This work, Space Mosque, was created along the shores of the Humber River, known in the Anishinaabe language as Cobechenonk, meaning a place of gathering and rest. It is a name that echoes the river’s enduring role as a site of connection, reflection, and community.
This sacred land has witnessed human activity since time immemorial and holds the stories of countless generations. It is the traditional territory of the Wendat, Petun First Nations, Haudenosaunee, and the Mississaugas of the Credit River. This land is bound by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Confederacy of the Ojibwe and allied nations, to peaceably share and care for the land around the Great Lakes.
In honouring this covenant, Space Mosque seeks to be a place of gathering, reflection, and healing, in alignment with the spirit of this land. I recognize that this acknowledgement carries a responsibility to respect, protect, and honor the land and the Indigenous communities who continue to be its stewards.
As I continue to engage with this project, I commit to the principles of care, reciprocity, and humility. I recognize that my work is but one thread in the vast tapestry of this land’s history, and I hope that Space Mosque serves as a reminder of the need to nurture our connections—to the earth, to each other, and to the deeper truths that guide us.
May this space be a reflection of our shared commitment to walk together, honoring the past, present, and future of these lands and the Indigenous peoples who have always, and continue to, care for them
Space Mosque is a multi sensory installation that fuses light, sound, and prayer, igniting expanded awareness and communal connection through Islamic futurism
Space Mosque draws inspiration from artist Saks Afridi’s conceptual narrative, where a spiritually conscious spaceship answers prayers globally. Reimagined as a grounded, communal space for collective healing, it invites visitors into an immersive environment of light, prayer, and sound, designed to soothe the nervous system and support spiritual reflection.
The installation features a spiral layout, a recurring motif in Islamic art and Sufi practice, symbolizing both inner and outer alignment, connection, and expansion. As visitors move through the space, they engage in witnessing—turning inward to recognize the divine presence and outward to acknowledge the struggles and humanity of others.
Central to the experience is the practice of dhikr, the remembrance of Allah (SWT). A looped 20-minute audio track of dhikr, Shifa (healing) verses, and Ayat al-Kursi plays continuously. This audio is not just a spiritual practice but a form of spiritual technology. The lighting responds to the rhythm and intensity of the recitations, creating a sacred atmosphere. The calming interaction of light and sound transforms the space into a sanctuary for reflection and healing.
Space Mosque is a response to the ongoing occupation and genocide in Palestine, as well as the rise of Islamophobia and violence against Muslims in public spaces. By creating a inclusive communal space for prayer, grief, and rest, the installation challenges exclusion and marginalization.
Randera envisions a future where public spaces become sanctuaries of collective healing, harmonizing the sacred and technological to foster care rather than profit.
