Glasgow Central Mosque

Glasgow Central Mosque

Glasgow Central Mosque
Basic information
Location Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Geographic coordinates 55°51′9″N 4°15′3″W / 55.85250°N 4.25083°WCoordinates: 55°51′9″N 4°15′3″W / 55.85250°N 4.25083°W
Affiliation Sunni Islam
District Gorbals
Architectural description
Architectural type Mosque
Completed 1983
Construction cost £ 3 million
Specifications
Capacity 2500
Dome(s) 1
Minaret(s) 1

Glasgow Central Mosque is located on the south bank of the River Clyde in the Gorbals district of central Glasgow.

The Mosque

The Mosque was built in 1983. Retired businessman Muhammed Tufail Shaheen MBE, an active community leader and President of the Glasgow Central Mosque, was instrumental in its building. The central Mosque was formally opened in 1984 by H E. Abdullah Omar Nasseef, the Secretary General of the Muslim World League. Built on a 4-acre (16,000 m2) site, the present Mosque has a new Islamic Centre adjacent to the main building4-acre (16,000 m2). The new Islamic Centre serves as a general purpose hall for public events and also provides sports and changing facilities, meeting rooms, library, cafeteria and facilities to offer education and welfare support to the community.

The mosque was built at a cost of three million pounds. The courtyard of the mosque is in keeping with the traditional Arabesque style. It is enclosed on one of its sides by gardens and on the other by a long façade of arched windows. The main entrance arched with etched glass doors of a floral design. In the courtyard is one of the most noticeable features being the Minaret (tower) where traditionally the Muezzin recites the call to prayer stands.

The other more noticeable feature is the dome above the main prayer hall allowing natural light into the building. Inside the mosque is a recess which is called the Mihrab where the Imam stands. The Mihrab points in the direction of Mecca.

Enclosed in a walled garden and with a separate minaret, the mosque combines Islamic architecture with the characteristic Old Red Sandstone material used to build many of Glasgow's buildings. The building can accommodate 2500 worshipers.

Imams

The only minaret of the mosque

There are currently three Imams:

Muslim Cultural and Welfare Centre

The Islamic Centre is now the Central Institution for the Muslim community and this is the largest community centre in Strathclyde. The mosque itself is Scotland's largest mosque.[1]

This centre provides services not only for Muslim elderly people, adults, youths and children, but also serves the non-Muslim community groups of various ages, and educationalists from various institutions. Its services support the whole of the Strathclyde region.

References

  1. ↑ Sutton, Matty. "Scotland and Islam". www.heraldscotland.com. Retrieved 21 June 2014.

External links