediately puts one at ease. Although his wife is conservatively dressed in an abaya and hijab, he invites me into the mosque. I hesitate. I’m wearing tight jeans, and the men sitting in the shops opposite look on. He laughs off my fears. It is raining heavily, anyway, so I remove my shoes and enter.

“We follow the direction of Mecca when building a mosque and as a consequence, the loudspeaker faced the church. We have only one loudspeaker and they (the church) have heavy music machines. We all set our speakers to the loudest levels. Their music would flow directly into the mosque, and our prayers would be heard in their church. As they prayed or sang, I recited Azamu (Al-adhan) at the specific times.” Al-adhan, which is recited before the daily prayer times, goes: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Ashahadu An la ilaha illa Allah. Ashahadu anna Muhammad al-Rasullullah. Hayya ala-Salah. Hayya ala-Falah. (Allah is the greatest. I acknowledge that there is no god but Allah. I acknowledge that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Hasten to prayer. Hasten to success.)

“When an imam recites Azamu, Allah chases away Shaytan before the prayers begin. It is a very powerful prayer. However, Azamu was disturbing the Bishop in his prayers. We were surprised when he came with the LC and said, ‘Okwaaziina kwamwe kuntabula nga nsabira abantu.’ (Your call to prayer distracts me as I pray for people.)”
In a meeting, that involved the village elders, they came to a gentleman’s agreement. The Muslims would change the direction of their loudspeaker to face Entebbe Road. When there is a service in the church, Al-adhan would not be recited. The Bishop agreed to tone down his public address system when the Muslims were praying. On Juma (Friday), the church only switches on their machines in the evening.

The uneasy co-existence
To-date, the gentleman’s agreement still stands – with a few infractions. At first, youths on both sides were unhappy.
“Some youths in the church used to turn up the volume of the machines when we were about to pray, yet there were no people in church,” Musuuza says, adding, “We would wonder why. Our young men wanted to attack them. When we told the youth to reduce the volume, they would ignore us.”

The violations are settled at a higher level. The owners of the mosque call the Bishop, who then instructs his sheep to switch off the machines.

“We tell our guest teachers that our relationship with the church is important. We caution them against using words that will make the Balokole feel uncomfortable. In fact, on Sundays, when their parking lot is packed to capacity, we allow them to park in front of the mosque.”

The Bishop, on the other hand, says the mosque’s loudspeaker is still loud. “Sometimes it is a little too loud, but when we are praying, they turn it down. We all maintain the respect for each other. On Idd we let them use our parking lot.”

Coping
However, all born-again churches have overnight prayers and there is Taraweeh (night prayers) during Ramathan.

“Sometimes their prayers last until 10pm and during Ramathan I found it difficult to lead Tarawiya (Taraweeh),” Lwanga says, adding, “Their music was too loud. I live behind the mosque, so it is hard to sleep since my bedroom is two feet from the church.”
Musuuza says a Muslim who has gone to the mosque intent on praying cannot be disturbed by the church noise. The church hosts “Recover All” conferences and during the last one, the Bishop met the mosque leadership as Musuuza recalls.

“The conference was extending until Friday and he explained that it was not intentional. They switched on their machines but at a very low volume while Imam preached. That action was very considerate of him.”

Considerate as it may seem, Bishop Makumbi says if the chance presented itself, he would buy the land on which the mosque stands.
“As a pastor, you would want to have the place, but I know there are things you cannot change. I do not think they (Muslims) are comfortable with having a church nearby, as much as we get along. It is really a challenge, but even Apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh which he died with.” Majority of his congregation comes from Sseguku, Kajjansi, Entebbe, Buddo, Jinja and further.

Makumbi’s tips for living in unity
• Nurture your character and learn to accept others. Your behaviour can win people to your God.
• People of other religions are not your enemies.
• Follow your calling and leave other callings to others. If you are a Muslim, believe what you know and let me believe what I know.
• Be builders of other’s lives, not breakers
• Raise your children well. It is better to train a child than to repair a man.

Hajjat Afuswa Saziri, resident
We thank God that the bishop is an understanding man. When someone dies in the community, he helps us. On Idd, he gives us food and drinks. He neither preaches offensive messages nor does he entice Muslims; their crusades are held in Kajjansi. We bear their night prayers because they are not daily. After all, we are all searching for God.