Untitled - EIC Almasjid

our future
Muslims in the UK constitute a minority
living in a society undergoing far-reaching
changes. The mosque stands as an
important bulwark of Muslim identity and
community integrity. Mosques have not
only played a vital and meaningful role as
the focus of religious activities, but also as
centres for social and educational
programmes. The Edmonton Islamic centre
Almasjid has been involved with providing
congregational prayers, teaching the Arabic
language as well as Islamic values for over
a decade. Due to the high level of
worshippers who now attend EIC Almasjid,
plans have been made to relocate to
premises that will cater to the ever-growing
needs of Edmonton’s Muslim community.
the beginning
In the late 1980’s, around 30
children were being taught
regularly at the house of a kind
and concerned Muslim brother in
Edmonton. Various unsuccessful
efforts were made to establish a
mosque in this area.
Muslims (£70,000) and by taking
interest-free loans, also from the local
Muslim community (£90,00 Qarz-eHasnah).
In 1993, Friday prayers began in a
church hall in Edmonton on the same
road as the house where the children
were being taught. Some brothers
requested the owner of the house to
allow it to be used for five times daily
prayers. Soon regular meetings were
held at the house to establish a mosque
in the area.
As with many early mosques in the
late 1980’s, the EIC began from a
small residential house.
In December of 1993, jummah prayers
also began at the house as the hall was
unsuitable due to a constant smell of
alcohol. The house proved to be too
small for jummah prayers due to the
increasing number of attending
worshippers. Then, in 1995, Edmonton
Islamic centre (EIC) was established to
meet the urgent needs and
requirements of the multinational
Muslim community of Edmonton.
The first official premises of the EIC
were a converted cafeteria in a council
shopping centre (Edmonton Green
Shopping Centre). This property was
used on a rental basis and facilitated
around 150 worshippers. However, in
just one year, this one room premise
was overwhelmed.
Therefore, with the increasing demand
of worshippers to cater for, the EIC
acquired a property on 198 Fore Street,
Upper Edmonton, N18. The property
was purchased (freehold) for a
negotiated price of £160,000 from Nat
West Bank. By the grace of Allah, the
cost of this purchase was met through
generous donations from mainly local
We moved into the new property,
henceforth known as Edmonton Islamic
Centre Almasjid (registered UK charity),
on Friday 24th January 1997,15th
Ramadhan 1417. This auspicious
occasion was commenced with the
Friday prayer (jummah) with special
prayers for all the Muslims.
In 1999, we had repaid all the money
that was borrowed to buy the bank
building. By the end of that year, by the
grace of Allah (SWT), the Pub next door
came up for sale. The management
committee then foresaw the importance
of acquiring this building due to the
increasing numbers of worshippers and
again with interest-free loans (Qarz-eHasnah) and donations largely from the
local Muslims, the pub was purchased
for £199,000. Later, some land at the
rear was purchased at a cost of
£20,000. A total of £250,000 was
borrowed for the purchase and
refurbishment of these premises. By
the end of 2002, all outstanding loans
on these properties were, Alhamdulillah,
repaid.
present facilities
k Daily Congregational Prayers,
Jumah, Taraweeh & Eidain
k Facilities for Ladies
k Children’s Arabic & Islamic Classes
k Adult Arabic & Quraan Classes
(Male & Female)
k All Lectures in English, Hadith & Quran
Tafsir Regularly
current situation
k Facilities for Islamic Marriage Ceremony
& Islamic Funeral Arrangements
k Hospital Visits
k Marriage Counselling
k General Advice Centre
k Inter-Faith Dialogue
k School Visits
k Recreation especially for the Youth (Inc.
Table Tennis & Football)
k Hajj Group
future planned
activities & facilities
k Islamic School (Primary, Secondary for
Girls & Boys)
k Nursery/Creche
k Training of Adults for Employment
k Islamic Library & Bookshop
k IT Classes (Children & Adults)
k Islamic Youth Centre including Training
Facilities
k Health Awareness Classes
Since the acquisition of the premises,
there has been numerous alterations
and extensions made to the mosque to
accommodate the overwhelming
demand of worshippers.
Almasjid currently accommodates
nearly 2000 worshippers for Friday
prayers, and with daily prayers also
Around £60,000 has been spent to
make every corner and room available
to increase the prayer area and provide
the required facilities. This figure does
not include the many hours of time and
experience donated by the generous
members of our Muslim community;
including highly skilled professionals
(may Allah reward them all).
Almasjid caters to the needs of
Muslims from the Indian sub-continent,
Mauritius, Turkey, Somalia, North Africa,
Africa, and Arabian Peninsula, as well
as many converts to Islam
Many of our patrons have seen the
mosque grow from its early inception to
its current status, and are very keen to
create a lasting legacy for generations
of Muslims to come, Inshallah. At
present, Almasjid caters to the needs of
Muslims from the Indian sub-continent,
Mauritius, Turkey, Somalia, North Africa,
Africa, and Arabian Peninsula, as well as
many converts to Islam and dawah
activities for non-Muslims.
held, the total worshippers who visit
the mosque is approximately 4200 each
week. In addition, during the holy
month of Ramadhaan, special Tarawih
prayers are held with around 1000
worshippers attending each night during
this month. Due to the overwhelming
demand, we have to hold 2 jamaats for
salaat-ul-jummah. It is clearly evident
that we need more space to
accommodate the growing Muslim
population and children classes, which
has risen to over 200 children attending
daily. The present facilities are
inadequate to cater for an everincreasing number of worshippers
(there are currently approximately
20,000 Muslims living in the borough
of Enfield).
There has been steady influx of
Muslims from all parts of the world and
EIC Almasjid has been very popular
with all these Muslims, largely due its
welcoming nature and ‘open door’
policy. The varied backgrounds of our
worshippers are reflected in the charity
trustees, who are also multiracial.
This is the prime reason for its fast
growing popularity, hence rapidly
growing number of worshippers.
proposed plan
Since Ramadhaan 1424 AH (2003), we
have been seeking funds to build a
much needed purpose-build mosque on
the current location. By the grace of
Allah (SWT), over 300 people have so
far pledged to give £1,000 each. A
considerable number have already paid,
including some pensioners who
understand the spiritual value of
investing in their real home in the
Aakhirah.
At the end of Ramadhaan 1425(2004)
we had raised £90,000 for the purpose
build mosque and many more brothers
and sisters pledged to contribute in the
future.
At the end of November 2004, plans for
the purpose build mosque on the
existing site were finalised. The cost of
the new building was estimated to be
near £5 million.
In the first week of December 2004, it
was brought to the Mosque trustees’
attention that a vacant property, situated
opposite the Almasjid, is available for
sale. This property, 1-19 Wakefield Rd /
20-24 Raynham Rd, Edmonton, N18,
comprises a factory complex, part of
which was used to manufacture
gambling chips. This complex has a
capacity that is around 5 times the size
of the current proposed plans for
Almasjid.
The architect who had drawn the plans
for the purpose build mosque on the
existing site has himself stated that the
acquisition of this complex is an
opportunity not to be missed. The
trustees and the most of the
congregation were also in complete
support of the idea.
The seller’s asking price in the region of
£4 million for the complex attracted the
attention of many developers. Some
Muslim developers, who have seen the
proximity of the complex to our existing
mosque, had strongly asked us to
consider acquiring the premises for the
development of EIC Almasjid. Some
large property developers had already
bid £4 million for the complex subject to
planning permission and one bid was
already in excess of £4,125,000. On
Friday 10th of December 2004, we
submitted an unconditional bid of £4
million. Alhamdulillah, on 17th
December 2004 our bid was accepted
subject to proof of funding. We
managed to provide proof of funding
and 21st January 2005 was provisionally
fixed for the exchange of contracts.
k
As soon as our bid was accepted, we
urgently appealed to our congregation in
order to raise 10% deposit (£400,000)
by 21st January 2005. We had only
£100,000 at the end of December 2004
in order to reach the deposit target we
made further appeals. Many brothers
and sisters came forward with their
donations and Qarz-E-Hasnah (interest
free Loans) and, Alhamdulillah this
target was achieved in less than a
month.
We urge all our Muslim
brothers and sisters to pray
that Allah (SWT) enables us to
complete this huge task
The Architect has appraised the site and
drawn plans to convert the existing new
building into a purpose built Mosque.
The old four storey factory building
would also be renovated and converted
into much needed Islamic schools. The
building will be large enough to house 3
Schools (primary, secondary girls and
secondary boys).
We urgently need to raise £3.6 million
to complete the purchase of factory
complex by 1st June 2005 (if we fail to
achieve this target not only will we lose
the opportunity to acquire such an ideal
investment for the Muslim Community
but we would also lose our deposit of
£400,000!).Inshallah, we are hoping to
raise at least £1 million locally by 1st
June 2005 (Alhamdulillah, we have
already raised £400,000) and another
million the following year
We would like all our brothers and
sisters to take part in this noble cause
to establish a lasting and progressive
Islamic institution to cater for the needs
of the Muslim community of Edmonton
and its surrounding areas. This site will,
Inshallah, be an ideal investment for the
future generations of Muslims. We
humbly request that you donate
generously towards this appeal and help
build your house in Jannah and leave
behind “Sadaqah- Jaria”.
We also request that you come forward
and pledge Qarz-e-Hasnah (interest-free
loan) to fulfil our urgent and immediate
need.
Finally, we urge all our Muslim brothers
and sisters to pray that Allah (SWT)
enables us to complete this huge task
with ease and that the contributions
and efforts of all those involved is
accepted and rewarded by Him, Ameen.
Jazakumullah Khairan for your
anticipated co-operation
Wassalaam
EIC Almasjid Trustees
Funds required
Purchase of factory complex
£4 million
Phase One
Relocation of mosque:
£I million
Phase Two
Conversion of rear part
for Islamic Schools:
£2.7 million
Phase Three
Purpose Build Mosque within 5 to 10
years (after demolition of old single
storey building in the front)
account details
Cheques or draft to be drawn in the name of ‘Edmonton Islamic Centre’ and sent to the
secretary of EIC (please also send us your name and address to enable us to acknowledge
your donation) or directly into the bank account, details of which are given below.
account details
Account Name
The Edmonton Islamic Centre Al Masjid-Building Fund
Natwest, Stratford Broadway E15
Account No. 42051924
Sort Code 60-20-36
Under Gift Aid EIC Al Masjid will get an extra 28 pence from the Inland Revenue for every
pound you donate.This means that £1000 can be turned into £1,280 as long as donations
are made through the Gift Aid scheme. Smaller donations will also allow the Masjid to
reclaim money from the Inland Revenue. Please complete a Gift Aid form when sending in
your donation so the Masjid can raise as much funds as possible.
contact details
Edmonton Islamic Centre Almasjid
198-202 Fore Street, Angel, Edmonton London N18 2JD
Also for further info contact
Tariq 07958 400287 • Shahidul Hoque 07932 633349 • Azizul Hoque 07956 961203
UK Registered Charity No. 1048604
Almasjid
building for the future