OXFORD’S Arab Muslims are trying to open a fourth mosque in the city.

The city’s estimated 3,000 strong Arabic population can pray at the Cowley Road Community Centre.

However, it has now become too small too hold the 500 Muslims who want to pray there.

A campaign group called Darussalam (meaning House of Peace) was set up by the Arabic community on Sunday , with the aim of establishing their own mosque and education centre in a £1m scheme.

Dr Hojjat Ramzy, a trustee of Darussalam, said so many Arabic Muslims turned up to pray at the community centre on Fridays, the Muslim holy day, that some had to be turned away.

He said “It is very stressful when Arabic Muslims can’t listen to their own special imam give prayers.

“They are very disappointed when they have to be moved on to other mosques, because they don’t feel part of the same family.”

Although Arabic Muslims are made to feel welcome in the city’s three other mosques, Dr Ramzy, 55, said it was important for the community to have its own mosque as Arabic prayers lasted longer than Pakistani or Bangledeshi versions.

Darussalam favours re-opening the city’s first mosque in Bath Street, off St Clement’s Street in East Oxford, as the property already has permission from the city council to be used as a place of worship.

The mosque has stood empty for about five years since the Central Oxford mosque moved to Manzil Way.

However central mosque chairman Sabir-Hussain Mirza said it had plans to develop the Bath Street site as a women’s Islamic education centre and mosque once Ramadan finished in August.

Mr Mirza, city councillor for Lye Valley, said: “If they choose to build a new mosque I will support them, but I have made it clear to them they have to compete in the market and get their money out of their pocket like we did. All Muslims are our brothers and welcome to pray at the central mosque.”

Dr Ramzy, who has an Iranian background, said he was still hopeful he could persuade the central mosque management committee to let them use Bath Street.

He said: “By the grace of almighty God the central mosque will be willing to rent us the mosque or donate it to us and we can help them raise money for their mosque.

“There are currently three other mosques in the city including the Central mosque, Bengali mosque in Cowley Road and Madina mosque in Stanley Road, East Oxford.