Imam Sheikh Al-Sudais led Friday Jumah Prayer at Tauheedul Islam Mosque Blackburn

Imam Sheikh Al-Sudais led Jumah Prayer at

Tauheedul Islam Mosque in Blackburn

Dr. Mozammel Haque

London: Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, the Head Imam and Khateeb of Masjid al-Haram in Makkah al-Mukarramah, led and delivered his Friday Jumah Khutbah (sermon) at the Tauheedul Islam Mosque in Blackburn, Lancashire, UK.

The Tauheedul Islam Mosque - the two-storey building - is the largest Mosque in Lancashire. The total cost for the building of the Mosque was 3.5 million pounds. Qatar's Royal family provided an initial 1.5 million pounds donation for the basic construction of the Mosque, with the remainder of the funds generated from the Blackburn community.

The community had outgrown the much smaller Mosque which was established at the same site in the 1960s. Being largest in Lancashire, the new building is one of the biggest in the UK.

While delivering his Friday sermon, Imam Sheikh al-Sudais said, "You should uphold the great Islamic values while dealing with Muslims as well as non-Muslims and should not engage in any corrupt or unjust practices."

Sheikh Al-Sudais also told Muslims to serve as ambassadors of their religion.

Lord Adam Patel of Blackburn, the President of the Masjid al-Tauheedul Islam, who has led the project, said, "In the 21st century Britain, the role of the Masjid is as important as it was in the time of our Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him)."

Lord Patel also said, "At Masjid Tauheedul Islam our purpose is to advance the Islamic faith through the provision of a wide range of spiritual, educational and social services enriched with Islamic values that fulfil the needs of our members and the wider community."

"Our vision is to become a centre of excellence for the Islamic learning and practice providing a beacon for Muslims and other faith communities who wish to get a deeper knowledge and understanding of Islam - a place where one can experience and embrace the genuine beauty of our faith," said Lord Patel.

Lord Patel also added, "By the grace of Almighty Allah, and the prayers of many distinguished scholars and well-wishers, presently within the Masjid-e-Tauheedul Islam campus, we also manage one of the largest Madrasahs in the UK, and the only government-funded Islamic Girls High School in the North West of England."

The Masjid al-Tauheedul Islam has also the facilities for Islamic education of children and it is next to Tauheedul Islam Girls High School.

The Head Imam of the Masjid al-Haram, Sheikh al-Sudais, later visited Tauheedul Islam Girls High School, which was recently awarded Valuntary Aided status and became the first government-funded Islamic school in the region. Imam Sheikh Al-Sudais urged Muslim men to take care of their women and commended the school authorities for their efforts to provide proper Islamic education to their children.