Islam

The story of the arrival and setting of Islam in Newham is clearly seen in the key dates as local directories and national census record the dates and details. In the 1960s and 1970s Newham began to develop a significant Muslim population, initially comprising single working men who subsequently brought over their wives and children in the 1970s and 1980s. The majority were of South Asian origin (Pakista, Bangladesh, India) and African (Somali, Nigerian, Tanzanian). The Canning Town Mosque was listed in 1964.

1974

In the 1970s Newham saw the first emergence of the mosques. In 1974 mosques appeared in the Newham Voluntary Agencies Council Directory. The first three mosques recorded were:

CANNING TOWN, Star Lane, E16

DURNING HALL, Forest Gate, E7

EAST HAM, Caulfield Road, E6

1977-1978

The Newham Voluntary Agencies Council Directory 1977-78 listed the following additional Mosques and organisations in Newham.

AGAKHAN ISLAMIA COMMUNITY, E6

ANJUMAN I ISMAILA (EAST HAM), E6

MADRESSA ISLAMIA TALIMMUDIN, E6

NEWHAM NORTH ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION, E12

THE MUSLIM LEAGUE, E6

UK ISLAMIC MISSION, E12

1986

In 1986 the Newham Voluntary Agencies Council added:

CANNING TOWN MUSLIM WELFARE ASSOCIATION E16

ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION [EAST HAM] Manor Park E12

ISLAM CENTRE [EAST LONDON] East Ham E6

ISLAMIC VOLUNTARY SERVICE Manor Park E12

ISLAMIC CENTRE [UPTON PARK] E13

MANOR PARK ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTRE E12

MUSLIM WELFARE ASSOCIATION [NEWHAM] E7

MUSLIM WELFARE ASSOCIATION [PLAISTOW] E13

MUSLIM WOMEN’S WELFARE ASSOCIATION E13

NEWHAM MUSLIM CITIZEN’S ASSOCIATION E6

NEWHAM MUSLIM COUNCIL E15

NEWHAM WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION E7

NEWHAM NORTH ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION

1998-1999

The Muslim Directory 1998-99 listed 12 Mosques in Newham. Only Tower Hamlets had more among the 80 Mosques in the 32 London Boroughs.

ANJUMAN-E-ISLAMIA MOSQUE 266-268 High Street North, Manor Park E12

EAST HAM [MARKAZ_UD_DAWAT WAL IRSHAD] 177-179 Plashet Grove, East Ham E6

FOREST GATE MOSQUE 449-451 Romford Road, Forest Gate E7

IBRAHIM MOSQUE, 721-723 Barking Road, Plaistow E13

IDARA MINHAJ-UL-QUARAN [LONDON} 292-296 Romford Road, Forest Gate E7

IMAMIA MISSION MOSQUE 328 Romford Road, Forest Gate E7

ISLAMIC CENTRE UPTON PARK 72-74 Selwyn Road, Upton Park E13

MADINA MASJID [& MUSLIM CULTURAL CENTRE] 225 High Street North, East Ham E6

MASJID BILAL & ISLAMIC CENTRE 295 Barking Road, East Ham E6

NEWHAM NORTH ISLAM ASSOCIATION 88 Green Street, Forest Gate E7

SHAH JALAL MOSQUE 722-724 Romford Road, Manor Park E12

UPTON LANE MOSQUE 62-66 Upton Lane, Forest Gate E7

Some Background on Islam

In 1992 the first edition of the Newham Directory of Religious Groups had an explanatory preface.

Islam is generally dated as beginning in AD622 with the flight of Muhammad [peace be upon him] from Mecca. It rapidly spread around the Arabic and North African world and as far east as Indonesia. It is probably the largest and certainly the fastest growing religious community in Newham today. Most local Muslims have family origins in Pakistan, Bangladesh or India, although there are many others from African countries such as Nigeria and Somalia. Individuals from most of the countries in the Islamic world and British converts may also be found at worship in local mosques.

The fundamental creed of Islam is that there is only one God [Allah] who is worthy of worship and that Muhammad [peace be upon him] is his final prophet. The final revelation of God was dictated to the prophet and is written down word for word in Arabic in the Holy Qu’ran. All believers and indeed all Islamic societies are expected to base their lives on this revelation, and in particular to carry out five duties, known as the five pillars of Islam. They are affirming the creed [Iman], prayer [5 times a day] [salat], fasting in the month of Ramadan [sawm], almsgiving [zakat] and pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a life time [Haj]

As in the other major faiths there are a number of groups and theological disagreements within Islam. The best known one is the division between Sunnis and Shias.

Sunnis base their beliefs on original teachings and stories of Muhammad [peace be upon him] which were written in the Sunna. The most conservative group among them are the Wahabis who include the ruling families in Saudi Arabia.Shias, who are the strongest numerically in Iran, recognise the leadership of the caliph Ali and his successors, the imams.There is also the Sufi tradition of mysticism which is particularly strong in parts of Pakistan.

The majority of Muslims and Islamic organisations in Newham are within the Sunni tradition. There are at least a dozen mosques and Islamic centres in the Borough. They are open for prayer at the appropriate times each day, with the largest assembly being held at Friday lunchtime. Most also run after-school and weekend classes in Arabic, other community languages and religious instruction for the children of the community.

There are an estimated 960 million Muslims in the world of whom up to 1.5 million live in Britain. Our estimate of the Muslim population of Newham, in 1992, is between 25,000 and 30,000.

2001

In 2001 the National Census recorded the following split of religions in Newham. Muslims were a quarter of the population.

	Census 2001
Christian	47.8%
Muslim	24.0%
No Religion	9.1%

2006

The expansion of Islam is noted in the 2006 Directory of Religions. Muslim Organisations are grouped under 6 headings; muslim community centres & groups/advice centres, educational organisations, mosques, umbrella organisations, worship groups and unknown types.

Under each heading addresses, past history, strength, aims etc are noted.

Here are some examples giving some details:

Newham North Islamic Association Sunni
Mosque/Community Centre 88 Green Street E7
Claim 1974 founded - religious instruction, daily prayers, Friday meeting - 100 members, 250 at service ‘to serve the religious needs of Muslim community, but to work closely with all sections of community for sake of harmony and community’ Urdu/Arabic.
‘we provide facilities for religious, cultural and social needs of Muslims. Moreover, in broader terms, we work closely with statutory and voluntary agencies for common good’

Anjuman Raza Mustapha
198 Shrewsbury Road E7
Claim 1992 start 'to preach the word of Islam to young generation and to practise life of Islam with teachings of Iman Ahmed Raza of Barelvi, India’ Urdu/Gujariti Quaran class Teaching Islam

Ibrahim Mosque and Community Centre
721/3 Barking Road E13 ‘to serve the Muslim community. To establish new mosques. To run Islamic schools. To give information and invitation of Islam to non-Muslims’ building reconstruction under way.

Imamia Mission Mosque E7
328 Romford Road E7 owned building ‘4 storey building with its own car park’ - ‘to promote Shia faith amongst Muslims’ 1,200 heads of families. Urdu/Punjabi.

New London Markarz
Abbey Mills, Riverine Centre E15 Claim start 1998 - ‘to cater for the Muslims and to call the non-Muslims to the beauty of Islam, and the worship of the one solitary Creator, Allah’ Quran classes Scripture study.

London School of Islamic Social Psychotherapy
63 Margery Park Road E7 ‘help with social, emotional, personal and educational issues and problems. Provision of marriage guidance and counselling’ for muslim people.

UEL Islamic Society
Romford Road E15
‘to call the people, students and others, to the worship if Allah, and not to associate anything with him in anyway’ Wed 2.00 Thur 1.30 In prayer room in UEL.

2008

In 2008, Ms Kaveri Harriss produced a 33 page-long paper for COMPAS, University of Oxford, entitled Muslims in the London Borough of Newham. The paper gives details of the ethnic diversity, different denominations, community involvement together with a full listing of mosques and organisations in 2008. Click here to download view the paper from COMPAS' site.

2011

In 2011 the National Census recorded the following split of religions in Newham. The data clearly indicates the rapid growth of Muslims (now a third of the population) alongside the settling of Hindus and Sikhs.

	Census 2011
Christian	39.9%
Muslim	32.0%
Hindu	8.7%
Sikh	2.1%
No Religion	9.5%

2019

By 2019, Muslims in Britain produced a map of 52 mosques in Newham...

The Newham Mosques (www.newhammosques.com) produce pictures of some of the current mosques in Newham in 2019.

Masjid Bilal, 295 Barking Rd, E6 1LB

Madina Mosque, 225 High Street North, E6 1JG

Khatme Nubuwat, 387 Katherine Rd, E7 8LT

Green St Mosque, 88 Green St, E7 8JG