Thousands gathered in Delta Saturday for the opening of a new mosque, now one of the largest houses of worship for the Ahmadiyya Islamic community in the world.
The $8 million Baitur Rahman complex on River Road is 33,000 sq. ft and includes a day care, gym and prayer space.
More than 4,000 from various religious backgrounds attended the opening, including Ahmaddiya Muslim leader Khalif Hadrat Mirza Masroor Ahmed.
"For non-Muslims to attend an Islamic religious function is a clear mark of a tolerant attitude," said the Khalif.
The Ahmadiyya movement was founded in 1889 and has tens of millions of members across more than 200 counties.
The movement, however, has been persecuted as a heretic sect of Islam. An attack of two Ahmadiyyan mosques in Lahore, Pakistan killed 95 and injured more than 100.
"For me to say I'm a Muslim in Pakistan, I could potentially be in jail right now," said Ahmadiyya practitioner Safwan Choudry. Choudry came from Toronto to volunteer at the mosque’s opening.
The mosque hopes to hold interfaith meetings and engage non-religious groups to spread the Khalif’s message of peace and cooperation.
Delta Mayor Lois Jackson was at the event and said the mosque’s opening is important for the city, province and country.
"It's a very basic human offering to people and I'm really hoping the people of Delta will certainly take advantage of that," said Jackson about the mosque inviting people to take part.
With files by CTV British Columbia’s Penny Daflos
