Baitus Salam Mosque in Scunthorpe Set to Open This Weekend, All Members of Community Welcome
Key Highlights :
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Scunthorpe is set to welcome all members of the community into the new Baitus Salam Mosque this weekend. The mosque, located on Cliff Closes Road, is the first purpose-built mosque in Scunthorpe and is set to open this Saturday, June 17.
The impressive building was completed in October 2021 after first being acquired by members of Scunthorpe's Ahmadiyya Muslim community, a branch of Islam, back in 2002 when it stood as a bungalow. The opening was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Adnan Muzaffar, the External Affairs Secretary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, said: “The bungalow we were using for prayers was becoming too small and so we couldn't fit everybody in. There were also some issues with parking so we really needed to increase the space we had. And before this, there wasn't a purpose built mosque in Scunthorpe.”
Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association want the mosque to be inclusive to all, and the worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, believes that the mosque should benefit everyone in Scunthorpe and not just people in the Muslim community. He said: “Mosques are places of peace and prayer. Through prayer and service, we can promote harmony in the world. Mosques should be a source of benefit for all people, not just Muslims.”
The Baitus Salam Mosque can accommodate 250 people, and features a community hall and a library. It was built entirely from funds raised by the local members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Scunthorpe also regularly conduct voluntary street cleaning sessions, blood donation campaigns and educational seminars in the area.
Dr Muzaffar Ahmad, Regional President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in North East England, said: “We hope that our mosque will be the centre of learning and peace in Scunthorpe. This is a place for all people, irrespective of your background or whether you belong to a particular faith or not, we welcome everyone. Even if someone just wants to see the Mosque from the inside or visit us as their local neighbors, we will be honoured to host them. I sincerely hope and pray that this Mosque allows us to build a strong community together.”
The official inauguration of the mosque will begin at 4.30pm on Saturday, June 17. Guests from across the country will attend the opening, including MPs, senior representatives from the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, charity organisations, faith leaders and local neighbours of the mosque.
The opening of the Baitus Salam Mosque in Scunthorpe is a major milestone for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and a sign of the progress and inclusivity of the local community. All members of the community are welcome to attend the opening of the mosque and to visit the mosque to learn more about the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the culture of peace and harmony that it promotes.
