Baitul Futuh
Encyclopedia
The Baitul Futuh Mosque (Arabic for House of Victories) in London has been deemed the second largest mosque
complex in Western Europe
, behind the Mosque of Rome
. Completed in 2003 at a cost of approximately £5.5 million, entirely from donations of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
, the mosque covers an area of 5.2 acres (21,043.7 m²) and the full complex can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers. It is located in the south-west London
suburb of Morden
, London Borough of Merton
, next to Morden South railway station
, approximately 700 yards from Morden Underground station
.
s, Deputy High Commissioners, Members of European Parliament, Members of Parliament
, Mayors of London boroughs, councillors, university lecturers, and representatives of 17 countries.
Programme Any Questions?
, and is included in Open House London
.
The Baitul Futuh Mosque has acted as the centre for the 'Loyalty, Freedom and Peace Campaign', which seeks to promote Islam as a peaceful religion, and to improve the integration of Muslims and non-Muslims.
Peace Symposium 2010 saw the first historic Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize awarded to Lord Eric Avebury
at the Mosque.
The Mosque receives over 10,000 visitors a year from schools, faith groups, public service organizations, charities, local and central government, and other groups.
The plan to burn
the Qur'an
by the Dove World Outreach Center
on the 9th anniversary of 9/11 attacks was highly condemned at the Baitul Futuh mosque by several politicians and religious leaders, representing various faiths, such as Church of England
, Catholic Church, Judaism
, Bahá'í Faith
and Islam.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
complex in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
, behind the Mosque of Rome
Mosque of Rome
The Mosque of Rome It is located in the Acqua Acetosa area, at the foot of the Monti Parioli, north of the city. As well as being the city's mosque it is the seat of the Centro Culturale Islamico d'Italia ....
. Completed in 2003 at a cost of approximately £5.5 million, entirely from donations of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
, the mosque covers an area of 5.2 acres (21,043.7 m²) and the full complex can accommodate up to 10,000 worshippers. It is located in the south-west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
suburb of Morden
Morden
Morden is a district in the London Borough of Merton. It is located approximately South-southwest of central London between Merton Park , Mitcham , Sutton and Worcester Park .- Origin of name :...
, London Borough of Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
, next to Morden South railway station
Morden South railway station
Morden South railway station is in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is served by First Capital Connect trains, and is on the Thameslink loop...
, approximately 700 yards from Morden Underground station
Morden tube station
Morden is a London Underground station in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is the southern terminus for the Northern line and is the most southerly station on the Underground network. The next station north is...
.
Inauguration
The foundation stone was placed by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad, the then head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community on the 19 October 1999, in a ceremony attended by 2000 guests, and inaugurated by the current head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, on the 3 October 2003. Although based at Fazl Mosque, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad delivers his weekly Khutbah (Friday sermon) from Baitul Futuh. The opening ceremony was attended by over 600 guests; those present included High CommissionerHigh Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
s, Deputy High Commissioners, Members of European Parliament, Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, Mayors of London boroughs, councillors, university lecturers, and representatives of 17 countries.
Services to the Community
Several events are held at the Bait'ul Futuh Mosque to serve both the Muslim and greater community. In addition to regular prayers, its services include annual Peace Symposiums, school tours, other local community events, as well as the 'Merton Youth Partnership Annual Conference', hosting the BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
Programme Any Questions?
Any Questions?
Any Questions? is a topical debate radio programme in the United Kingdom.-Format:It is broadcast by BBC Radio 4 on Friday evenings and repeated on Saturday afternoons, when it is followed by a phone-in response programme, Any Answers?, previously a postal response slot...
, and is included in Open House London
Open House London
Open House London is an organisation which promotes appreciation of architecture by the general public. It organises tours, lectures, educational projects for children and so on, but it is best known for Open House Weekend, a two-day event which takes place on one weekend each September throughout...
.
The Baitul Futuh Mosque has acted as the centre for the 'Loyalty, Freedom and Peace Campaign', which seeks to promote Islam as a peaceful religion, and to improve the integration of Muslims and non-Muslims.
Peace Symposium 2010 saw the first historic Ahmadiyya Muslim Peace Prize awarded to Lord Eric Avebury
Eric Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury
Eric Reginald Lubbock, 4th Baron Avebury, PC is an English politician. A Liberal Member of Parliament from 1962 to 1970, he succeeded as Baron Avebury in 1971...
at the Mosque.
The Mosque receives over 10,000 visitors a year from schools, faith groups, public service organizations, charities, local and central government, and other groups.
The plan to burn
2010 Qur'an-burning controversy
The Dove World Quran-burning controversy arose in July 2010, when Terry Jones, the pastor of the Christian Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, U.S., declared he would burn 200 Qurans on the 2010 anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Media coverage resulted in international...
the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
by the Dove World Outreach Center
Dove World Outreach Center
Dove World Outreach Center is a 50 member non-denominational charismatic Christian church in Gainesville, Florida led by pastor Terry Jones and his wife, Sylvia. The church first gained notice during the late 2000s for its public displays and criticism of Islam and gays, and was designated as...
on the 9th anniversary of 9/11 attacks was highly condemned at the Baitul Futuh mosque by several politicians and religious leaders, representing various faiths, such as Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, Catholic Church, Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
and Islam.
Facilities
- Prayer halls for Men and Women
- Offices
- Library
- Exhibition
- Multi-functional rooms
- MTA Television Studios
- Kitchen & Dine
- Gymnasium
- Guest rooms
- Disabled access.
- Wash-room Facilities:
- WC's
- Wash Basins
- Footbaths
- Showers
- Drinking Fountains
- Baby Changing Units
- Toilets for the Disabled
- WC's and Wash Basins for Crèche
See also
- Ahmadiyya Muslim CommunityAhmadiyya Muslim CommunityThe Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
- Islam in the United KingdomIslam in the United KingdomIslam has been present in the United Kingdom since its formation in 1707, though it was not legally recognised until the Trinitarian Act in 1812. Today it is the second largest religion in the country with estimates suggesting that by 2010 the total Muslim population had reached 2.869 million.The...
- Islamic architectureIslamic architectureIslamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
- Islamic artIslamic artIslamic art encompasses the visual arts produced from the 7th century onwards by people who lived within the territory that was inhabited by or ruled by culturally Islamic populations...
- List of mosques
- List of mosques in Great Britain
- Darul Barakaat MosqueDarul Barakaat MosqueThe Darul Barakaat Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the city of Birmingham, England. It is run by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and was inaugurated by Mirza Masroor Ahmad in 2004. It is located in the area of Bordesley Green....
- Central Mosque WembleyCentral Mosque WembleyThe Central Mosque Wembley 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...
- Al Mahdi MosqueAl Mahdi MosqueAl Mahdi Mosque is run by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and was inaugurated by Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, on the 7th of November 2008. It is located in Rees Way, Bradford. The inaugration was attended by many Ahmadi Muslims and over 300 guests. Due...