Salmann Tamimi, religious leader and former chairman of the Muslim Association of Iceland, has expressed his support for a shared house of worship, housing both a mosque and a church, much like the one currently planned in Nacka, Sweden.
“I think that that would be just great. It would be a great way to get to know one another and eliminate prejudices. In such a building could also be a synagogue for Jewish people. We recognize both Christianity and Judaism, and I’d like to point out that there is a mosque next to the holiest Christian church of all, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem,” Salmann said in an interview with visir.is.
Salmann said it had been suggested to him several years ago to construct a mosque in association with a currently existing church. “I thought it was a very clever idea. But we could also use the land we’ve been allotted to build a joint house of worship. The area is large.”
Agnes M. Sigurðardóttir, the bishop of Iceland, thinks it more opportune to build a joint house of worship than for a mosque to become an addition to a current church.
“Discussion is always useful, and I’d like to point out that for the past eight years or so there has been in operation a religious consultation group where most religions in Iceland are represented. The National Church has there two council members. I would think that there is where this discussion should happen before construction begins,” Agnes said.
