1. The Mosque

2. Controversies

3. Imams

4. See also

5. References

6. External links

The Mosque

The Mosque was built in 1983. Retired businessman Muhammed Tufail Shaheen MBE, an active community leader and President of the Glasgow Central Mosque, was instrumental in its building. The central Mosque was formally opened in 1984 by H E. Abdullah Omar Nasseef, the Secretary General of the Muslim World League.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} Built on a {{convert|4|acre|m2|adj=on}} site, the present Mosque has a new Islamic Centre adjacent to the main building{{convert|4|acre|m2|adj=on}}.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} The new Islamic Centre serves as a general purpose hall for public events and also provides sports and changing facilities, meeting rooms, library, cafeteria and facilities to offer education and welfare support to the community.{{Citation needed|date=April 2013}}

The mosque was built at a cost of three million pounds.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} The land was acquired and the preferred architectural design meant that the architect had to travel to Turkey and Jeddah. The courtyard of the mosque is in keeping with the traditional Arabesque style. It is enclosed on one of its sides by gardens and on the other by a long façade of arched windows. The main entrance is arched with etched glass doors of a floral design. In the courtyard one of the most noticeable features is the Minaret (tower) where traditionally the Muezzin recites the call to prayer stands.

The other more noticeable feature is the dome above the main prayer hall allowing natural light into the building. Inside the mosque is a recess which is called the Mihrab where the Imam stands. The Mihrab points in the direction of Mecca. {{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}

Enclosed in a walled garden and with a separate minaret, the mosque combines Islamic architecture with the characteristic Old Red Sandstone material used to build many of Glasgow's buildings. The building can accommodate 2500 worshipers.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}

The Islamic Centre is now the Central Institution for the Muslim community and this is the largest community centre in Strathclyde. The mosque itself is Scotland's largest mosque.^[3]

This centre provides services not only for Muslim elderly people, adults, youths and children, but also serves the non-Muslim community groups of various ages, and educationalists from various institutions.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}} Its services support the whole of the Strathclyde region

Controversies

In February 2016, Habib ur Rehman Rauf, religious head of the mosque, was quoted in the media supporting the actions of Mumtaz Qadri who assassinated Pakistani politician Salman Taseer whilst acting as his security guard. Imam Habib confirmed this was incorrectly reported.^[4][5][6]

Qadri disagreed with Taseer's opposition to Pakistan's blasphemy law.^[7]

In April 2016 International Business Times revealed that the mosque held annual Khatme Nabuwwat conferences. The mosque president, Mohammed Shafi Kausar refuted the existence of any extremist group at the mosque.

Imams

There are currently two Imams:{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}

• Shaykh Habib ur Rahman Rauf.
• Shaykh Abdul Ghafoor Ahmad.

See also

• Islam in the United Kingdom
• Islamic schools and branches
• Islamism
• List of mosques
• List of mosques in the United Kingdom

References

External links

• Glasgow Central Mosque Official site
• {{commonscat-inline}}
• Glasgow Central Mosque

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