Al Raschid Mosque
Located on 1920 Street just East of the AGT Building and the train tracks, the Al Raschid Mosque stands majestically atop a small hill. "Inside, there are no pews, no altar: just streams of light from six arched windows and rich Persian carpets on the floor. There is a podium at the front, on which a copy of the Qur'an rests in a gilt box, and an arched Qiblah built into the wall, showing the direction to Mecca [Makka]." (1)
"Muslim Canadians were recorded as early as the 1871 Census, but the greatest influx did not start until the turn of the century." (2) The Mosque, first of its kind in Canada, was built in 1938 and originally stood at 108 Avenue and 102 Street - the present site of Victoria Composite High School. When the school was built, the Mosque was moved to 111 Avenue and 102 Street. The Mosque came to its current resting place in 1992.
"Once there was a heavy green-velvet curtain that could be pulled out to divide the women's section; it has been folded away. But in one corner stands the wash basin and porcelain jug that the faithful used to wash for prayers, in the days before indoor plumbing. The Mosque became the heart of a community, drawing Muslims from all over - including those who headed for Edmonton simply because they heard there was a Mosque there." (3)
Due to the nature of the Mosque, it is essential that the interpreter be from the Muslim community. It has been a challenge for Fort Edmonton Park to find appropriate individuals to fulfill this role. As such, the Mosque is not open to the general public as often as the other buildings in the Park.