Ahmadiyya in the United Kingdom

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in the United Kingdom in July 1913 as one of the oldest Islamic associations in the UK. The community has built its presence with the establishment of significant sites such as The London Mosque in 1926. Over the decades the community has grown and become known for its annual convention the Jalsa Salana , interfaith dialogues and humanitarian efforts. The UK has also served as the headquarters of the community since 1984 currently in Islamabad, Tilford, in Surrey. ^[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

Al-Mahdi Mosque, Bradford, built in 2008

Nasir Mosque, Hartlepool, built in 2005

History

In July 1913, Fateh Muhammad 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. 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

Main article: Islamabad, Tilford

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. It is also the centre for its international annual convention, the Jalsa Salana , which is held in Alton, Hampshire at Hadeeqatul Mahdi.

Demographics

As of 2024, there are 35,000 Ahmadis in the UK in 150 local chapters. ^{[5] [6]} Presently, there are around 45 Mosques & community centres belonging to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in the UK, out of which around 25 are purpose-built mosques. ^[7] Additionally, there are several centres across England which are used for Salat and events. ^[8]

Mosques

The London Mosque was the first significant milestone for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in establishing a mosque in England. Several decades later, in 1975, the Nasir Hall, now known as the Nasir Mosque, was established in Gillingham as a prayer center. ^[9] As part of – Mirza Nasir Ahmad – the third caliph's visit to the UK, two centres were established; the mission house in Southall (which had a population of 40 Ahmadi families), as well as the Baitul Hamd in Bradford which was inaugurated in 1980. ^[10] The first purpose-built mosque outside of London was the Nasir Mosque in Hartlepool (not to be conflicted with the mosque in Gillingham).

Mosque	City	Region	Year		Notes
			Established	Inaugurated
Mubarak Mosque	Tilford	Surrey	1984	2019	( 51°11′26″N0°45′04″W / 51.19069°N 0.751°W / 51.19069; -0.751 (Mubarak Mosque) )
Jamia UK	Haslemere	Surrey	2012 (Est).		( 51°05′39″N0°44′14″W / 51.09416965°N 0.73723098°W / 51.09416965; -0.73723098 (Jamia Ahmadiyya UK) )
Baitul Aman Mosque	Uxbridge	London	2012 (Est).		( 51°31′24″N0°27′58″W / 51.5234°N 0.4661°W / 51.5234; -0.4661 (Baitul Aman Mosque) )
Baitul Ehsan Mosque	Mitcham		2017 (Inaug.)		( 51°23′29″N0°09′54″W / 51.3913°N 0.1651°W / 51.3913; -0.1651 (Baitul Ehsan Mosque) )
Baitul Futuh Mosque	Morden		2003 (Built)		( 51°23′46″N0°11′56″W / 51.3961°N 0.1989°W / 51.3961; -0.1989 (Baitul Futuh Mosque) )
Baitus Subhan Mosque	Croydon		1993	2009	( 51°23′02″N0°06′14″W / 51.3839°N 0.1038°W / 51.3839; -0.1038 (Baitus Subhan Mosque) )
Baitul Hadi	Watford	Hertfordshire	Est.		( 51°38′33″N0°25′08″W / 51.6424°N 0.4190°W / 51.6424; -0.4190 (Baitul Hadi) )
Baitul Wahid Mosque	Feltham	Middlesex	2012 (Est.)		( 51°25′51″N0°24′10″W / 51.4307°N 0.4028°W / 51.4307; -0.4028 (Baitul Wahid Mosque) )
Darus Salaam Mosque	Southall	Middlesex	1980	2020	( 51°30′36″N0°22′23″W / 51.5100°N 0.3731°W / 51.5100; -0.3731 (Darus Salaam Mosque) )
Fazl Mosque	Southfields	London	1926 (Built)		( 51°27′04″N0°12′27″W / 51.4511°N 0.2075°W / 51.4511; -0.2075 (The London Mosque) )
Noor Mosque	Crawley	West Sussex	2014 (Est.)		( 51°07′34″N0°11′35″W / 51.126°N 0.193°W / 51.126; -0.193 (Noor Mosque) )
Tahir Mosque	Bromley	South	2012 (Est.)		( 51°26′02″N0°00′36″E / 51.4339°N 0.0099°E / 51.4339; 0.0099 (Tahir Mosque) )
Baitul Ahad Mosque	Newham	East London	2010 (Inaug.)		( 51°32′02″N0°02′21″E / 51.533891°N 0.039033°E / 51.533891; 0.039033 (Baitul Ahad Mosque) )
Baitul Ahad	Waltham Forest		1984		( 51°35′15″N0°01′37″W / 51.587398°N 0.026878°W / 51.587398; -0.026878 (Baitul Ahad) )
Nasir Mosque	Gillingham		1975	2014	( 51°23′41″N0°33′04″E / 51.39481427°N 0.5511943°E / 51.39481427; 0.5511943 (Nasir Mosque) )
Baitul Ehsan Mosque	Leamington Spa	East Midlands	2008 (Est.)		( 52°17′19″N1°32′29″W / 52.288608°N 1.541299°W / 52.288608; -1.541299 (Baitul Ehsan Mosque) )
Baitul Hafeez Mosque	Nottingham		2001 (Est.)	2018	( 52°57′21″N1°07′01″W / 52.955939°N 1.116966°W / 52.955939; -1.116966 (Baitul Hafeez Mosque) )
Baitul Ikram Mosque	Leicester		1993	2016	( 52°36′52″N1°07′09″W / 52.61454466°N 1.1192681°W / 52.61454466; -1.1192681 (Baitul Ikram Mosque) )
Baitus Suboor	Burton upon Trent		2024 (Est.)		( 52°48′22″N1°36′24″W / 52.806102°N 1.606758°W / 52.806102; -1.606758 (Baitus Suboor) )
Baitul Ata Mosque	Wolverhampton	West Midlands	2012 (Inaug.)		( 52°34′59″N2°06′06″W / 52.583175°N 2.101566°W / 52.583175; -2.101566 (Baitul Ata Mosque) )
Darul Barakaat Mosque	Birmingham		1998	2004	( 52°28′36″N1°51′54″W / 52.4767°N 1.8651°W / 52.4767; -1.8651 (Darul Barakaat Mosque) )
Baitul Muqeet Mosque	Walsall		2009	2018	( 52°34′50″N1°58′58″W / 52.580523°N 1.982831°W / 52.580523; -1.982831 (Baitul Muqeet Mosque) )
Baitul Ghafoor Mosque	Dudley		2012 (Inaug.)		( 52°27′51″N2°01′45″W / 52.464112°N 2.029302°W / 52.464112; -2.029302 (Baitul Ghafoor Mosque) )
Al-Mahdi Mosque	Bradford	North East	2000	2008	( 53°48′04″N1°44′40″W / 53.8011°N 1.7444°W / 53.8011; -1.7444 (Al-Mahdi Mosque) )
Baitul Hamd			1980 (Inaug.)		( 53°47′33″N1°43′45″W / 53.79241545°N 1.72915579°W / 53.79241545; -1.72915579 (Baitul Hamd) )
Baitul Haleem	Keighley		<2008 (Est.)		( 53°51′51″N1°54′23″W / 53.864071°N 1.906414°W / 53.864071; -1.906414 (Baitul Haleem) )
Nasir Mosque	Hartlepool		2005 (Built)		( 54°41′35″N1°12′58″W / 54.6931°N 1.2162°W / 54.6931; -1.2162 (Nasir Mosque) )
Baitul Ata	Newcastle upon Tyne		2025 (Est.)		( 54°59′33″N1°32′23″W / 54.99261°N 1.53974°W / 54.99261; -1.53974 (Baitul Ata) )
Darul Amaan Mosque	Manchester	North West	1991	2012	( 53°27′44″N2°14′22″W / 53.46227002°N 2.23944977°W / 53.46227002; -2.23944977 (Darul Amaan Mosque) )
Sadiq Mosque	Rhyl, Wales		2014 (Est).		( 53°18′54″N3°29′53″W / 53.314946°N 3.498081°W / 53.314946; -3.498081 (Sadiq Mosque) )
Baitul Lateef Mosque	Liverpool		2015 (Est.)		( 53°25′28″N2°57′19″W / 53.42454°N 2.95536°W / 53.42454; -2.95536 (Baitul Lateef Mosque) )
Baitur Rasheed	Blackburn		2021 (Est.)		( 53°44′39″N2°30′16″W / 53.744219°N 2.504511°W / 53.744219; -2.504511 (Baitur Rasheed) )
Baitul Aziz	Bolton		2024 (Est).		( 53°36′06″N2°32′58″W / 53.601655°N 2.549316°W / 53.601655; -2.549316 (Baitul Aziz) )
Baitul Afiyat Mosque	Sheffield	Yorkshire	2006	2008	( 53°23′15″N1°27′02″W / 53.3876091°N 1.45069153°W / 53.3876091; -1.45069153 (Baitul Afiyat Mosque) )
Baitul Atta Mosque	Spen Valley		1990s	?	( 53°42′21″N1°39′12″W / 53.705805°N 1.653444°W / 53.705805; -1.653444 (Baitul Atta Mosque) )
Baitul Baseer	Doncaster		2023 (Est.)		( 53°29′06″N1°11′19″W / 53.484894°N 1.188574°W / 53.484894; -1.188574 (Baitul Baseer) )
Baitus Salaam Mosque	Scunthorpe		2002	2023	( 53°35′11″N0°40′25″W / 53.58628°N 0.67371°W / 53.58628; -0.67371 (Baitus Salaam Mosque) )
Baitul Tauhid Mosque	Huddersfield		2008	–	Currently being renovated and rebuilt ( 53°39′45″N1°47′08″W / 53.66240548°N 1.78558773°W / 53.66240548; -1.78558773 (Baitul Tauhid Mosque) )
Baitul Samad			Est.		( 53°39′04″N1°46′47″W / 53.65102261°N 1.77967223°W / 53.65102261; -1.77967223 (Baitus Samad) )
Bait-ur-Rahman Mosque	Glasgow	Scotland	1984	1985	( 55°51′58″N4°17′24″W / 55.866022°N 4.290068°W / 55.866022; -4.290068 (Baitur Rahman Mosque) )
Bait-ul-Mahmood Mosque	Dundee		?		( 56°28′21″N2°58′08″W / 56.472461°N 2.968935°W / 56.472461; -2.968935 (Bait-ul-Mahmood Mosque) )
Baitur Raheem Mosque	Cardiff, Wales	South West	2017	–	Currently being renovated and rebuilt ( 51°28′46″N3°12′50″W / 51.479466°N 3.213778°W / 51.479466; -3.213778 (Baitul Raheem Mosque) )

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Locations of major Ahmadi Muslim Mosques in the UK

Media and culture

Television & Radio

See also: MTA International and Voice of Islam Radio

The Ahmadiyya Muslim community first began its media broadcasts in 1992 with Ahmadiyya Muslim Presentations (AMP), a part-time channel which would broadcast the weekly sermons of the caliph. This evolved into the 24-hour TV channel, now known as MTA1 World as the first Islamic TV channel in the UK in 1994. It was launched on the Sky UK platform and operated from The London Mosque. Since then, it has launched several other channels around the world while maintaining the Baitul Futuh Mosque as its headquarters. In early 2016, the community launched the Voice of Islam radio channel which covers several cities across the UK, including Greater London and Greater Manchester.

Periodicals

The community publishes several magazines and newspapers aimed for the benefit of the community. The two main newspapers run by the community in the UK are the Daily Al-Fazl in Urdu and Al Hakam, an English periodical. The Daily Al-Fazl started an international service in 1994, where it was published in Islamabad, Tilford, and in 2023 it became as the permanent headquarters of the periodical.

Discrimination

Main article: Persecution of Ahmadis in United Kingdom

The movement, though free to practice their faith in the UK, suffers from Sunni bigotry in the UK. It has faced instances of persecution of discrimination over the past century with instances of 'Anti-Ahmadiyya campaigns'. ^[11] They are not recognised as Muslims by the Muslim Council of Britain and are targets for vilification by the Khatme Nubuwwat Academy. ^{[12] [13]} The movement has faced objections and resistance of the establishment of Ahmadi mosques by anti-Ahmadis, fuelled by sectarian hostility. ^[14] Ahmadi students face discrimination in educational settings and workplaces. ^[15] In 2016 Asad Shah, an Ahmadi shopkeeper was murdered due to his association with the Ahmadiyya faith, in which the killer claimed to have defended Islam over Shah's alleged blasphemies. ^[16]

Notable Ahmadi Residents

• 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 ^[17]
• 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
• Karim Ahmad Khan – Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court since 2021.

References

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. "🇬🇧 United Kingdom". Ahmadiyya Mosques. 2017-11-06. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
8. Young, David (26 June 2024). "Authenticity and identity". the University of Bath's research portal. Retrieved 2025-01-28.
9. "Revamped Gillingham mosque opens its doors". BBC News. 2014-03-01. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
10. Valentine, Simon Ross (2008). Islam and the Ahmadiyya Jama'at: History, Belief, Practice. Hurst & Company. pp. 72–73, 101. ISBN   978-1-85065-916-7.
11. Mughal, Fiyaz (2016-10-11). "Anti-Ahmadi hate crime has gone unchecked for too long – and the consequences are terrifying | The Independent". The Independent. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
12. "The murder of an Ahmadi". The Economist . 21 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
13. "Mosque warned over 'kill Ahmadis' leaflets". BBC News. 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
14. Balzani, Marzia (2020). Ahmadiyya Islam and the Muslim Diaspora: Living at the End of Days. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   978-1-351-76954-9.
15. "Hate crime investigation into threats against Ahmadi Muslims". Channel 4 News. 2010-12-05. Retrieved 2024-06-06.
16. 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.
17. "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2020-08-30.