| The Wembley Central Mosque
& Muslim Welfare Association |
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View of the mosque and centre from Ealing Road |
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| Location | London, United Kingdom |
| Established | 1985 |
| Branch/tradition | Sunni |
| Ownership | Muslim Welfare Association. |
| Leadership | Imam(s): Sheikh Abdul Sattar Sheikh Abdul Ghani Chairman: Sheikh Rafiq-ur-Rahman |
| Architectural information | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Edward Collcutt & Stanley Hemp (1904) |
| Capacity | 2200 |
| Minaret(s) | 3 |
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| 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 fifth UK’s largest community who are predominantly Asian. The mosque is in the heart of Wembley. Wembley Central Mosque is the main mosque in North West London. 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.
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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. Work began in 1993 and finished in 1996 with the committee and the community spending £100,000. Work included refurbishment of the whole building and the building of a new ablution area for the men. The mosque has a large hall, a gallery (Visitors centre), offices and a funeral service room.
In 2003 construction began on the 1st expansion project called the Muslim Welfare Association (named after the committee). Adjacent to the mosque, it is a two-storey building with a courteous entrance. Construction was completed in 2005. The centre has two halls, a ladies area, a kitchen unit and a main office.
In 1985, The MWA Committee purchased a 3-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.
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. The mosque was also now allowed to broadcast the live Adhan (call to prayer) using loudspeakers only for Jumu'ah (Friday prayer).
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. There were more Muslims in North West London. 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.
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.
On Fridays, The mosque and centre gets filled up promptly. Worshippers have to pray on the streets. The Wembley Central Mosque & Muslim Welfare Association decided to launch their second expansion project. Part of the expansion project was to join both the Wembley Central Mosque and Muslim Welfare Association. The expansion project was to increase the prayer capacity from 2200 to 3500 as well as to provide more services and facilities.
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.
The Mosque is run by a committee who are elected each year. The president of the mosque is Sheikh 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. The committee do their best each year to try and make the mosque a better place of worship and organise schemes and events to engage the youth and elderly.
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.
Wembley Central Mosque is blessed with qualified and scholarly Khatibs & Imams.
Prominent Imams who have visited the mosque: Imam Qasim (Founder, CEO of IQRA TV & Imam of Croydon Mosque), Imam Mutahhir Sabree, Sheikh Yusuf Estes, Sheikh Abu Bakr Shatri (World renowned reciter & Imam of Masjid al-Furqan), Sheikh Muhammad Jibreel (Egyptian Eminent Reciter), Sheikh Nasir Al Hamd (Imam and Khatib at Jamia Imam Ibn Maajah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Sheikh Qari Sa'ad Nu'mani, Sheikh Sulaman Ghani (Islam Channel & Imam at Tooting Islamic Centre) and Sheikh Yazdani (member of London Fatwa Council)
Conscientious visitors are: Yusuf Chambers and Jalal Ibn Saeed
Other Notable visitors are: Lyon Park Junior School
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.
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.
Present services in The Wembley Central Mosque & Muslim Welfare Association include:
Future planned services include: