A North Lincolnshire town has witnessed the official opening of anew multi-purpose mosque.
The opening was carried out at Scunthorpe’s, Cliff Closes Road, on Saturday 18 June, by the global head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.
The event at the new Baltus Salam (House of Peace) mosque, was attended by more than 200 guests from across the country including faith leaders, politicians, charity and local organisations as well as representatives from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
Dr Muzaffar Ahmad, regional president of the community’s, North East area said: “We hope that our mosque will be a centre of learning and peace in Scunthorpe.
“This is a place for all people, irrespective of background or whether they belong to a particular faith or not. We welcome everyone.
“Even if someone just wants to see the new mosque from the inside or visit us as local neighbours, we will be honoured to welcome them. I sincerely hope and pray that this mosque allows us to build a strong community in Scunthorpe and beyond.”
The new mosque can accommodate 250 worshippers and features both a community hall and a library.
The community’s leader Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “Mosques are places of prayer and beacons of peace. By strengthening one’s link with God, one is drawn to serve God’s creation with love and compassion. This is how the true purpose of a mosque is fulfilled and how it serves to spread harmony to the whole of society – to Muslims and non-Muslims alike.”
In Scunthorpe, the community members regularly conducts voluntary street cleaning sessions, blood donation campaigns and educational seminars to promote both community cohesion and understanding.
Since its founding in, India, in 1889, the community has been leading a peaceful revival of Islam. The UK chapter was established in 1913, and it built London’s first mosque in 1926, as well as the landmark Baitul Futuh Mosque in 2003 in south London, the largest mosque in western Europe.
Throughout the past century, the community has worked tirelessly to promote the values of loyalty, freedom and peace. It raises millions of pounds each year for charitable causes and actively engages in initiatives to help those in need, protect the environment and strengthen community ties.
The community is entirely self-funding and the new mosque was built with funds raised by the local members in North Lincolnshire.
Header Image: Scunthorpe's New Mosque
