Shropshire Islamic Foundation

The Shropshire Islamic Foundation (SIF) is the English county of Shropshires only organising body for Islam in the United Kingdom.Fact|date=May 2008

The Foundation owns, operates from, and manages the 'Telford Islamic Centre', also known as the 'Telford Central Mosque'.

The Mosque, as a majoroty, operates under the Hanafi school of law and is Deobandi themed with the management being Pakistani. [ [http://www.muslimsinbritain.org/masaajid/maps.php Muslims In Britain Maps] ]

The Foundation is a registered charity - registration number 1112127, with the trustee being Dr. Mohammed Mujahid Hussain Qureshi. [ [http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?chyno=1112127 Charity Commission] ]

Shropshire has only two other far smaller Mosques, the Jamia Masjid Gousia, aka the 'Regent Street Mosque', a Sufi - Bareilvi/Barelwi themed Mosque in Wellington and the Mafeking Road Hadley Mosque in Hadley. [ [http://www.muslimsinbritain.org/masaajid/maps.php Muslims In Britain Maps] ]

History

The foundation itself is run, and operates, from the central Mosque (Masjid) in Telford, Shropshire, located at 41 Tanbank, Wellington. The Mosque, known as "Telford Islamic Centre" or the "Telford Central Mosque", has been operating since 1980.Fact|date=May 2008

In 2005, the foundation bought the disused Territorial Army building in Wellington, Telford, located at 88 King Street and in 2007 made a planning application (W2007/0667) [ [http://www.telford.gov.uk/apps/planningapplications/planningapplication.asp?date=29/05/2007 Planning Application] ] [ [http://www.shropshirestar.com/2007/08/02/mosque-bid-on-agenda/ Shropshire Star] ] to convert it to a mosque, operating as the new headquarters of the Shropshire Islamic Foundation.

Dr Abdul Bari is the Leader of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) whom gave the reason for the need for converting a much larger Mosque when stating:

"In Shropshire the Muslim population is growing: it is quickly outgrowing the county's two Mosques and there are plans a-foot to transform Wellington's old Territorial Army centre into a new Mosque that would house 800 worshippers." [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/articles/2007/06/16/abdul_bari_feature.shtml BBC News] ] [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/realmedia/2007/06/sd_wellington_mosque.ram BBC Audio] ] [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/realmedia/2007/06/mcb_feature.ram BBC Audio 2] ]

Community views sought over TA mosque plan [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/6734511.stm BBC News] ] and the Mosque leader, through the local media, kept the community updated of their plans. [ [http://www.shropshirestar.com/2007/06/02/leader-tells-of-plans-for-mosque/ Shropshire Star] ] [ [http://www.shropshirestar.com/2007/05/31/leaders-plan-on-mosque/ Shropshire Star] ]

On August 10, 2007, the Shropshire Islamic Foundation were informed that their application was accepted by Telford & Wrekin Council. [ [http://www.shropshirestar.com/2007/08/10/centre-to-become-mosque/ Shropshire Star] ] but will cost £1.5m to convert. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/7112058.stm BBC News] ]

The foundation leader is Saleh Laher.

Telford Central Masjid

The current Telford Central Masjid in Tanbank is relatively small compared to the growing Muslim community in Shropshire.

The new mosque headquarters on King Street will be the largest in Shropshire.

The £1.2 million refurbishment will take the building back to its former state when it opened in 1953. Laher says that it will be "redesigned so the 1953 fascia would be seen and the "beautiful" courtyard with wooden beams would be the central prayer room." [ [http://www.shropshirestar.com/2007/08/10/centre-to-become-mosque/ Shropshire Star] ] and would be restored "to its original condition." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/7112058.stm Shropshire Star] ]

It has been agreed that the new mosque "would not have a dome or a minaret" and that it would look "like a Northern African mosque with a castle frontage and was to be created out of the four existing buildings in the complex." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/7112058.stm BBC News] ]

Facilities

With the new premises the Islamic Foundation hope to cater for occasions attracting more than 800 people. It will be the only mosque in Shropshire where women can pray and it will be the biggest in the county. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/7112058.stm BBC News] ]

The Shropshire Star newspaper reported that "The plans also include a flat for the imam, two shops for religious goods and community rooms, and converting part of the building into a mortuary to facilitate the traditional preparation of bodies for an Islamic burial." [ [http://www.shropshirestar.com/2007/08/10/centre-to-become-mosque/ Shropshire Star] ]

There will be separate prayer facilities for women, a room for funerals, a community hall and classes for children to learn Arabic and Koran reading. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/7112058.stm BBC News] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.shropshireislamicfoundation.org.uk Official SIF website]
* [http://forums.islamicawakening.com/showthread.php?t=6169 Islamic discussion of new Mosque]