East London Mosque
Encyclopedia
The East London Mosque, situated in the inner London
Borough
of Tower Hamlets
between Whitechapel
and Aldgate
, serves one of the UK's largest Muslim communities. It lies near the edge of the City of London
, the capital's busy business area, and just a couple of miles from the fast-expanding London Docklands. Combined with the adjoining London Muslim Centre, it is one of the largest mosques in the United Kingdom, holding up to 5000 people.
In 2002 construction began of Phase 1 of the mosque's expansion, called the London Muslim Centre. Adjoining and connected to the mosque, it is a six-storey building with a prominent entrance featuring a sweeping mosaic pattern. Construction was completed in 2004. The centre has two multipurpose halls, a seminar suite, a nursery, classrooms, a fitness centre, a small Islamic library, a radio station, retail units and offices. The centre was designed by Studio Klaschka Architecture and Design.
In 2009 a further significant expansion commenced: Phase 2, to be known as the Maryam Centre, is a nine-storey addition on the Fieldgate Street side on the site originally used by their funeral service. Completion is expected in 2012. It will add a new main prayer hall, improved funeral services, and substantial facilities for women including prayer space, full- and part-time education, and a health and fitness centre. The building includes a mezzanine level around the main hall which will accommodate a visitor centre. The design was once again by Studio Klaschka Architecture and Design.
containing tens of millions of Muslims. A place was needed for Muslim diplomats and merchants, and for the many Muslim sailors coming into port in Tower Hamlets. On 9 November 1910, at a meeting of both Muslims and non-Muslims held at the Ritz Hotel
, the London Mosque Fund was established with the aims of organising the weekly Friday prayers and of procuring a permanent place of worship for Muslims.
Over the years many distinguished personalities were associated with the London Mosque Fund. Amongst them was the Rt. Hon. Syed Ameer Ali
, the first Indian Privy Counsellor, who was the Chairman of London Mosque Fund Executive Committee until his death in 1928. His Royal Highness the Aga Khan III
served as life President of the Board of Trustees while both Abdullah Yusuf Ali
and Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall
, the famous translators of the Qur’an, were trustees of the Fund. Non-Muslims who recognised the need for a Muslim place of worship in London were also part of the Fund, including Nathan Rothschild
who served as a trustee and Lord Lamington
who became Vice Chairman of the London Mosque Fund. Sir Hassan Suhrawardy
was also the chairman of the executive committee of the fund. The famous historian, Professor T. W. Arnold
, became its Secretary and was later replaced by Sir Ernest Houston. Sir John Woodhead became its Treasurer and the Rt. Hon. Earl Winterton
was also a trustee of the Fund.
prayers on Fridays. Finally in 1940, three houses were purchased at 446–448 Commercial Road
in the east end of London as a permanent place of prayer. On 2 August 1941, the combined houses were inaugurated as the "East London Mosque" and Islamic Culture Centre at a ceremony attended by the then Egyptian Ambassador, Colonel Sir Gordon Neal (representing the Secretary of State for India). The first prayer was led by the Ambassador for Saudi Arabia, Shaikh Hafiz Wahba.
From the late 1950s the local Muslim population began to increase due to immigration from the Indian subcontinent, particularly from Sylhet
in East Pakistan
(which became Bangladesh
in 1971). During the 1970s, this immigration increased significantly.
, in return providing a site with temporary buildings on Whitechapel Road
, next to the Fieldgate Street Great Synagogue
. The local community set about raising funds to erect a purpose-built mosque on the site, and were aided by a contribution from the King of Saudi Arabia
. Seven years later, the building of the new mosque commenced with foundations laid down in 1982 and completion achieved in 1985.
(call to prayer) from the Minaret
using loudspeakers. It had a capacity of up to 2000, with prayer areas for men and women, and classroom space for supplementary education. However, by the 1990s the capacity was already insufficient not only for the growing congregation but also for the range of projects based there. The land next to the mosque had been left vacant after bomb damage during World War II, and was used as a car park. The mosque launched a campaign to buy the land, and the purchase was completed in 1999.
On the opening day Sheikh Abdur Rahman Al-Sudais
, Imam of the Kaaba
in Makkah
, led the Friday prayer. He told the thousands that had gathered that day that this was a shining example of how the British Muslim community were taking great steps forward to enhance community cohesion. Amongst the guests were Racial Equality Minister Fiona Mactaggart
, the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission Trevor Phillips
and senior officials from the Muslim Council of Britain
. Prince Charles, who was in Washington for the funeral of former US president Ronald Reagan
, sent a video message of support.
In July 2004 the Malaysian prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
, visited the mosque and centre.
In November 2004 HRH Prince Charles returned to see the centre he had launched three years earlier. The following month HM The Queen
featured excerpts of his visit in her Christmas Message
.
In July 2008 the Lord Chief Justice
, Lord Phillips
, delivered a speech on "Equality Before The Law" at an event highlighting the pro bono legal service at the LMC.
In October 2008, the East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre won Islam Channel
's Super Model Mosque award presented at the Global Peace and Unity
event at the Excel Centre.
In December 2008 the East London Mosque planned to allow Noor Pro Media to hold a conference on 1 January 2009 which would include a videotaped lecture by Anwar al-Awlaki
; former Shadow Home Secretary
Dominic Grieve
expressed concern over al-Awlaki's involvement.
khutbah (Friday sermon) in partnership with local charity Al-Isharah.
19 Jun 2009: construction began of the mosque's new Phase 2 expansion, the 'Maryam Centre'.
4 Sep 2009: the Mayor of London
, Boris Johnson
, visited the mosque and centre in Ramadan
, commending its projects and urging people to try fasting for a day.
4 Mar 2010: hosted 'The BIG Read' in partnership with IF Charity, Islamic Forum Europe
, Muslim Aid
, and Tower Hamlets Council, a successful attempt to break the world record for 'Most children reading with an adult', when 3,234 children listened to readings from Roald Dahl's
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
.
5 Mar 2010: hosted the BBC's
weekly live topical debate 'Any Questions?
', chaired by Jonathan Dimbleby
and with panellists Ken Livingstone
(former Mayor of London), Ken Clarke
(then Shadow Business Secretary), Mehdi Hasan
(senior politics editor at the New Statesman
) and Julia Goldsworthy
(then Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Communities and Local Government
).
25 Aug 2010: subject of a BBC documentary, 'Middle EastEnders', that "chronicles the setbacks and triumphs of an institution which has shaped the identity of a corner of London", timed to anticipate the centenary of the mosque.
4 Sep 2010: the mosque raised over £1.1 million in one night in Ramadan on Channel S
, breaking the record for ethnic television for the third year in a row, in an appeal for the building of their Phase 2 expansion.
3 Sep 2011: the English Defence League
wanted to march past the mosque, but after widespread opposition the Home Secretary
, Theresa May
, banned the march. The EDL instead held a static demonstration in Aldgate, prevented by police from entering Tower Hamlets, whilst a larger 'United East End' counter demonstration was held by an alliance of groups and organisations.
is the chairman of the Management Committee for 2010–11. The Khatib
and primary Imam
of the mosque is Abdul Qayum. The Executive Director is Dilowar Hussain Khan.
. The Islamic Forum Europe
(IFE) and the mosque are very closely intertwined, the organisation was created in 1989 by Muslims involved in the running of the East London Mosque. The mosque interprets the Hanafi
school of law, though it shares the ideology of the Jamaat-e-Islami
, and the Muslim Brotherhood
.
(imam of Masjid al-Haram
), Adel Salem Al Kalbani (former Imam of Masjid al-Haram), Delwar Hossain Sayeedi
(one of the leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami), Sheikh Yusuf Estes
, Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, Sheikh Hussain Yee, Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick, Dr Mustafa Cerić (Grand Mufti
of Bosnia).
Politicians who have visited the mosque: Mike O'Brien (former Minister of State), Fiona MacTaggart
(former Home Office Minister), Stephen Twigg
(former Minister for Schools), Stephen Timms
(Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury), Dominic Grieve
(Attorney General), Sadiq Khan
(former Minister of State for Transport), Boris Johnson
(Mayor of London) Ken Livingstone
(former Mayor of London), Baroness Uddin
, the late Robin Cook
(former Foreign Secretary).
Other notable visitors: HRH Prince Charles, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
(former Prime Minister of Malaysia), Lord Phillips
(former Lord Chief Justice), Sir John Stevens
(former Metropolitan Police Commissioner), Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
(former President of the Maldives), Brendan Barber
(Secretary General of TUC), Riah Hanna Abu El-Assal
(former Bishop of Jerusalem).
The mosque has a stated mission to:
As the community base changes so does the services offered, previously sermons or announcements were given in Bengali or Sylheti only. Today the sermon is delivered in Arabic, Bengali and English, to meet the needs of the diverse communities living in the United Kingdom.
To further its mission a number of services are provided to the community including:
The mosque also runs Muslim Community Radio
(MCR), in partnership with Islamic Forum Europe
, which started to broadcast since 1998 through a RSL, then through Spectrum
, and since 2001 acquired the rights to broadcast 24 hours across east London during the month of Ramadan
. In 2005 it moved into a new studio in the London Muslim Centre. It is run by volunteers at the mosque, it provides programs for women, children's shows, quiz shows, fiqh
sessions, taraweeh prayer, and shows such as Daily Halaqa, Qur'anic class, Easy Talk, Drive Time and many more, all in English and Bengali.
Inner London
Inner London is the name for the group of London boroughs which form the interior part of Greater London and are surrounded by Outer London. The area was first officially defined in 1965 and for purposes such as statistics, the definition has changed over time. The terms Inner London and Central...
Borough
London borough
The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
between Whitechapel
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...
and Aldgate
Aldgate
Aldgate was the eastern most gateway through London Wall leading from the City of London to Whitechapel and the east end of London. Aldgate gives its name to a ward of the City...
, serves one of the UK's largest Muslim communities. It lies near the edge of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, the capital's busy business area, and just a couple of miles from the fast-expanding London Docklands. Combined with the adjoining London Muslim Centre, it is one of the largest mosques in the United Kingdom, holding up to 5000 people.
Building details
Construction of the three-storey East London Mosque began in 1982 and was completed in 1985, on the site of land left empty after bombing during World War 2. The exterior is a distinctive brick pattern in two colours, the front facing Whitechapel Road and the rear on Fieldgate Street. The mosque is capped with a gold colour dome of about 8.5m diameter. The minaret rises to about 22m above ground level, and the main entrance is finished with two smaller copies of the minaret. The mosque has two large halls, a gallery, classrooms, offices and a retail unit. The architect was John Gill Associates.In 2002 construction began of Phase 1 of the mosque's expansion, called the London Muslim Centre. Adjoining and connected to the mosque, it is a six-storey building with a prominent entrance featuring a sweeping mosaic pattern. Construction was completed in 2004. The centre has two multipurpose halls, a seminar suite, a nursery, classrooms, a fitness centre, a small Islamic library, a radio station, retail units and offices. The centre was designed by Studio Klaschka Architecture and Design.
In 2009 a further significant expansion commenced: Phase 2, to be known as the Maryam Centre, is a nine-storey addition on the Fieldgate Street side on the site originally used by their funeral service. Completion is expected in 2012. It will add a new main prayer hall, improved funeral services, and substantial facilities for women including prayer space, full- and part-time education, and a health and fitness centre. The building includes a mezzanine level around the main hall which will accommodate a visitor centre. The design was once again by Studio Klaschka Architecture and Design.
1910–1939: The London Mosque Fund
At the beginning of the twentieth century London had no mosque, though it was the capital of the extensive British EmpireBritish Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
containing tens of millions of Muslims. A place was needed for Muslim diplomats and merchants, and for the many Muslim sailors coming into port in Tower Hamlets. On 9 November 1910, at a meeting of both Muslims and non-Muslims held at the Ritz Hotel
Ritz Hotel
The Ritz London is a luxury 5-star hotel located in Piccadilly and overlooking Green Park in London.- History :Swiss hotelier César Ritz, former manager of the Savoy Hotel, opened the hotel on 24 May 1906...
, the London Mosque Fund was established with the aims of organising the weekly Friday prayers and of procuring a permanent place of worship for Muslims.
Over the years many distinguished personalities were associated with the London Mosque Fund. Amongst them was the Rt. Hon. Syed Ameer Ali
Syed Ameer Ali
Syed Ameer Ali C.I.E. was an Indian Muslim jurist hailed from the state of Oudh from where his father shifted and settled down at Orissa...
, the first Indian Privy Counsellor, who was the Chairman of London Mosque Fund Executive Committee until his death in 1928. His Royal Highness the Aga Khan III
Aga Khan III
Sir Sultan Muhammed Shah, Aga Khan III, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO, PC was the 48th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. He was one of the founders and the first president of the All-India Muslim League, and served as President of the League of Nations from 1937-38. He was nominated to represent India to...
served as life President of the Board of Trustees while both Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Hafiz Abdullah Yusuf Ali, CBE, FRSL was an Indian Islamic scholar who translated the Qur'an into English. His translation of the Qur'an is one of the most widely-known and used in the English-speaking world....
and Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall
Marmaduke Pickthall
Marmaduke Pickthall was a Western Islamic scholar, noted as an English translator of the Qur'an into English. A convert from Christianity, Pickthall was a novelist, esteemed by D. H. Lawrence, H. G. Wells, and E. M. Forster, as well as a journalist, headmaster, and political and religious leader...
, the famous translators of the Qur’an, were trustees of the Fund. Non-Muslims who recognised the need for a Muslim place of worship in London were also part of the Fund, including Nathan Rothschild
Nathan Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild
Nathan Mayer Rothschild, 1st Baron Rothschild, Baron de Rothschild was a British banker and politician from the international Rothschild financial dynasty.-Life and family:...
who served as a trustee and Lord Lamington
Charles Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington
Charles Wallace Alexander Napier Cochrane-Baillie, 2nd Baron Lamington, GCMG, GCIE was a British politician and colonial administrator who was Governor of Queensland from 1896 to 1901, and Governor of Bombay from 1903 to 1907....
who became Vice Chairman of the London Mosque Fund. Sir Hassan Suhrawardy
Hassan Suhrawardy
Lt. Col. Dr. Hassan Suhrawardy, D.Sc., M.D., D.P.H., F.R.C.S. was a noted surgeon, politician and public servant in India.-Life and family:...
was also the chairman of the executive committee of the fund. The famous historian, Professor T. W. Arnold
Thomas Walker Arnold
Sir Thomas Walker Arnold was an eminent British orientalist and historian of Islamic art who taught at MAO College, Aligarh Muslim University, then Aligarh College, and Government College University, Lahore. He was a friend of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, and wrote his famous book "The preaching of Islam"...
, became its Secretary and was later replaced by Sir Ernest Houston. Sir John Woodhead became its Treasurer and the Rt. Hon. Earl Winterton
Edward Turnour, 6th Earl Winterton
Edward Turnour, 6th Earl Winterton PC , known as Viscount Turnour until 1907, was an Irish peer and British politician in the first half of the twentieth century who achieved the rare distinction of serving as both Baby of the House and Father of the House at the opposite ends of his career in the...
was also a trustee of the Fund.
1940–1974: The original East London Mosque
For 30 years various rooms were hired for the Jumu'ahJumu'ah
Jumu'ah is a congregational prayer that Muslims hold every Friday, just after noon in lieu of dhuhr...
prayers on Fridays. Finally in 1940, three houses were purchased at 446–448 Commercial Road
Commercial Road
Commercial Road , in length, is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London. It runs from "Gardener's Corner" , through Stepney to the junction with Burdett Road , Limehouse from which point the route becomes the East India Dock Road...
in the east end of London as a permanent place of prayer. On 2 August 1941, the combined houses were inaugurated as the "East London Mosque" and Islamic Culture Centre at a ceremony attended by the then Egyptian Ambassador, Colonel Sir Gordon Neal (representing the Secretary of State for India). The first prayer was led by the Ambassador for Saudi Arabia, Shaikh Hafiz Wahba.
From the late 1950s the local Muslim population began to increase due to immigration from the Indian subcontinent, particularly from Sylhet
Sylhet
Sylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
in East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
(which became Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
in 1971). During the 1970s, this immigration increased significantly.
1975–1984: Preparing for a purpose-built mosque
In 1975, the local authority bought the properties in Commercial Road under a compulsory purchase orderCompulsory purchase order
A compulsory purchase order is a legal function in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland that allows certain bodies which need to obtain land or property to do so without the consent of the owner. It may be enforced if a proposed development is considered one for public betterment - for...
, in return providing a site with temporary buildings on Whitechapel Road
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...
, next to the Fieldgate Street Great Synagogue
Fieldgate Street Great Synagogue
Fieldgate Street Great Synagogue, located at 41 Fieldgate Street in the East End of London, was established in 1899. In 1950 it was rebuilt after damaged caused by a German air raid during WWII. It is currently surrounded on three sides by the East London Mosque...
. The local community set about raising funds to erect a purpose-built mosque on the site, and were aided by a contribution from the King of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. Seven years later, the building of the new mosque commenced with foundations laid down in 1982 and completion achieved in 1985.
1985–2000: The new East London Mosque
The mosque was the first in Britain to broadcast the AdhanAdhan
The adhān is the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin at prescribed times of the day. The root of the word is meaning "to permit"; another derivative of this word is , meaning "ear"....
(call to prayer) from the Minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
using loudspeakers. It had a capacity of up to 2000, with prayer areas for men and women, and classroom space for supplementary education. However, by the 1990s the capacity was already insufficient not only for the growing congregation but also for the range of projects based there. The land next to the mosque had been left vacant after bomb damage during World War II, and was used as a car park. The mosque launched a campaign to buy the land, and the purchase was completed in 1999.
2001–2008: The London Muslim Centre
In 2001 HRH Prince Charles launched the project to build the London Muslim Centre (LMC). Construction began in 2002, and the new centre opened on 11 June 2004, with over 15,000 people attending the opening prayers. The prayer capacity of the mosque and centre rose to about 5000, with a greatly increased range of services. The building had cost over £10 million, more than half of which had been raised by ordinary Muslims.On the opening day Sheikh Abdur Rahman Al-Sudais
Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais
Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz as-Sudais is the imam of the Grand mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and the "Islamic Personality Of the Year" 2005. In some of his sermons, al-Sudais has vilified non-Muslims and has called for the annihilation of Jews.-Life:Al-Sudais comes from the Anza clan...
, Imam of the Kaaba
Kaaba
The Kaaba is a cuboid-shaped building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the most sacred site in Islam. The Qur'an states that the Kaaba was constructed by Abraham, or Ibraheem, in Arabic, and his son Ishmael, or Ismaeel, as said in Arabic, after he had settled in Arabia. The building has a mosque...
in Makkah
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, led the Friday prayer. He told the thousands that had gathered that day that this was a shining example of how the British Muslim community were taking great steps forward to enhance community cohesion. Amongst the guests were Racial Equality Minister Fiona Mactaggart
Fiona Mactaggart
Fiona Margaret Mactaggart is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Slough since 1997.-Early life:...
, the chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission Trevor Phillips
Trevor Phillips
Trevor Phillips OBE chairs the Equality and Human Rights Commission and is a former television executive and presenter...
and senior officials from the Muslim Council of Britain
Muslim Council of Britain
The Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...
. Prince Charles, who was in Washington for the funeral of former US president Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, sent a video message of support.
In July 2004 the Malaysian prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
, visited the mosque and centre.
In November 2004 HRH Prince Charles returned to see the centre he had launched three years earlier. The following month HM The Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
featured excerpts of his visit in her Christmas Message
Royal Christmas Message
The Queen's Christmas Message is a broadcast made by the sovereign of the Commonwealth realms to the Commonwealth of Nations each Christmas. The tradition began in 1932 with a radio broadcast by George V on the British Broadcasting Corporation Empire Service...
.
In July 2008 the Lord Chief Justice
Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary and President of the Courts of England and Wales. Historically, he was the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, but that changed as a result of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,...
, Lord Phillips
Nicholas Phillips, Baron Phillips of Worth Matravers
Nicholas Addison Phillips, Baron Phillips of Worth Matravers, KG PC is the President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Before 1 October 2009 his title was Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. He was Master of the Rolls from 2000 to 2005 and Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 2005...
, delivered a speech on "Equality Before The Law" at an event highlighting the pro bono legal service at the LMC.
In October 2008, the East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre won Islam Channel
Islam Channel
Islam Channel is a UK-based, free-to-air, English language, Islamic-focused satellite television channel funded by advertising and donations. It was reported in 2008 that UK government research found that 97.3% of Muslims watched the channel...
's Super Model Mosque award presented at the Global Peace and Unity
Global Peace and Unity
The Global Peace and Unity event is an annual two-day conference held at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre in Royal Victoria Dock, London and organized by the Islam Channel. It is the largest Muslim, interfaith and multicultural event of its kind in Europe, having attracted over 55,000 visitors from...
event at the Excel Centre.
In December 2008 the East London Mosque planned to allow Noor Pro Media to hold a conference on 1 January 2009 which would include a videotaped lecture by Anwar al-Awlaki
Anwar al-Awlaki
Anwar al-Awlaki was an American and Yemeni imam who was an engineer and educator by training. According to U.S. government officials, he was a senior talent recruiter and motivator who was involved with planning operations for the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda...
; former Shadow Home Secretary
Shadow Home Secretary
In British politics, the Shadow Home Secretary is the person within the shadow cabinet who 'shadows' the Home Secretary; this effectively means scrutinising government policy on home affairs including policing, national security, immigration, the criminal justice system, the prison service, and...
Dominic Grieve
Dominic Grieve
Dominic Charles Roberts Grieve, QC MP is a British Conservative politician, barrister and Queen's Counsel.He is the Member of Parliament for Beaconsfield and the Attorney General for England and Wales and the Advocate General for Northern Ireland.-Early life:Grieve was born in Lambeth, the son of...
expressed concern over al-Awlaki's involvement.
2009–present: Further expansion – The Maryam Centre
17 Apr 2009: launch of UK's first signedBritish Sign Language
British Sign Language is the sign language used in the United Kingdom , and is the first or preferred language of some deaf people in the UK; there are 125,000 deaf adults in the UK who use BSL plus an estimated 20,000 children. The language makes use of space and involves movement of the hands,...
khutbah (Friday sermon) in partnership with local charity Al-Isharah.
19 Jun 2009: construction began of the mosque's new Phase 2 expansion, the 'Maryam Centre'.
4 Sep 2009: the Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
, Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
, visited the mosque and centre in Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
, commending its projects and urging people to try fasting for a day.
4 Mar 2010: hosted 'The BIG Read' in partnership with IF Charity, Islamic Forum Europe
Islamic Forum Europe
The Islamic Forum of Europe is an Islamic organisation based in London with branches throughout the United Kingdom. Its website states it has branches in "most of the European countries including: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden...
, Muslim Aid
Muslim Aid
Muslim Aid is a UK based international relief and development organisation working to alleviate poverty worldwide. The charity says it believes in sustainable, local and practical solutions to empower individuals and strengthen communities...
, and Tower Hamlets Council, a successful attempt to break the world record for 'Most children reading with an adult', when 3,234 children listened to readings from Roald Dahl's
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 1964 children's book by British author Roald Dahl. The story features the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of the eccentric chocolatier, Willy Wonka....
.
5 Mar 2010: hosted the BBC's
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
weekly live topical debate 'Any Questions?
Any Questions?
Any Questions? is a topical debate radio programme in the United Kingdom.-Format:It is broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on Friday evenings and repeated on Saturday afternoons, when it is followed by a phone-in response programme, Any Answers?, previously a postal response slot...
', chaired by Jonathan Dimbleby
Jonathan Dimbleby
Jonathan Dimbleby is a British presenter of current affairs and political radio and television programmes, a political commentator and a writer. He is the son of Richard Dimbleby and younger brother of British TV presenter David Dimbleby.-Education:Dimbleby was educated at Charterhouse School, a...
and with panellists Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
(former Mayor of London), Ken Clarke
Kenneth Clarke
Kenneth Harry "Ken" Clarke, QC, MP is a British Conservative politician, currently Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. He was first elected to Parliament in 1970; and appointed a minister in Edward Heath's government, in 1972, and is one of...
(then Shadow Business Secretary), Mehdi Hasan
Mehdi Hasan
Mehdi Hasan is a British journalist who has worked in television current affairs and the national press. He was appointed senior editor at the New Statesman In the late spring of 2009.-Television career:...
(senior politics editor at the New Statesman
New Statesman
New Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
) and Julia Goldsworthy
Julia Goldsworthy
Julia Anne Goldsworthy is a Special Adviser in HM Treasury to Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander. She was the Member of Parliament for Falmouth and Camborne from 2005 until she lost her seat by 66 votes to George Eustice, the Conservative candidate in the 2010 general election in...
(then Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
).
25 Aug 2010: subject of a BBC documentary, 'Middle EastEnders', that "chronicles the setbacks and triumphs of an institution which has shaped the identity of a corner of London", timed to anticipate the centenary of the mosque.
4 Sep 2010: the mosque raised over £1.1 million in one night in Ramadan on Channel S
Channel S
Channel S is a UK-based, free-to-air television channel targeting the British Bangladeshi community. The channel was established on 16 December 2004, by Mahee Ferdous Jalil - a Bangladeshi businessman in London. On Sky it had a timesharing deal with ATN Global, and then in 2005 it started to...
, breaking the record for ethnic television for the third year in a row, in an appeal for the building of their Phase 2 expansion.
3 Sep 2011: the English Defence League
English Defence League
The English Defence League is a far-right street protest movement which opposes what it considers to be a spread of Islamism, Sharia law and Islamic extremism in the UK. The EDL uses street marches to protest against Islamic extremism...
wanted to march past the mosque, but after widespread opposition the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
, Theresa May
Theresa May
Theresa Mary May is a British Conservative politician who is Home Secretary in the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition government. She was elected to Parliament in 1997 as the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead, and served as the Chairman of the Conservative Party, 2003–04...
, banned the march. The EDL instead held a static demonstration in Aldgate, prevented by police from entering Tower Hamlets, whilst a larger 'United East End' counter demonstration was held by an alliance of groups and organisations.
Management
The East London Mosque Trust Limited is a registered charity (previously registered as The London Mosque Fund) and a private company (limited by guarantee, no share capital). The mosque is managed by trustees who are elected each year by its members at the Annual General Meeting. Dr Muhammad Abdul BariMuhammad Abdul Bari
Muhammad Abdul Bari, MBE FRSA , is the Chairman of the East London Mosque, and was the Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain from 2006 until 2010.-Life and career:...
is the chairman of the Management Committee for 2010–11. The Khatib
Khatib
Khatib or khateeb is an Arabic term used to describe a person who delivers the sermon , during the Friday prayer and Eid prayers....
and primary Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of the mosque is Abdul Qayum. The Executive Director is Dilowar Hussain Khan.
External relations
The mosque is a member of the Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum, a founding member of The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO), and an affiliate of the Muslim Council of BritainMuslim Council of Britain
The Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...
. The Islamic Forum Europe
Islamic Forum Europe
The Islamic Forum of Europe is an Islamic organisation based in London with branches throughout the United Kingdom. Its website states it has branches in "most of the European countries including: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden...
(IFE) and the mosque are very closely intertwined, the organisation was created in 1989 by Muslims involved in the running of the East London Mosque. The mosque interprets the Hanafi
Hanafi
The Hanafi school is one of the four Madhhab in jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. The Hanafi madhhab is named after the Persian scholar Abu Hanifa an-Nu‘man ibn Thābit , a Tabi‘i whose legal views were preserved primarily by his two most important disciples, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad al-Shaybani...
school of law, though it shares the ideology of the Jamaat-e-Islami
Jamaat-e-Islami
This article is about Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. For other organizations of similar name see Jamaat-e-Islami The Jamaat-e-Islami , is a Pro-Muslim political party in Pakistan...
, and the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
.
Prominent visitors
Prominent imams who have visited the mosque: Abdul Rahman Al-SudaisAbdul Rahman Al-Sudais
Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz as-Sudais is the imam of the Grand mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and the "Islamic Personality Of the Year" 2005. In some of his sermons, al-Sudais has vilified non-Muslims and has called for the annihilation of Jews.-Life:Al-Sudais comes from the Anza clan...
(imam of Masjid al-Haram
Masjid al-Haram
Al-Masjid al-Ḥarām is the largest mosque in the world. Located in the city of Mecca, it surrounds the Kaaba, the place which Muslims worldwide turn towards while performing daily prayers and is Islam's holiest place...
), Adel Salem Al Kalbani (former Imam of Masjid al-Haram), Delwar Hossain Sayeedi
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi , is a Bangladeshi Islamic orator and politician...
(one of the leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami), Sheikh Yusuf Estes
Yusuf Estes
Yusuf Estes is an American Muslim preacher and teacher who converted to Islam in 1991. He was the National Muslim Chaplain for the United States Bureau of Prisons through the 1990s. He became the Muslim Delegate to the United Nations World Peace Conference for Religious Leaders held at the U.N....
, Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, Sheikh Hussain Yee, Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick, Dr Mustafa Cerić (Grand Mufti
Grand Mufti
The title of Grand Mufti refers to the highest official of religious law in a Sunni or Ibadi Muslim country. The Grand Mufti issues legal opinions and edicts, fatwā, on interpretations of Islamic law for private clients or to assist judges in deciding cases...
of Bosnia).
Politicians who have visited the mosque: Mike O'Brien (former Minister of State), Fiona MacTaggart
Fiona Mactaggart
Fiona Margaret Mactaggart is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Slough since 1997.-Early life:...
(former Home Office Minister), Stephen Twigg
Stephen Twigg
Stephen Twigg is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Labour Co-operative Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Derby since 2010. He previously served as the Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate from 1997 to 2005, when he lost his seat. He came to national prominence in 1997...
(former Minister for Schools), Stephen Timms
Stephen Timms
Stephen Creswell Timms is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for East Ham since 1994. He is a former Cabinet Minister having served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2006 to 2007...
(Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury), Dominic Grieve
Dominic Grieve
Dominic Charles Roberts Grieve, QC MP is a British Conservative politician, barrister and Queen's Counsel.He is the Member of Parliament for Beaconsfield and the Attorney General for England and Wales and the Advocate General for Northern Ireland.-Early life:Grieve was born in Lambeth, the son of...
(Attorney General), Sadiq Khan
Sadiq Khan
Sadiq Aman Khan is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Tooting since 2005, succeeding Tom Cox as the Labour MP for the seat...
(former Minister of State for Transport), Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
(Mayor of London) Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
(former Mayor of London), Baroness Uddin
Pola Uddin, Baroness Uddin
Manzila Pola Uddin, Baroness Uddin is a British Labour politician, and community activist.-Background:Uddin was born in a village in Bangladesh. She moved with her parents to the United Kingdom in 1973, when she was 13 years of age, and she grew up in the East End of London...
, the late Robin Cook
Robin Cook
Robert Finlayson Cook was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Livingston from 1983 until his death, and notably served in the Cabinet as Foreign Secretary from 1997 to 2001....
(former Foreign Secretary).
Other notable visitors: HRH Prince Charles, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi is a Malaysian politician who served as Prime Minister from 2003 to 2009. He was also the President of the United Malays National Organisation , the largest political party in Malaysia, and led the governing Barisan Nasional parliamentary coalition...
(former Prime Minister of Malaysia), Lord Phillips
Nicholas Phillips, Baron Phillips of Worth Matravers
Nicholas Addison Phillips, Baron Phillips of Worth Matravers, KG PC is the President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Before 1 October 2009 his title was Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary. He was Master of the Rolls from 2000 to 2005 and Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 2005...
(former Lord Chief Justice), Sir John Stevens
John Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
John Arthur Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington KStJ QPM DL FRSA was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis from 2000 until 2005. From 1991 to 1996, he was Chief Constable of Northumbria Police before being appointed one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary in September 1996...
(former Metropolitan Police Commissioner), Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was President of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008. After serving as Minister of Transport, he was nominated as President by the Majlis of the Maldives and succeeded Ibrahim Nasir on November 11, 1978. He eventually became the longest-ruling head of government in Asia...
(former President of the Maldives), Brendan Barber
Brendan Barber
Brendan Paul Barber has been the General Secretary of the United Kingdom's Trades Union Congress since June 2003.-Early life:...
(Secretary General of TUC), Riah Hanna Abu El-Assal
Riah Hanna Abu El-Assal
Riah Hanna Abu El-Assal is an Israeli Arab Anglican clergyman, who was Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem from 1998 to 2007.-History:He graduated from Nazareth Baptist school where he also taught...
(former Bishop of Jerusalem).
Services
As the community base changes so does the services offered, previously sermons or announcements were given in Bengali or Sylheti only. Today the sermon is delivered in Arabic, Bengali and English, to meet the needs of the diverse communities living in the United Kingdom.
To further its mission a number of services are provided to the community including:
- ICT Training and English classes
- ISAP — Improving School Attendance in Partnership, a scheme in partnership with the local authority, to raise attendance and attainment in school
- Junior Muslim Circle (JMC) — Recreational activities for children
- New Muslims' classes — Islamic teaching for new converts to Islam
- ELM Evening Madrasah — after school education for children
- ELM Women's Link — support services for women
- Faith in Health — health awareness and lifestyle facilities
- Way to Work — a project assisting people to enter training and employment
The mosque also runs Muslim Community Radio
Muslim Community Radio
Muslim Community Radio or MCR, is a radio station based in London, United Kingdom founded in 1998. The station runs through an AM Radio, at 1143 AM , and only broadcasts annually during the holy month of Ramadan...
(MCR), in partnership with Islamic Forum Europe
Islamic Forum Europe
The Islamic Forum of Europe is an Islamic organisation based in London with branches throughout the United Kingdom. Its website states it has branches in "most of the European countries including: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden...
, which started to broadcast since 1998 through a RSL, then through Spectrum
Spectrum
A spectrum is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary infinitely within a continuum. The word saw its first scientific use within the field of optics to describe the rainbow of colors in visible light when separated using a prism; it has since been applied by...
, and since 2001 acquired the rights to broadcast 24 hours across east London during the month of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. In 2005 it moved into a new studio in the London Muslim Centre. It is run by volunteers at the mosque, it provides programs for women, children's shows, quiz shows, fiqh
Fiqh
Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the code of conduct expounded in the Quran, often supplemented by tradition and implemented by the rulings and interpretations of Islamic jurists....
sessions, taraweeh prayer, and shows such as Daily Halaqa, Qur'anic class, Easy Talk, Drive Time and many more, all in English and Bengali.
See also
- Islam in LondonIslam in LondonIslam is London's largest and most significant minority religion. There were 607,083 Muslims reported in the 2001 census in the Greater London area. Most Muslims are concentrated in the east London boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest...
- Islam in the United KingdomIslam in the United KingdomIslam has been present in the United Kingdom since its formation in 1707, though it was not legally recognised until the Trinitarian Act in 1812. Today it is the second largest religion in the country with estimates suggesting that by 2010 the total Muslim population had reached 2.869 million.The...
- Islamic architectureIslamic architectureIslamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
- List of mosques
- London Muslim Centre
- Brick Lane MosqueBrick Lane MosqueBrick Lane Jamme Masjid formerly known as the London Jamme Masjid , is located in the area of Spitalfields alongside the street of Brick Lane and Fournier Street in east London, England...
- British BangladeshiBritish BangladeshiA British Bangladeshi is a person of Bangladeshi origin who resides in the United Kingdom having emigrated to the UK and attained citizenship through naturalisation or whose parents did so; they are also known as British Bengalis...