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Message: [QUOTE="Munyaradzi Mafaro, post: 47374, member: 636"] A historic mosque opens its doors to people of all faiths during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Acheen Street Mosque displays a welcoming sign for non-Muslim visitors at its entrance gate. Committee member Mohd Norhisham Mohd Abdul Kadir says the mosque wants everyone to learn about Islam's peaceful teachings. The religious site hosts special dinners where Muslim leaders eat with Christian priests and Chinese temple members. Visitors can enter the mosque when prayers are not taking place. Five traditional houses from the 1800s still stand within the mosque grounds. Families have lived in these half-stone, half-wood buildings for many years. The mosque committee plans to fix up one empty house and turn it into a school for religious studies. These old structures represent an important part of Penang's cultural history. The buildings show how different communities once lived together in the same area. Tunku Syed Hussain Al-Aidid built the mosque in 1808 after traveling from Indonesia. The building became one of Penang's first Islamic houses of worship. Muslim travelers once stopped here before continuing their journeys to Mecca for religious pilgrimages. People called this neighborhood mini Mecca because many religious scholars gathered here. The mosque's tower helped guide ships into the harbor. The building combines different styles from various cultures around Asia and the Middle East. A weather vane sits on top of the tall tower to show wind direction. The mosque will open for public tours during heritage celebrations on July 7. [/QUOTE]

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