mosque directory
DESCRIPTION
This is a publication cataloging the various Mosques in Southwark. This directory will complimet with the video, posters and flyers produced.TRANSCRIPT
Published in 2010 byThe Printing Press2nd Floor145-147 St John Street,London,EC1V 4PYUnited KingdomTel: 0845 634 5048Email: [email protected]
Written by:Sadiq Hoque
Designed by:Olajide Kareem www.cargocollective.com/kareem
Photography by:Abdul Mujeeb Mebude A Production of:
Community TV [email protected]
Funded by;
Content
Introduction 5
A Mosque 6
Mosque Etiquettes 9
African Ivorian Islamic Trust 10
Assalatur Rahman Islamic Association 10
Baitul Aziz Cultural & Islamic Centre 11
Baitul-Rahman Mosque Somali Relief &Islamic Cultural Centre 11
Camberwell Islamic Cultural Centre 12
Dulwich Islamic Centre, Gousal Azzam Mosque, 12
Muslim Association of Nigeria 13
Nasrul-Lahi-il Fathi Society Of Nigeria, UK & Ireland 13
New Peckham Mosque 14
Peckham Islamic Centre 14
5
Introduction
It is with sincere gratitude and thanks to Allah, that I take great pleasure in being able to produce this directory, the first of its kind in Southwark. It is a great compliment to the ground breaking film documentary in Southwark, ‘Mosque; the story of Islam in Southwark’. The film shows some of the mosques in the borough, and discusses their history, functions and looks at the issues that the Muslim community faces today, this directory follows on from where the film comes to a standstill.The film raises awareness of the presence of the Mosques in Southwark, many of which are not easily recognisable, and gets people talking about them, this directory makes it easier for people to locate the Mosques and take the next steps for themselves, to go and visit these places of worship. Many had already told me of their personal frustration in trying to contact a mosque for a visit either for themselves, or for a school visit or work, but the lack of easily accessible information available for the public was making this very difficult. Some Muslims also informed me of the benefit that a directory such as this would bring, as Muslims living or working in the borough were not fully aware of the total number of Mosques in the borough and where they were located, this included myself. I am pleased for the mosques listing themselves in this directory and it shows their openness and are willing to welcome the outside world in.I pray that you will find this directory beneficial and make full use of it for a long time to come.
My sincere thanks to Olajide Kareem, Abdul Mujeeb and Chris Haydon for helping me to produce this directory and to Southwark Council for funding its publication.
Sadiq Hoque
6
A Mosque
The most important mosque for Muslims is the Masjid al haram in Makkah, which contains the ka’aba, the House of Allah. Which was the first mosque built by Abraham and Ishmail for the worship of God. The second mosque in Islam, built for the same purpose is Masjid al Aqsa in Jerusalem, the site of the house of worship built by Prophet Soloman (Sulaiman). The third mosque is Masjid-an-Nabawi or the Mosque of the Prophet built by Prophet Muhammad and his companions in Medina. A mosque or masjid in Arabic is dedicated to the worship of God. A mosque to be
qualified as a mosque must offer the five daily congregational prayers known as jama’at. Above all else this is the most important function of a mosque.Mosques come in many different shapes and sizes as there is no special design or structure for a mosque. Any building erected or used for congregational prayers is a mosque. This is evident in Southwark as there are a range of buildings used as mosques by worshippers.
7
The two main features in every mosque are the Mihrab and Mimbar. The mihrab points out the direction of prayer as all mosques in the world have their prayer direction or Qiblah facing towards Ka’aba. The mimbar is the pulpit, a set of steps or seat on which the imam would stand or sit and give out the sermon on Fridays and on the two Eids. These two features can come in various shapes and sizes, some are very grand and while others are very simple. The variety of these features can also be seen within the mosques of Southwark.
Most mosques are open everyday of the year including the days of Islamic celebrations, and are usually open for the whole day. Mosques differ in the types of community, educational and social activities that they undertake and are usually dependent on the size and ability of the mosque to deliver such programmes of activities. Most mosques are funded by the communities themselves, and Muslims are encouraged to give sadaqah, charitable donations, to support their mosques and other causes.
Some Mosques have special mosque funds and do special fund raising events to raise money. Mosques have an Imam as the spiritual head and many may have more than one Imam, but there will always be one who is the chief Imam. Imam, meaning leader, is the one who leads the congregation in prayer, and is a source of Islamic knowledge and guiding example for the community. Imams do not take confessions rather advise individuals as how best to seek God and lead an exemplary life. All Muslims including imams emulate the character of Prophet Muhammad and try to live according to the
Mihrab & Mimbar.
8
Qur’an and sunnah (example) of the Prophet. They are not associated with any form of divinity; rather they are distinguished according to their piety and level of knowledge. They are required to live amongst the community and not isolated from them unlike in some other religions and unlike other religions they are allowed to get married and have children, in fact celibacy is forbidden in Islam. Many Imams earn a wage as an imam, while others do it voluntarily but still have to work elsewhere to earn a living as they are not allowed to live on charity. Many undergo years of learning and are hafiz of the Qur’an, meaning they have memorised the whole Qur’an as well as being experts on other fields of Islamic knowledge. Some also are educated in other areas and can be fully qualified medical doctor, surgeon, academic lecturer, researcher, engineer and so on. Mosque Etiquettes
A mosque is the house of God and all within it are His guests. Anyone seeking a place of safety, solace, comfort or simply out of curiosity can go to a mosque; however, there is some etiquette to be followed in a mosque. One is to be conscious of other people who are there to worship and respect must be shown to the premises and the worshippers within it, so talking of worldly matters is discouraged as is talking, laughing and joking out loud as to disturb others. Mobile phones are required to be switched off or put on silent, and shoes are to be taken off before entering a mosque as they are
9
usually carpeted and kept clean for prayer, as the place of prostration in prayer has to be free of dirt. Therefore eating or drinking is restricted in the prayer halls. Some mosques have a kitchen or other designated area for such purposes and one is required to clean up after themselves. Both men and women are required to be dressed modestly, covering their bodies, women being required to cover their head and whole body with the exception of their face, hands and feet. Men and women pray separately and very often they have separate prayer spaces or rooms and even specific entrances for men and women.
10
African Ivorian Islamic Trust
Contact: [email protected]
www.africanivorianislamictrust.com
Location: 118-120 Peckham High
Street, London SE15 5ED
Assalatur Rahman Islamic
Association,
Contact: 020 7635 7722
www.assalatur-rahman.com
Email: [email protected]
Location: No 5 Record Street off
Ilderton Road, SE15 1TL
11
Baitul-Rahman Mosque
Somali Relief &Islamic
Cultural Centre
Contact: 0207 703 2592
0777 402 2693
Email: [email protected]
Location: Unit one 82 Old Kent
Road SE1 4NX
Baitul Aziz Cultural & Islamic
Centre
Location: 1 Dickens Square
Off Harper Road
London SE1 4JL
Contact: 020 7378 7764
12
Camberwell Islamic Cultural
Centre
Camberwell Mosque,
Jama-at Ul Islamiyya (UK)
Location: 188 Camberwell Road,
London SE5 0ED
Dulwich Islamic Centre,
Gousal Azzam Mosque,
Location: 23 Northcross Road,
East Dulwich,
London SE22 9ET
13
Nasrul-Lahi-il Fathi Society Of
Nigeria, UK & Ireland
Contact: 0207 2312 255
http://nasfat.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Location: 33 pages walk
Off Grange Road
London SE1 4SB
Muslim Association of Nigeria
Contact: 020 7231 0100
www.manuk.org
Location: 365 Old Kent Road
London SE1 5JH
14
New Peckham Mosque
Location: 99-101 Coburg Road
London SE5 0HU
Peckham Islamic Centre
Location: 12 Choumert Grove
London SE15
Contact: 020 7277 8500
