As
with synagogues a century earlier, it can be hard to keep track of the
constantly-changing use of a variety of small premises for a mixture of
Islamic worship and teaching. In fact, despite the parish's demography,
it
does not have many mosques and centres. This is in part because the
very large East London
Mosque
& London Muslim Centre is a focal point for much activity. It
was
conceived in 1910 and established in 1941 at 82-92 Commercial
Road
(outside the parish) - see here
for the significant involvement of Earl Winterton MP, a local
landowner, in its establishment - and more recently there have been
major building programmes on
the site. As well as providing a centre for worship, with 5,000 or so
at Friday prayers each week, it operates a wide
range of programmes for men, women and children. Though it appears to
have harboured occasional fundamentalists, it is inclusive in style and
engaged in community affairs (providing several local councillors) and
is an active participant in the Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum. It is
Deobandi in theology, and Bangladeshi in management. Darul Ummah Masjid, also known as Darul Ummah Jamme Mosque, and Da'watal Islam, located in a former school in Bigland [formerly Lower Chapman] Street. As well as worship, it runs a boys secondary school (Jamiatal Ummah) and a range of projects, including some for women and children. It too is in the Deobandi tradition. See here for the future of this building. |
 East London Markazi Masjid (also known as Tabligh Markaz) at 9-11 Christian Street, in a building of 1929 on the site formerly occupied by the Commercial Road Talmud Torah Synagogue from 1898 until its closure. It opened as a mosque in 1980 [pictured - rear view entrance on Pinchin Street]; it is Deobandi, with Bangladeshi management, and can accommodate 1300 (including women). |  Madrasah-E-Darul Qirat Masjid, very close to St George's in two former houses at 46-48 Cannon Street Road. Formerly this housed a boys private independent Qur'an and shariah school which is now relocated to Cornwall Avenue E2; is then re-opened as Latafiah Girls School, a secondary school run on similar lines. The girls dress in black with white veils, and take their recreation breaks in St George's Gardens. | Hessel Street Masjid, on Hessel Street - a Moroccan Salafi mosque accommodting 100 (men only at present). (At 25 Hessel Street there is also a Tayyibun Tarbiyyah centre.) |
There was another Tamil mosque at 141 Leman Street
- now the Empress of Bengal restaurant [pictured left].