The United Kingdom is a place that is rich in culture. People from different cultures and religions live here, and Muslims are among them. As they are from different religions, they also need a place to worship. There is a specific place for worship in every religion, and in Islam, it is known as a mosque. It would not be wrong if we say the mosque is the heart of Islamic places. It is the most important place for the public expression of religiosity. People offer prayer five times in the mosque. It is also used for educational purposes, social welfare, and religious dispute settlement. The leader of a mosque is Imam.
In this article, we will discuss 10 mosques in the United Kingdom that serve as educational institutions and a place to worship.
1. Shah Jahan Mosque (Surrey)
The shah Jahan mosque is one of the 10 mosques in United Kingdom. It is also known as a working mosque on the oriental road, England. It is considered the first and old purpose-built mosque in England. It was built in 1889 by Hungarian-British architecture. It was named after sultan shah Jahan of Bhopal, and its construction style is indo-Islamic. It consists of 2 minarets. It was initially built as an institute for Muslim students residing in the UK. It was previously affiliated with the Ahmadiyyah movement but is now with the Sunni sector.
2. Fazl Mosque (London)
The Fazl mosque is one of the first purpose-built mosques in London city. It is also known as the London mosque. It was built by Ahmadi Muslims (not considered Muslims by other sectors of Islam because they do not consider Muhammad PBUH as the last Prophet). It was inaugurated in 1926. After the separation of the subcontinent, it was associated with Pakistani leaders. It also held exhibitions about the history of Islam and its teachings. It serves as an institution for those who want to learn about Islam. It has two halls, Mahmood hall and Nusrat hall, for sermons and lectures about Islam. This mosque is now succeeded by Bait ul Fatah mosque. It is featured a big green dome and four minarets. The mosque is surrounded by grass and ornamental vegetation.
3. Cambridge Central Mosque (Cambridge)
The Cambridge central mosque is among the 10 mosques in United Kingdom, which are appreciated because of their education and architecture. It is the first environmentally friendly mosque in Europe because it contains zero carbon during construction. It is also the first purpose-built mosque in Cambridge. It was built for donations from Muslims all over the world. It has a capacity of almost 1000 people. It was inaugurated on April 2019. It is for all sectors of Islam. The construction cost of this mosque is 23 million euros. The material used for construction is timber, bricks and tiles. The timber tree provides structural support to the roof, and red tiles are used to give a beautiful look. It contains a café, prayer area, ablution area and restroom.
4. Swansea Mosque (Swansea)
Swansea mosque is one of the largest mosques in the United Kingdom. It was built in the 1980s. It provides religious facilities for Muslims and is affiliated with the al-hadith sector of Islam. Its main purpose is to educate society in the light of the Quran and Hadith. It is located on St. Helen’s road in Swansea, Wales. Swansea Mosque is a religious facility for Muslims in South Wales. Like other mosques, it consists of a prayer room, hall, rest room and ablution area. It has a capacity of 10000 people.
5. London Central Mosque (London)
The London central mosque is a place to worship near Regent’s Park in central London. It is architecture by Frederick Gibbered. Its architectural style is an amalgamation of Islamic and modern architecture. It has a capacity of almost 5000 people. It has a balcony, hall, prayer room, rest room and place for ablution. There is a café and bookshop for people. It has a dome which is decorated with glass and contains stars on it. The mosque is adorned with Islamic calligraphy. It is affiliated with the Sunni sector of Islam.
6. Anwaar Madinah Mosque (Hartlepool)
Masjid e Anwaar is one of the ten mosques in United Kingdom. It is situated in the Sunderland area. It was built by the Pakistani community with donations in 2018. The people in this area used to offer prayer in congregation in a flat. The room in this flat was not enough for the people. So, with the help of the community, they built this mosque. It was opened in a warehouse. It has a dome and minarets. The dome is green in color, which is familiar to the dome of Masjid e Nabawi.
7. Al Rahman Mosque (Liverpool)
The Al Rahman mosque is located in Liverpool on Hatherley Street, England. It can accommodate 2500 people. It is affiliated with the Sunni sector of Islam. It was built in 1974 and completed in a time of 10 years. It has one copper dome and two minarets. The dome has a crescent at the top. The mosque has brown colour tiles on the walls. It is also one of the historic buildings in Liverpool.
8. Harrow Central Mosque (Harrow)
Harrow central mosque is located in harrow, London. It was constructed in the 1980s. This mosque is affiliated with the Sunni sector of Islam. Its architectural style is Islamic. This mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques in London. It has a dome and minarets. The dome has a crescent on the top.
9. Jamea Masjid (Preston)
Jamea masjid is one of the 10 mosques in United kingdom. It is located in Lancashire Preston. This masjid is built for offering prayer and for educational purposes. Evening classes are held for the children in Madrassah. It is one of the best buildings in Preston. Like other mosques, it has a small dome and a crescent on the top. It has two minarets.
10. Chesham Mosque ( Buckinghamshire)
Chesham mosque is one of the best mosques in Buckinghamshire, England. It was inaugurated in 2005. It took almost 1.6 million Euros which was collected from the donations of the Muslim community. It can accommodate 700 people.