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Los Gatos mosque wants to extend hours to 11 p.m.
Muslims at the Los Gatos Islamic Center pray five times a day, and during Ramadan they stay longer with more prayers in the evening. They also have dinner together, after a day of fasting. They are looking to extend the hours of the mosque, but some neighbors are opposed to that idea.
LOS GATOS, Calif. - Muslims at the Los Gatos Islamic Center pray five times a day, and during Ramadan they stay longer with more prayers in the evening. They also have dinner together, after a day of fasting.
Celebrating Ramadan
"Ramadan is known as the month of the Koran. We listen to the whole Koran in these prayers. Every night a different chapter is recited, said Lubna Shaikh, Executive Director of the West Valley Muslim Association.
The mosque has to close at 10 p.m., per town regulations. But mosque officials are asking Los Gatos to consider an extension to 11 p.m., so members are not rushed out after prayer.
"We just want to get in and out safely. We are not trying to do big events. We are just trying to pray," said Shaikh.
Neighbors complain
Kim Ratcliff lives next door to the mosque.
"In March of 2024 during Ramadan, all of a sudden, a torrent of traffic, cars, and people came upon the neighborhood. I went out in my nightgown and said what is going on, what is happening," said Ratcliff.
Ratcliff says that has continued ever since. The speed limit on Farley Road is 25 miles per hour, but residents say the drivers go a lot faster than that.
"There are speed concerns and safety issues all around. Last night there were at least 150–200 cars coming by at 7:45 p.m.," said Marc Leonard.
Some residents do not want the mosque's hours extended and say the mosque is not following the current town rules.
Safety first
Other neighbors we spoke with off camera say the traffic doesn't bother them.
"We are constantly telling our community, drive slowly. Drive safely. I understand the neighbors' concerns. But we are also a religious institution. This land and space is zoned for religious use," said Shaikh.
"It's very intrusive to neighbors to have people parked in front of your house until 11 and now midnight. We have a lot of seniors in our neighborhood, we are speaking up for them too," said Ratcliff.
We reached out to the town and are waiting to hear back.
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