This evening, the largest mosque in Western Europe, has its grand reopening.
The Baitul Futuh complex suffered a major fire back in 2015. After undergoing a massive renovation and reconstruction, the mosque is finally ready to be reopened to thousands of members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the residents of Morden in South-West London.
Today, hundreds of people are expected to attend the long-awaited inauguration of the new complex. The mosque will reopen with a beautiful, geometric mosaic front facade following the £20 million improvement project.
In September 2015, flames damaged more than half of the administration building’s ground floor. 70 firefighters were called upon the scene after a blaze broke out, with smoke billowing for hours before it was extinguished. Thankfully, the mosque itself was left unscathed.
After 7 and a half years, and hundreds of hours of work from contractors and the community itself, the worldwide head and Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, is inaugurating the new complex and delivering the keynote address, at the 19th Annual National Peace Symposium tonight.
Upon visiting the mosque myself this afternoon to assist with the finishing touches to the events today, the sight of the frontage of the mosque in particular is absolutely stunning, with brand new renovated halls, pathways, offices, security blocks and much more truly being a sight to behold.
The grand reopening of the mosque is being internationally broadcast today on “Muslim Television Ahmadiyya”, which has its studios here in the Morden mosque.
This religious landmark holds great significance in Morden, as schools and members of the local community use this mosque for events and classes etc, and is a monumental site of worship for Ahmadi Muslims.
Hundreds of people have been involved in preparing the mosque for its inauguration. The front of the mosque, which is the facade, has been a breathtaking sight for all passers by in Morden which is made from moca cream limestone imported from Portugal.
The iconic, new structure is now considerably larger than before, which includes two newly developed halls and floors, as well as the fascinating, eye-catching front Islamic mosaic, with brand new pathways on the sides of the mosque. The total capacity is now back up to 15,000.
Guests included diplomatic representatives, MPs, mayors and faith leaders. There were highly complimentary talks by Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, Minister for London Paul Scully MP and Fleur Anderson MP who had just returned from Pakistan where she was campaigning for the community's human rights.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Prize for the Advancement of Peace was awarded on the night to
- Dr Tada-toshi Akiba of Japan, a global campaigner for nuclear disarmament
- Barbara Karoline Hoffman founder of ASEM providing education and poverty relief to children
