- NEW: "We're thrilled," says mosque board member
- First service scheduled to occur during Ramadan
- The opening comes after two years of legal wrangling
- Rutherford County issues a temporary certificate of occupancy
(CNN) -- County officials granted Tuesday a temporary certificate of occupancy to the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, paving the way for it to open Friday.
"We're thrilled," said Saleh Sbenaty, a member of the mosque's board and planning committee.
The first prayer service is set for 1 p.m. (2 p.m. ET), before the close of the holy month of Ramadan, he noted.
The certificate was issued after two years of legal wrangling, anti-Muslim sentiment and concern by some in the community over whether the mosque should be allowed to expand.
"We're looking at a brighter future, and a prosperous united community," he said. "We are going to forget all of what happened and put it behind us."
The certificate, from Rutherford County's Building Code Department, is good for 30 days.
Landscaping needs to be completed before the building can receive a permanent certificate, but Sbenaty said he was optimistic that it could be completed within the allotted time.
CNN's George Howell contributed to this report.
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