Sayreville mosque, closed by a judge, finds temporary home for ...

SAYREVILLE – An Ernston Road mosque, ordered to remain closed by a Superior Court judge, will hold Ramadan prayer services this year in a borough school.

On Tuesday night the Sayreville Board of Education voted to allow Masjid Sadar and Community Center to hold services in the gym at Emma L. Arleth Elementary School on Washington Road.

Masjid Sadar held its first service at the school on Wednesday “without issues, as expected,” Superintendent of Schools Richard Labbe said.

The services at Arleth Elementary School are being held 8:45 to 10:45 p.m. through March 31, from 9 to 11 p.m. April 1 through April 10 and from 9:15 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. April 11 through April 20.

The Board also approved the mosque to hold Eid al-Fitr services in the gym and cafeteria at Sayreville War Memorial High School from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 21.

Masjid Sadar has applied with the borough to hold April 21 services at Kennedy Park.

The school board also approved a revised calendar which makes April 21 a school holiday in observance of Eid al- Fitr at the end of Ramadan.

“Obviously we do not want our students having to choose whether to come to school or not on one of their most sacred holidays,” Labbe said.

More:What is Ramadan? Why do Muslim people fast for the holy month? What you need to know.

Ramadan is a month of spiritual reflection, fasting and communal worship for Muslims.

The Eid holidays may fall around the evenings of April 21 and June 28 this year.

Because the occurrence of Eid depends on the sighting of the new moon, the exact date can only be determined with certainty the night before.

There are two Eid holidays. The first − Eid al-Fitr − comes after the month-long observance of Ramadan, when observant Muslims pray and fast for 30 days. The second − Eid al-Adha − is celebrated on the 10th day of the 12th Islamic month and is associated with the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

Superior Court Judge Michael Toto ordered Masjid Sadar and Community Center, which "has been operating in violation of multiple borough ordinances" for years, to remain closed until inspections show all health and building codes are being followed.

Toto's ruling came after the borough filed suit in December, alleging that Shameer Properties LLC, owner of the property at 212, 214 and 216 Ernston Road, failed to obtain a certificate of compliance from the borough, failed to get construction permits and for continuing construction in violation of a stop work order.

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The mosque, Toto wrote, "has been in clear violation of the borough ordinances and yet is continuing to use the premises in this condition without regard to the health and safety risks imposed on its occupants."

The judge also wrote that the mosque may not conduct services until the "property can be properly inspected."

At a Borough Council meeting, Borough Attorney Sean Kean said Masjid Sadar has been holding services without borough approval.

"The town was trying to work with the owner," Kean said.

Shameer Properties has accrued more than $600,000 in fines for code violations, some of which are safety related.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.