Muslims in Bradford have marked 100 years of London’s first purpose-built mosque and its service to communities across Britain.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association in Bradford is celebrating the centenary of the Fazl Mosque in Southfields, south-west London.
The mosque opened in 1926 and marked its centenary on October 3. It has space for about 150 worshippers and stands on a residential street.
Since opening, it has served London’s Muslim population and hosted interfaith dialogue and public debate. Visitors have included Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan, president of the United Nations General Assembly, and Professor Abdus Salam, the first Muslim to win a Nobel Prize in science.
The mosque as it is today and, right, when it opened 100 years ago. (Image: PA)
HRH Prince Faisal and HRH Prince Saud, who later became kings of Saudi Arabia, also visited. HRH Prince Edward has attended in recent years.
Historic England granted the mosque listed status in 2018. Wandsworth Borough Council awarded it a green heritage plaque in March 2026.
His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Fifth Caliph and Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, said: “For one hundred years, the Fazl Mosque has stood as a place of worship, peace and service to humanity. Its history reflects the principle that true faith requires us to serve our neighbours, show loyalty to the country in which we live, and make peace with all people, regardless of their faith or background. As we mark this centenary, I pray that the mosque may continue to be a beacon of peace and a means of bringing people together for generations to come.”
Mr Waqaas Anwar, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK Bradford branch, said: “Our community in Bradford exists because of that mosque in London. From the Fazl Mosque, missionaries were sent out to towns and cities across Britain to build communities like ours, and everything we do here began there.”
The centenary includes a programme to provide 10,000 meals and 10,000 volunteer hours across Britain. A campaign on 100 London buses will also promote the mosque’s message of peace.