Our History

Brixton Masjid Community and Islamic Cultural Centre Ibn Taymeeyah
_By Sheikh Mohammad Kamaludin_

الحمد لله نحمده ونستعينه ونستغفره ونعوذ بالله من شرور أنفسنا، ومن سيئات أعمالنا، من يهده الله فلا مضل له، ومن يضلل فلا هادي له، وأشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، وأشهد أن محمداً عبده ورسوله

We praise Allah, seek His help and ask His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evils of ourselves and from our bad actions. Whoever Allah guides, no one can misguide. Whoever Allah allows to go astray, no one can guide. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone without any partners, and I testify that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His slave and Messenger.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ
_O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims (in submission to Him)._
(Surah Aali-Imran, 3:102)

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا
_O mankind! Be mindful of your Lord, who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and spread from them countless men and women. Be mindful of Allah — in whose name you appeal to one another — and honour family ties. Surely Allah is ever Watchful over you._
(Surah An-Nisa, 4:1)

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا
_Thus We have made you a just community so that you may be witnesses over mankind, and the Messenger may be a witness over you._
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:143)

I have chosen this verse of the Noble Qur’an to introduce our community in Brixton, as this community was founded by reverts to Islam. Our pre-Islamic worship was based upon shirk, and we had a different Qiblah. But out of the mercy of Allah, we were guided to the path of those who have earned His favour by leaving the path of those who went astray or earned His wrath. We have now become witnesses over mankind, and the Prophet is a witness over us.

Then Allah goes on to honour the Muslims by saying:

وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ ۚ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ ۚ مِلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ۚ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَفِي هَٰذَا لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ۚ فَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِاللَّهِ ۚ هُوَ مَوْلَاكُمْ ۖ فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ النَّصِيرُ
_And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. He named you ‘Muslims’ before and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over mankind. So establish prayer and give zakah and hold fast to Allah. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper._
(Surah Al-Hajj, 22:78)

Witness Against Mankind

Allah has honoured the Muslims when He said:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ
_Thus We have made you a just nation so that you may be witnesses over mankind._
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:143)

Brotherhood

It was in Ramadan 1975 while I was fasting that I met a brother named Hamid Abdallah (rahimahullah) at Regent’s Park Mosque. Through conversation and our love for Islam, we developed a strong bond of brotherhood and decided to convey the message of Islam to our lost-found brothers and sisters in the Afro-Caribbean community.

Dawah

This is a brief synopsis of a 25-year struggle that, by the grace and mercy of Allah, allowed us to establish what is known today as Brixton Mosque — Ibn Taymeeyah.

Our first shahadah was a committed Rasta who accepted Islam after three days of dawah. He changed his name to Omar (rahimahullah) and gave us a room in his house to continue dawah for twenty years. Though Omar has passed away, his legacy remains with us.

During this time, we were invited by various groups (e.g. Ansar, Sufis, Shi’ah), but Alhamdulillah, most of us remained steadfast upon the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Community Expansion

Over twenty years, the community grew into the hundreds. Families began migrating from across the UK to Brixton.

Achievements

1. Housing — In 1988, we established Al-Shahada Housing Co-op, the first Muslim housing co-op in Lambeth. Now known as Al-Shahada Housing Association, it has provided housing for hundreds of families.

2. Islamic Magazine & Office — We established a local office that published a monthly Islamic magazine and catered to the spiritual welfare of Muslims.

3. Brixton Masjid — In 1990, we acquired and refurbished a neglected building on 1 Gresham Road, SW9. Within three months, we made it habitable and registered it as a charity. With our first Imam, Shaykh Salah Jamah (rahimahullah), we began the five daily prayers.

4. School — In 1997, we established our first primary school, which now benefits students across Lambeth as a state-funded Islamic school.

5. Prison Outreach (SIRAAT) — In 2006, one trustee led the creation of a programme to support Muslim prisoners with de-radicalisation education.

6. Youth Project (STREET) — In 2007, another trustee launched this initiative to guide youth away from drugs, gangs, and crime.

7. Islamic Knowledge — We invited students of Shaykh Albani (rahimahullah) to teach the Manhaj of the Salaf, becoming the first mosque in Europe to do so.

Organisation

Brixton Masjid is managed by a Board of Trustees, two employed Imams, and a team of volunteers. We have never accepted funds from any government or external organisation — all support comes from the local Brixton community.

We supported Somali refugees and helped integrate different cultural backgrounds into one united community.

Social Role

We contribute to the broader Lambeth community through:

– Food and clothing distributions
– Counselling
– Educational support via Iqra School
– Housing via Al-Shahada Housing
– Supporting people of all faiths in times of need

We now aim to extend the masjid to accommodate the overflow of worshippers.

Donation Details:

Account Name: Brixton Mosque & Islamic Centre of Worshipers
Account Number: 81681747
Sort Code: 60-03-36

For more information, visit the mosque or see the book:
“What is the Purpose of Life and the Reason for Living” by _Mohammad Kamaludin_ (Available on Amazon)