London: the capital’s oldest mosque celebrates its 100th anniversary

The Fazl Mosque, considered the oldest mosque in London, is celebrating its centenary this year. Inaugurated in 1926 in the Wandsworth district, south of London, over time it has become a real place of life and solidarity. During the Second World War, when London was being bombed by the Germans, the mosque served as an air raid shelter to protect the neighborhood’s residents. A little-known episode which reminds us to what extent its history is linked to that of the British capital.

More recently, it has also hosted blood drives and vaccination campaigns against Covid-19, continuing this tradition of service to the population well beyond its sole religious function. The mosque belongs to the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and has for decades carried a simple message: “Love for all, hatred for none.”

Its construction itself tells a strong story. Much of the land had been financed by Ahmadi Muslims living in India, including women who sold their jewelry to help build London’s first mosque, even though they knew they would probably never see it. Over the decades, the mosque has also hosted many personalities and played a role in several episodes of British Muslim history. In the 1930s, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, future founder of Pakistan, gave an important speech there before his return to India.

To mark its 100th anniversary, its leaders have chosen to place the celebrations under the sign of sharing: 10,000 free meals are to be distributed to homeless people. Classified as a historic monument since 2018, the Fazl Mosque remains today an important witness to British Muslim history and the ancient links between Islam and London society.

A century after its inauguration, its ambition remains the same: to be a place of peace, meeting and fraternity.