Central Mosque Wembley: Difference between revisions

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The Wembley Central Mosque & Muslim Welfare Association
Religion
Ownership	Muslim Welfare Association Ltd.
Location
Location	London, United Kingdom
Architecture
Architect(s)	Thomas Edward Collcutt & Stanley Hemp (1904) Capital Constructions Ltd (2011)
Construction cost	£680,000
Specifications
Capacity	2200+
Minaret(s)	3
Website
www.wembley-mosque.co.uk

The Central Mosque Wembley (also known as Central Wembley Mosque and Wembley Central Mosque) is situated in the inner London Borough of Brent. It is located on Ealing Road, London. It serves the UK’s fifth largest Muslim community, which is predominantly Asian.^{[citation needed]} Wembley Central Mosque is the main mosque in North West London.^{[citation needed]} The Mosque along with the adjacent Muslim Welfare Association is one of the largest mosques in London with a capacity of up to 2200 people.

The three-storey semi-detached building was originally a church designed by Thomas Colcutt and Stanley Hemp but was then purchased in 1993 for £380,000 by the mosque committee.^{[citation needed]} Work began in 1993 and finished in 1996 with the committee and the community spending £100,000.^{[citation needed]} The exterior is a distinguishing design consisting of two main colours, Dark and light brown. The minaret rises above 22m in height and is capped with a light green dome. Work included refurbishment of the whole building and the building of a new ablution area for the men.^{[citation needed]} The mosque has a large hall, a gallery, offices and a funeral room.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003 construction began on the first expansion project called the Muslim Welfare Association. Adjacent to the mosque, it is a two-storey building with a courteous entrance. Originally, it was an old outmoded building which had been burnt down due to an electrial fault. The Construction and renovation work was completed in 2005. The centre has two halls, classrooms, ladies area, kitchen unit, meeting room and a main office.

The MWA Committee was set up in 1985 to organise congregational prayers as there was no mosque in North West London despite the high number of muslims. The committe purchased a three-storey semi-detached house on Harrowdene Road. It could hold a capacity of up to 400 worshippers but soon the Muslim community was growing. A new and bigger mosque with facilities for all muslims was necessary.^{[citation needed]}

The St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in the centre of Wembley had been vacant for fifteen years. It was bought by the charity funds of the Muslim community, and the money made from the sale of the smaller mosque, established in 1985 on Harrowdene Road. It took three years to complete all the work that was essential.^[1] After the work had been completed, the mosque was ready for use. Soon the mosque held the five daily congregational prayers, Jumu'ah prayers, Ramadan prayers (Taraweeh & Tahajjud) and Eid prayers. The new Wembley Central Mosque held a capacity of 700 worshippers.^{[citation needed]} The mosque was also now allowed to broadcast the live Adhan (call to prayer) using loudspeakers only for Jumu'ah (Friday prayer).^{[citation needed]}

As the building was listed, the committee found it hard to get permission from the local council for building plans but after a long time of trying and hard work, they finally got permission for a single storey extension linked to the back of the mosque to create a brand-new ablution area, offices and funeral services.^[2]

The Muslim population was increasing rapidly each year.^{[citation needed]} Adjacent to the mosque was an old unused building. The committee and the community decided to rebuild it and put it to good use. At first, there was a slight financial problem but the community pitched in together and the mosque instantly raised £500,000 to rebuild the building and name it the Muslim Welfare Association. Work began straightaway in 2003 and the new centre opened in 2005 with over 4,000 people attending the opening Friday prayers.^{[citation needed]}

The Muslim Welfare Association is the other side of Wembley Central Mosque. The committee hoped that the Muslim Welfare Association will help the community by providing facilities for women, WCM Evening Madrasah, Sunday School and on a busy day, the Muslim Welfare Association can be used for prayer space and can accommodate up to 500 worshippers.^{[citation needed]}

On Fridays, The mosque and centre gets filled up promptly even though there are two Jumu'ah Prayers. Worshippers have to pray on the streets.^{[citation needed]} The Wembley Central Mosque & Muslim Welfare Association decided to launch their second expansion project costing over £1 million pounds. The expansion project aimed to increase the prayer capacity from 2200 to 3500 by building a new prayer hall linked to the existing main hall.^{[citation needed]} After the consrtuction work is complete, there will be more services and facilities.^{[citation needed]}

Meetings were held between the mosque committee, contractors, builders (Capital Constructions) and also the council for permission.^[3] After getting permission for a three phase expansion project, Wembley Central Mosque started collecting funds and organising fundraising schemes.^{[citation needed]}

On 10January 2011, Phase 1 of the expansion project began.

On 16 March 2011, Qur'an reciter Abu Bakr Shatri visited the mosque. He first recited Surah Ar-Rahman and then he presented the mosque with an award which was accepted by the Head Imam, Abdul Sattar.^{[citation needed]} Abu Bakr Shatri then made a Dua for the whole Muslim Ummah with the congregation joining in with him.^{[citation needed]}

On 26 June 2011, the English Defence League announced that it planned to demonstrate outside a charity event organised by the Al-Khair Foundation at Wembley Arena but the EDL was denied^[vague] by muslims who stood their ground.^{[citation needed]}

On 8 July 2011, Wembley Central Mosque undertook a live fundraising appeal on IQRA TV, hoping to raise money for the expansion project.^{[citation needed]}

On 9 July 2011, Egyptian reciter Muhammad Jibreel visited the mosque on his UK tour sponsored by ‘Islamic Relief’. He led the Maghrib Prayer and then offered some Quran recitations in ‘Murattal Style’.^{[citation needed]}

On, 20 July 2011 , Imam Qasim, CEO of IQRA TV, visited the Wembley Central Mosque on his bike tour 'Ride to help' to raise money for the victims of the Pakistan floods. He led the Maghrib Prayer and then gave a short a lecture about charity.^{[citation needed]}

23 July 2011, the first-ever Wembley Central Mosque five-a-side football tournament occurred at 'Alperton Goals'.^{[citation needed]}

On 27 July 2011, Phase 1 was completed and the new Wudhu area was ready for use. It was officially opened by the General Secretary, Amin Dada.^{[citation needed]}

On 10 September 2011, Phase 2 began.

On 31 December 2011, a guest reciter from Madinah, Qari Sa'ad Nu'mani, visited the Wembley Central Mosque for the event, 'The Qur'an: The Book that shook the World' and recited the Qur'an in his personal tune and in the tunes of the Imams of the Haramain, Ale Sheikh, Hudaify, Mahir, Juhany, Khayyat, Shuraim and Sudais.^{[citation needed]} This was done after he lead the Isha prayer in which he recited Qur'an imitating Abdur Rahman As-Sudais (Head Imam of Masjid-ul Haram). Before this was done, Sulaman Ghani gave a lecture about, The Importance of the Qur'an and there was also a presentation by Rahma Mercy.^{[citation needed]}

The Mosque is run by a committee who are elected each year. The president/chairman of the mosque is Rafiq-ur-Rahman. The Mosque’s Committee contains a Vice President, General Secretary, Education Secretary, Finance Secretary, Joint Finance Secretary, Event Coordinator and a Building Secretary. Imam Abdul Sattar is the Head Imam & Khatib of the mosque.^{[citation needed]}

The Wembley Central Mosque is an affiliate of the London Fatwa Council. The mosque also has a close link with Tayyibun Institute. The mosque interprets the Hanafi school of law, though it shares the ideology of the Jamaat-e-Islami (Pro-Muslim political party in Pakistan) and the Muslim Brotherhood.^{[citation needed]}

Prominent imams who have visited the mosque: Qasim Rashid Ahmad (Founder and CEO of IQRA TV and Imam of Croydon Mosque), Mutahhir Sabree, Yusuf Estes, Abu Bakr Shatri (Imam of Masjid al-Furqan), Muhammad Jibreel (Egyptian Qur'anic reciter), Nasir Al Hamd (Imam and Khatib at Jamia Imam Ibn Maajah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Qari Sa'ad Nu'mani, Sulaman Ghani (Islam Channel and Imam at Tooting Islamic Centre) and Yazdani (member of London Fatwa Council).

As the community base changes so do the services offered, previously lectures or announcements were given in Urdu only. Today the lectures are delivered in Arabic, English and preferred languages to meet the needs of the diverse communities living in the United Kingdom.^{[citation needed]}

Over 17,500 people attend prayers on a weekly basis. Muslims turn to the mosque for help and advice in all matters of their day-to-day life. The Wembley Central Mosque has trained Imams to give religious advice and counsel on the many concerns of the community such as depression, youth challenges, cultural issues and marriage problems. The Wembley Central Mosque & Muslim Welfare Association offers many services and plans to have many more services in the future.^{[citation needed]}

Present services in The Wembley Central Mosque & Muslim Welfare Association include:

• Complete Islamic Marriage Service
• Halaqah - Topics discussed in various languages
• Sunday School - Islamic classes for older children (teenagers) held in the Muslim Welfare Association
• WCM Evening Madrasah - After school, Islamic Education for children (Wembley Central Madrasah)
• Monthly Islamic Lecture - Lectures done on various islamic topics. Done on the last Sunday of each month
• Women's Resources - Training and support centre for women

Future planned services include:

• ICT classes - ICT and ESOL Training
• Language classes - Classes for learning languages
• Training centre - Training adults for Employment
• Careers Advice - Advice with CV writing, applications and interview techniques

• Wembley Muslim forum

• Charity Commission Reports

• Mosque Website