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| Muslim Welfare House is 'much more' than a mosque | Muslim Welfare House is 'much more' than a mosque |
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| The Muslim Welfare House, a clutch of buildings behind tall iron gates on Seven Sisters Road, is the headquarters of a network of community centres serving Muslims in England and Wales. A registered charity, it has 13 employees on its books and had an income in 2016 of £856,000. It offers educational classes, such as skills training and language lessons, youth activities, lectures and religious services. | The Muslim Welfare House, a clutch of buildings behind tall iron gates on Seven Sisters Road, is the headquarters of a network of community centres serving Muslims in England and Wales. A registered charity, it has 13 employees on its books and had an income in 2016 of £856,000. It offers educational classes, such as skills training and language lessons, youth activities, lectures and religious services. |
| The north London premises is also a mosque, with more than 2,000 Muslims regularly attending Friday prayers. Up to 800 can squeeze into the main prayer hall, another 1,000 into the youth centre, and there is a separate women’s prayer space. | The north London premises is also a mosque, with more than 2,000 Muslims regularly attending Friday prayers. Up to 800 can squeeze into the main prayer hall, another 1,000 into the youth centre, and there is a separate women’s prayer space. |
| “The services provided here are much more than a mosque can offer,” Toufik Kacimi, the CEO of the charity, said in an interview earlier this year. “We have services for children, for youth, services for women – different needs are all tackled with different programmes. It’s not like a mosque, where you pray and go home.” | “The services provided here are much more than a mosque can offer,” Toufik Kacimi, the CEO of the charity, said in an interview earlier this year. “We have services for children, for youth, services for women – different needs are all tackled with different programmes. It’s not like a mosque, where you pray and go home.” |
| The largest part of the complex, a building alongside the train tracks that run north from Kings Cross, is a set of classrooms. “Every three months we have different courses,” said Kacimi, 48. “We had a mindfulness course for the ladies, and when that finished, we had a parenting for life course.” The latter covered issues such as healthy eating and good behaviour. | The largest part of the complex, a building alongside the train tracks that run north from Kings Cross, is a set of classrooms. “Every three months we have different courses,” said Kacimi, 48. “We had a mindfulness course for the ladies, and when that finished, we had a parenting for life course.” The latter covered issues such as healthy eating and good behaviour. |
| “We have a lot of people who don’t know how to educate their children, how to support them with their homework, ” he said. The centre also offers after school clubs attended by about 350 children until 8.30pm every school day. | “We have a lot of people who don’t know how to educate their children, how to support them with their homework, ” he said. The centre also offers after school clubs attended by about 350 children until 8.30pm every school day. |
| Kacimi said: “We do a lot of work tackling youth employment, youth engagement, domestic violence, gun culture, substance misuse.” | Kacimi said: “We do a lot of work tackling youth employment, youth engagement, domestic violence, gun culture, substance misuse.” |
| The centre attracts people from diverse backgrounds. “We have Somalis, Albanians, Bengalis, Indians, Algerians – you name it.” | The centre attracts people from diverse backgrounds. “We have Somalis, Albanians, Bengalis, Indians, Algerians – you name it.” |
| The centre submitted plans to the council to demolish the premises and build a 10-storey complex on the site, but the proposal was rejected. “We are going to apply again with new plans. We’re trying to create a better place with better services that fulfils the needs of the community instead of a horrible, ugly-looking building as it is now,” said Kacimi. | The centre submitted plans to the council to demolish the premises and build a 10-storey complex on the site, but the proposal was rejected. “We are going to apply again with new plans. We’re trying to create a better place with better services that fulfils the needs of the community instead of a horrible, ugly-looking building as it is now,” said Kacimi. |
| He said that hate crime was “a growing issue affecting our community”, and that the centre encouraged its users to report incidents to the authorities. “There are a lot of ladies coming here, and when they use public transport, they are sometimes affected by hate crimes. We have conferences, we bring the police, we bring the council, we bring Transport for London. | He said that hate crime was “a growing issue affecting our community”, and that the centre encouraged its users to report incidents to the authorities. “There are a lot of ladies coming here, and when they use public transport, they are sometimes affected by hate crimes. We have conferences, we bring the police, we bring the council, we bring Transport for London. |
| “It is our job to educate people and tell them: ‘You’re not in Africa, you’re not in Saudi, you need to speak to the police, you need tell them what happened if you are a victim of domestic violence or a victim of hate crime. It is our role to do all of that.” | “It is our job to educate people and tell them: ‘You’re not in Africa, you’re not in Saudi, you need to speak to the police, you need tell them what happened if you are a victim of domestic violence or a victim of hate crime. It is our role to do all of that.” |
| The Finsbury Park mosque is less than 200 metres way, on a sidestreet separated from the Muslim Welfare House by railway lines and the busy thoroughfare of Seven Sisters Road. The five-storey mosque, also a registered charity, was opened by Prince Charles in 1994. | The Finsbury Park mosque is less than 200 metres way, on a sidestreet separated from the Muslim Welfare House by railway lines and the busy thoroughfare of Seven Sisters Road. The five-storey mosque, also a registered charity, was opened by Prince Charles in 1994. |
| It gained notoriety as a centre for radicalisation when Abu Hamza al-Masri was its imam and weapons training sessions were held in the mosque. It was closed after a police raid in 2003, and Abu Hamza was jailed for inciting murder and racial hatred. | It gained notoriety as a centre for radicalisation when Abu Hamza al-Masri was its imam and weapons training sessions were held in the mosque. It was closed after a police raid in 2003, and Abu Hamza was jailed for inciting murder and racial hatred. |
| Two years later, the mosque reopened under new management, led by chair Mohammed Kozbar, and is now regarded as a model of community relations and outward-looking, moderate Islam. It has strong links with the local community and other faith organisations, and regularly opens its doors to non-Muslims. | Two years later, the mosque reopened under new management, led by chair Mohammed Kozbar, and is now regarded as a model of community relations and outward-looking, moderate Islam. It has strong links with the local community and other faith organisations, and regularly opens its doors to non-Muslims. |
| The mosque’s purpose is to present “the true teachings of Islam as a religion of tolerance, cooperation and peaceful harmony amongst all people who lead a life of balance, justice and mutual respect”. | The mosque’s purpose is to present “the true teachings of Islam as a religion of tolerance, cooperation and peaceful harmony amongst all people who lead a life of balance, justice and mutual respect”. |
| Jeremy Corbyn, the local MP, is a regular visitor to both mosques, where he holds surgeries for local residents. | Jeremy Corbyn, the local MP, is a regular visitor to both mosques, where he holds surgeries for local residents. |