Visiting Al Fazl: The First Ever Mosque in London

Liputan6.com, London - For the past two years, Mubarak Ahmad has been a voluteneer at Al Fazl Mosque, the oldest mosque in London, the capital of England. He is tasked at its book store which also sells Alquran in various languages, accessories, and the black caps that famously bear the name of the first president of Indonesia: 'Sukarno's Cap'.

Mubarak recounted the story when his life was almost taken by COVID-19. He believes it was the power of prayer that kept him alive. "I feel like having the second chance of living," he said on Wednesday (26/7/2023). And that enforced his belief to stay as a volunteer at Al Fazl Mosque.

Al Fazl Mosque was built in 1924, and inaugurated two years afterward. The walls are white, and there is on its roof a 10 meter tall green dome over a square, surrounded by four smaller domes on its corners. Its designer, JH Mawson, combined the Mughal architecture with English style, a synthesis of East and West.

Even though the premise is not vast, with capacity around 150 worshippers, its singularity made this mosque to be listed as a historical building or National Heritage List for England (NHLE) Grade II in 2018.

Al Fazl Mosque was built by the Ahmadiyya community from the donation of its members, both the rich ones and those with limited means, including from women who sold their rings, bracelets, necklaces, and other jewels. At that time, it cost 6,223 pounds to procure the land and construction.

Between 1984 to 2019, Al Fazl Mosque was the residence for the caliphs of the Ahmadiyya community, making it the de facto international headquarter.

"Four of our caliphs came here and acted as the imams for Friday Prayer," Mubarak explained.

The status of Al Fazl as the oldest mosque in London is still incontestable, although Abdul Maalik Tailor, a tour guide, said that he found another place of worship dated from 1895. But it was not a mosque, but a house.

According to londonist.com, a man named Haji Mohammed Dollie did convert a room in his home at Albert Street, near Regent's Park, into a mosque. Another evidence came from The Daily News on 12 June 1899.

Visitors can see two inscriptions at the outer part of the mosque. It is written that 19 October 1924 was the date when the cornerstone of this mosque was put by the leader of the Ahmadiyya community, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmud Ahmad Khalifatul Masih II.

The construction of the first ever mosque in London naturally attracted significant attention from the city residents. On Sunday, 4 October 1926, hundreds of people gathered in Southfields, Wandsworth, to witness the inauguration of Al Fazl.

But there was a story about a prince who also should've been there. He was Emir Feisul (Viceroy of Mecca) who would be an honorary guest. The prince, however, mysteriously disappeared.

English media, including The Guardian, reported that his father at that time sent a telegram that told him to skip the inauguration, although previously the young emir received green light from his kingdom.

The guests then also saw the notice of the prohibition. According to The Guardian, everyone was disappointed at not being able to see the young royal.

It was unknown why his visit was suddenly prohibited, but allegedly it was because Ahmadiyya was showing too much tolerance to the believers from other religions.

And during the inauguration, the mosque's black door was symbolically unlocked with a silver key.

Many important people visited the mosque, including a royal prince. In 2011, Prince Edward (now Duke of Edinburgh) came to inspect the garden in the mosque, which has received various accolades.

The late Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son came to the mosque in his capacity as part of the London Gardens Society. The prince was welcomed by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad who headed Ahmadiyya at that time.

Prince Edward also visited the mosque and its private garden in the complex where there is a huge cherry tree.

Both Edward and Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad shared a passion in horticulture. According to allislam.org, the Ahmadiyya leader also told Prince Edward about the origin of Ahmadiyya's caliphate in England since 1984—after the persecution in Pakistan.