Ahmadiyya in the United Kingdom
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was established in United Kingdom with the pioneering efforts of Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad Sial, who arrived in London in July in 1913. Sial was the first missionary sent overseas by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and was under the direction of Hakeem Noor-ud-Din, the first caliph of the movement.[1]
| Ahmadiyya by country |
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History
Not many years after arriving, the need for a mosque in the UK became apparent and in 1926, the Fazl Mosque was formally opened in London and it became the city's first mosque.[2][3] The community expanded and built many mosques and mission houses across the country. The most notable of which is Baitul Futuh Mosque in South London stands as one of the largest in Western Europe.[4]
International Headquarters
The International Headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is in United Kingdom since 1984. Since the forced exile of the fourth caliph of the community, Mirza Tahir Ahmad from Pakistan in 1984, the Fazl Mosque, London served as International Headquarters for a period of 35 years before moving the International Headquarters to Islamabad, Tilford on 15 April 2019.
Notable Ahmadi Resident of United Kingdom
Mirza Masroor Ahmad – Fifth Caliph and current leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Mirza Tahir Ahmad – Fourth Caliph during his time the Community's headquarters moved to United Kingdom from Pakistan.
Tariq Ahmad, Baron Ahmad of Wimbledon – Member of the House of Lords, UK, Minister of State for the Commonwealth and South Asia and Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict[7]
Imran Ahmad Khan – Member of Parliament (MP) for Wakefield.
Iftikhar A. Ayaz – Tuvaluan Consular Official, UK
Cllr Iftikhar Chaudhri – Mayor of Runnymede
Abdul Rahim Dard – writer, missionary, Imam of the historic Fazl Mosque and political activist for the Pakistan Movement
Fateh Muhammad Sial – the first Ahmadi missionary sent overseas by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Bashir Ahmad Orchard – first Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of European descent
Anti-Ahmadiyya Campaign
The movement suffers from Sunni bigotry in the UK. They are not recognised as Muslims by the Muslim Council of Britain and are targets for vilification by the Khatme Nubuwwat Academy.[8][9][10]
References
- "28 February - 5 March". Al Hakam. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
- "Fazl Mosque". Retrieved May 4, 2012.
- "The Baitulfutuh Mosque- Ahmadiyya Muslim Community: An Overview". www.baitulfutuh.org. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
- Association, Press (2003-10-02). "Western Europe's largest mosque opens in Morden". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
- "A religious killing in Scotland: A quiet man with a loud message: A horrific murder prompts fears of more attacks on a small Islamic sect". The Economist. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
- "Why Britain's Ahmadis are worried". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
- "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2020-08-30.
- "The murder of an Ahmadi". The Economist. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
- "Mosque warned over 'kill Ahmadis' leaflets". BBC News. 2019-03-21. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
- Nasser, Tahir (2016-04-25). "The Muslim Council of Britain is failing Ahmadis like Asad Shah | Tahir Nasser". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-04-07.