1 August 1945

The East London Mosque

Posted in:

Mosques and Shrines

Author:

Rahima

The East London Mosque is London's oldest mosque and one of the largest mosques in Europe. The initial idea for a mosque in London was formed in 1910, by mainly Indian Muslims, when the London Mosque Fund was established; here lies the roots of East London Mosque. The need for a mosque in London was exemplified after the Second World War, which brought in a surge of Muslims to London, particularly in the East End. Such migrants felt the need for better accommodation to practise Islam, and they wanted their values to be multi-generational, one that spans for decades to come. Moreover, they felt that the racial hostility they were subjected to as a marginalised group in East London could be better tackled by Islamic institutions.

Initially, the mosque could congregate 2,000 worshippers, but this quickly increased to 7,000 – such dictates the necessity of a mosque in East London. Its initial space was not enough for the number of people attending, which led to the land beside the mosque being bought in 1999 to expand the mosque. The Mosque was funded by multiple parties, with significant donations given from the Middle East, particularly from Saudi Arabian King Fahad, who donated £1.1 million. Individual donations also helped with funding the mosque, as well as from the Governments of Britain and Kuwait. As the Mosque gained international recognition from its formation, it is now also world-renowned, serving Great Britain's largest population of Muslims.

Adjoined with the London Muslim Centre and Maryam Centre, the Mosque provides spaces for worship, education and other facilities including marriage and funeral services. Initially, the mosque was built on three buildings purchased on Commercial Road. Now, the mosque is topped by a golden dome and minarets; its architect was John Gill Associates, with an overall cost of £2 million. The Mosque was first opened in August 1941 by Sir Hussain Suhrawardy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the London Mosque Fund. The Ambassador for Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Hafiz Wahab, led the first prayer. In 1982, works on the new mosque began, which was completed and opened to the public in 1985. The London Muslim Centre, home to education, funeral, and marriage facilities, among others, was opened in 2004, after being launched by Prince Charles and Prince Mohamed al-Faisal. The Maryam Centre was opened in 2013 and provides education and counselling to women.

The East London Mosque was one of the first mosques in the United Kingdom to broadcast the adhan using loudspeakers from the minaret, and as such, the streets of Whitechapel hear the call to prayer - a recognition of the area's Islamic heritage.

Sources and Attribution

https://www.eastlondonmosque.org.uk/history#:~:text=In%201982%20work%20on%20the,landmark%20in%20London's%20East%20End.

https://mosqpedia.org/en/mosque/1220

https://whitechapellondon.co.uk/mosques-in-whitechapel/

https://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/oms/the-east-london-mosque

Photos: Author and https://mosqpedia.org/en/mosque/1220

Licensing

CC Attribution 4.0 International

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