Ahmadiyya in the United Kingdom

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The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in United Kingdom with the pioneering efforts of Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sial, who arrived in London in July in 1913. Sial was the first missionary sent overseas by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and was under the direction of Hakeem Noor-ud-Din, the first caliph of the movement.[1]

The Baitul Futuh Mosque in London, the largest mosque in the UK, and one of the largest in Western Europe.
The Fazl Mosque, also known as The London Mosque
Mubarak Mosque, Tilford, the central mosque of the Ahmadiyya headquarters

History[edit]

Not many years after arriving, the need for a mosque in the UK became apparent and in 1926, the Fazl Mosque was formally opened in London and it became the city's first mosque.[2][3] The community expanded and built many mosques and mission houses across the country. The most notable of which is Baitul Futuh Mosque in South London stands as one of the largest in Western Europe.[4]

International Headquarters[edit]

The International Headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is in United Kingdom since 1984. Since the forced exile of the fourth caliph of the community, Mirza Tahir Ahmad from Pakistan in 1984, the Fazl Mosque, London served as International Headquarters for a period of 35 years before moving the International Headquarters to Mubarak Mosque, Tilford on 15 April 2019.

Demographics[edit]

As of 2017, there are 30,000 Ahmadis in the UK in 150 local chapters.[5][6]

Ahmadiyya in the United Kingdom is located in the United Kingdom
Mubarak Mosque, Tilford
Fazl Mosque, London
Baitul Futuh, London
Al-Mahdi Mosque, Bradford
Baitul Afiyat Mosque, Sheffield
Baitul Ehsan Mosque, Leamington Spa
Baitul Ghafoor Mosque, Halesowen
Baitul Hafeez Mosque, Nottingham
Baitul Ikram Mosque, Leicester
Baitul Lateef Mosque, Liverpool
Baitul Muqeet Mosque, Walsall
Baitur Rahman Mosque, Glasgow
Baitur Raheem Mosque, Cardiff
Baitus Salaam Mosque, Scunthorpe
Baitul Tauhid Mosque, Huddersfield
Darul Amaan Mosque, Manchester
Darul Barakaat Mosque, Birmingham
Nasir Mosque, Gillingham
Nasir Mosque, Hartlepool
Noor Mosque, Crawley
Mary Mosque, Galway
Locations of major Ahmadi Muslim Mosques in the UK

Notable Ahmadi Residents of United Kingdom[edit]

Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Fifth Caliph and current leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

Mirza Tahir Ahmad – Fourth Caliph during his time the Community's headquarters moved to United Kingdom from Pakistan.

Dr. Abdus Salam - First Muslim Nobel Science Laureate and a devoted member of the community, lived in Putney, London

Tariq Ahmad, Baron Ahmad of Wimbledon – Member of the House of Lords, UK, Minister of State for the Commonwealth and South Asia and Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict[7]

Iftikhar A. Ayaz – Tuvaluan Consular Official, UK

Abdul Rahim Dard – writer, missionary, Imam of the historic Fazl Mosque and political activist for the Pakistan Movement

Fateh Muhammad Sial – the first Ahmadi missionary sent overseas by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

Bashir Ahmad Orchard – first Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of European descent

Anti-Ahmadiyya Campaign[edit]

The movement suffers from Sunni bigotry in the UK. They are not recognised as Muslims by the Muslim Council of Britain and are targets for vilification by the Khatme Nubuwwat Academy.[8][9][10]

Mosques & Buildings[edit]

Presently, there are 36 Mosques & Buildings belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the UK.[11]

Greater London[edit]

Greater London and Muqami regions:

Muqami[edit]

Greater London[edit]

  • Baitul Aman (Built in 2012) – Uxbridge
  • Baitul Ehsan (Built in 2017) – Mitchem
  • Baitul Futuh (Built in 2003) – Morden
  • Baitus Subhan (Established) – Croydon
  • Baitul Wahid (Built in 2012) – Feltham
  • Darus Salam (Built in 2020) – Southall
  • Tahir Mosque (Established 2012)

Kent[edit]

Also known as 'East Region'.

  • Baitul Ahad (Built in 2010) – East Ham
  • Baitul Ahad (Established) - Waltham Forest
  • Nasir Mosque (Built in 2014) – Gillingham

Midlands[edit]

East Midlands[edit]

  • Baitul Ehsaan (Established in 2008) – Leamington Spa
  • Baitul Hafeez (Established in 2018) – Nottingham
  • Baitul Ikram (Built in 2016) – Leicester

West Midlands[edit]

  • Baitul Atta (Built in 2012) – Wolverhampton
  • Darul Barakaat (Built in 2004) – Birmingham
  • Baitul Muqeet (Built in 2018) – Walsall
  • Baitul Ghafoor (Built in 2012) – Halesowen

North East[edit]

  • Baitul Haleem (Established) – Keighley

North West & North Wales[edit]

  • Baitur Rasheed (Established) – Blackburn
  • Baitus Sadiq (Established) – Rhyl

Yorkshire[edit]

  • Baitul Afiyat (Built in 2008) – Sheffield
  • Baitul Atta (Established) – Spen Valley
  • Baitus Salaam (Est 2002. Inaugurated in 2023) – Scunthorpe
  • Baitul Tauhid (Established in 2008) – Huddersfield
  • Baitus Samad (Established) – Huddersfield

Scotland[edit]

  • Baitul Mahmood (Established) – Dundee
  • Bait-ur-Rahman (Established. 1984)

South Wales[edit]

  • Baitur Raheem (Established)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "28 February - 5 March". Al Hakam. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  2. ^ "Fazl Mosque". Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  3. ^ "The Baitulfutuh Mosque- Ahmadiyya Muslim Community: An Overview". www.baitulfutuh.org. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  4. ^ "Western Europe's largest mosque opens in Morden". The Guardian. Press Association. 2003-10-02. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  5. ^ "A religious killing in Scotland: A quiet man with a loud message: A horrific murder prompts fears of more attacks on a small Islamic sect". The Economist. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Why Britain's Ahmadis are worried". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  7. ^ "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
  8. ^ "The murder of an Ahmadi". The Economist. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  9. ^ "Mosque warned over 'kill Ahmadis' leaflets". BBC News. 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  10. ^ Nasser, Tahir (2016-04-25). "The Muslim Council of Britain is failing Ahmadis like Asad Shah | Tahir Nasser". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
  11. ^ "🇬🇧 United Kingdom". Ahmadiyya Mosques. 2017-11-06. Retrieved 2023-02-28.