Finsbury Park Mosque facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Finsbury Park Mosque |
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North London Central Mosque
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Muslim Council of Britain |
| Leadership |
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| Location | |
| Location | Finsbury Park, London United Kingdom |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Mosque |
| Date established | founded 1988, main building 1994 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 2,000 |
| Minaret(s) | 1 |
The Finsbury Park Mosque, also known as the North London Central Mosque, is a large mosque in London. It has five floors and is located near Finsbury Park station. It's also close to Arsenal Football Club's Emirates Stadium in the London Borough of Islington.
The Finsbury Park Mosque is a registered charity in England. It serves the local Muslim community in Islington and other nearby areas of North London. The mosque became well-known when a preacher named Abu Hamza al-Masri became its imam in 1997. In 2003, the mosque was temporarily closed by its leaders after a police investigation. It reopened in 2005 with new leadership.
Contents
History of Finsbury Park Mosque
Early Years: 1988–1997
In the 1960s, a small room was used as a prayer space for the few Bangladeshi Muslims living in the area. As the Muslim community grew, this room became too small. In 1975, the community bought its own property on St. Thomas's Road.
A mosque first opened on this site in 1988. At that time, it was one of the largest mosques in the UK. In 1994, a new five-storey mosque building was officially opened. Important guests attended the ceremony, including Prince Charles and King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. King Fahd had helped fund the building.
Challenging Times: 1997–2003
The mosque gained a lot of attention after Abu Hamza al-Masri became its imam in 1997. Over time, he and his followers took control of the mosque. They even stopped people they didn't trust from entering. The mosque's original leaders asked Abu Hamza to leave, but they said he used threats.
In 1998, the leaders tried to stop Abu Hamza from preaching through a court order, but it wasn't fully enforced. Many leaders reported being blocked from their own mosque. In 2002, the Charity Commission for England and Wales suspended Abu Hamza from preaching, but he continued anyway.
During this time, fewer people attended the mosque. Most attendees were Abu Hamza's followers. The mosque became a meeting place for some people with extreme views. Some individuals linked to Al-Qaeda, like "shoebomber" Richard Reid, visited the mosque. In 2002, a newspaper reported that weapons training had taken place inside the building.
Abu Hamza was later charged by the United States as a "terrorist facilitator." He was arrested in the UK, sentenced to prison, and later sent to the United States. There, he received a life sentence.
Mosque Shutdown and Reopening: 2003–2005
In 2003, about 150 anti-terrorism police officers raided the mosque. They were investigating a suspected plot. Police found some items and arrested seven men. This police action helped remove Abu Hamza and his supporters from the mosque.
After the raid, the police gave the mosque back to its leaders. They decided to close it for repairs and cleaning. Abu Hamza continued to preach outside the closed mosque until his arrest in 2004.
In August 2004, the mosque reopened. However, there were concerns that some people with extreme views were trying to regain control. The Charity Commission stepped in again. They appointed a new group of leaders with the support of the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB). The mosque was then reopened under strong police presence.
The new management condemned Abu Hamza's past actions. One leader called the mosque's takeover "one of the very rare success stories" where the community worked together to save the mosque.
Positive Changes: 2006–2013
Since its reopening, the Finsbury Park Mosque has become known for its positive changes. British authorities have praised its transformation. One newspaper reported that the mosque went from a "radical hotbed" to a "model of community relations."
The mosque worked hard to build good relationships with the local community. This included working with local Member of Parliament (MP) Jeremy Corbyn. They also started reaching out to non-Muslims and local authorities.
In 2007, a think tank claimed they had bought some extremist books at the mosque. The mosque denied this and took legal action. The case was settled, and both sides claimed it as a win. The mosque paid some legal fees, and the think tank stated they never suggested the mosque's leaders knew about the books.
Recent Events: 2014–2016
In 2014, HSBC Bank closed the mosque's bank account. The mosque struggled to open an account with other major banks. This happened because of information in a private database about past links to terrorism before 2005. The mosque took legal action against the company that owned the database. The case was settled in 2017, and the company apologized and paid damages.
In August 2014, police came to the mosque after a disagreement between a reporter and the mosque's manager. Both called the police.
In January 2015, after the Charlie Hebdo shooting in Paris, the mosque received threats and hate mail. In November 2015, a man tried to set fire to the mosque, but heavy rain stopped the attack. In July 2016, another man threw rotten pork meat at the mosque.
2017 Terrorist Attack
Shortly after midnight on June 19, 2017, a terrible event happened. Several worshippers leaving the nearby Finsbury Park Mosque were hit by a hired van in a terrorist attack. One person died, and ten others were injured.
Leaders from across the community strongly condemned the attack. Local Muslim leaders saw it as part of a rise in Islamophobia in the United Kingdom. After the attack, Mohammed Kozbar, the chairman of the Finsbury Park Mosque, said the mosque had received many death threats. In February 2018, the attacker, Darren Osborne, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Community Outreach and Awards
The Finsbury Park Mosque has received awards for its community work. In 2018, it won the "Best outreach programme" award at the British Beacon Mosque Awards. The mosque is also part of the Islington Faith Forum, which received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2018. It is also connected to the Muslim Council of Britain.
The mosque often hosts local MP Jeremy Corbyn, police, and councillors for meetings and speeches.
The mosque organizes many community events throughout the year. This includes an annual open day for local people and schools. Since 2014, this event has been part of the national Visit My Mosque Day scheme. Visitors can tour the mosque, see an exhibition about Islam, and take part in various activities.
Since the 2017 terrorist attack, the mosque has held an annual Street Iftar event during Ramadan. This is a special meal where the local community is invited to share food when Muslims break their fast. Many faith leaders, councillors, and MPs have attended this event.
The mosque has also supported other causes. It took part in the Macmillan Coffee Morning to raise money for cancer patients. It also organized the first-ever "Autism hour" in a mosque with the National Autistic Society.
The mosque has held events to raise awareness about hate crime. In 2015, it started the "Meals for All" program. Through this, the mosque provides a hot meal once a week for homeless people and those in need in the local community.
See also
In Spanish: Mezquita de Finsbury Park para niños
- Islam in London
- Islamic schools and branches
- Islam in the United Kingdom
- List of mosques in the United Kingdom
