Markazi Masjid, Dewsbury Explained

Markazi Masjid
Map Type:West Yorkshire
Coordinates:53.6811°N -1.6289°W
Religious Affiliation:Sunni Islam
Location:Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Sect:Tablighi Jamaat
Festivals:-->
Organizational Status:-->
Founded By:Hafiz Patel
Groundbreaking:1978
Year Completed:1982
Date Destroyed:-->
Capacity:4,000
Elevation Ft:-->

The Markazi Masjid ("Central Mosque"), also known as the Dewsbury Markaz or Dar ul Ulum ("House of Knowledge"),[1] is a mosque in the Savile Town area of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England.

With a maximum capacity of 4,000,[2] it is one of the largest mosques in Europe.[3] It is the European headquarters of the Tablighi Jamaat movement,[4] [5] [6] and also houses one of the two main Islamic seminaries in the UK.[7] The mosque serves as a centre for Tablighi Jamaat's missionary activity throughout Europe.

It was also the location of the Institute of Islamic Education, a private day and boarding faith school for boys aged 13–25[8] However the school formally closed in January 2023.[9]

Construction of the mosque commenced in 1978 and was completed in 1982; the seminary was founded in 1980. The founder of Dewsbury Markaz was Hafiz Patel, who remained its leading figurehead until his death in 2016.[10]

Services

The Dewsbury Markaz is aligned with the Tablighi Jamaat movement and bases its services around its six principles. Daily services consist of prayers, talks and public lectures, and the organisation of ten person groups (jamaats) who undertake proselytising trips. As the headquarters of Tablighi Jamaat in Europe, it has frequently been the location of its annual regional gathering (ijtema).[11] The Markaz co-ordinates activities of the Tablighi Jama'at across the UK through liaison with five regional centres in Blackburn, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leicester and London and hundreds of UK mosques.[12]

Controversy

Tablighi Jamaat and the Dewsbury Markaz has been accused of promoting extremist Islamism and having links with Islamic terrorism in Britain; Mohammad Sidique Khan and Shehzad Tanweer, two of the 7 July 2005 London bombers, are reported to have attended prayers at the mosque.[13] [14] Both the allegation of extremism and specific claims that Sidique Khan or Tanweer visited the mosque are denied by its leaders.[15] [16] [17]

In 2006 the Institute of Islamic Education was criticised by Ofsted for an "over-emphasis" on religious study to the neglect of the secular curriculum,[18] leading to poor exam performance.[19] [20] The inspection in 2008 reported that school was satisfactory in that area.[21] The Times journalist Andrew Norfolk has argued the school contributes to ethnic segregation in the local area. In 2021 the school failed a further Ofsted inspection after a book, named 'Islam on Homosexuality' was found in the school library. In the book there are passages which call for execution of homosexuals.[22]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rex, John. Hunter. Shireen. Islam, Europe's second religion: the new social, cultural, and political landscape. 2002. Greenwood Publishing Group. 0-275-97608-4. 51–76. Islam in the United Kingdom.
  2. Web site: Markazi Masjid . Muslims in Britain . 25 April 2015. 4 June 2017.
  3. Web site: Markazi Masjid. 15 October 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110208014025/http://markazimasjid.com/. 8 February 2011.
  4. Michael Emerson Ethno-religious Conflict in Europe 2009 p.123 "3.1 Non-political religious groups Tablighi Jamaat Britain is the current locus of Tablighi Jamaat in the West, with the Dewsbury Central Mosque in West Yorkshire serving as its European headquarters, although the group is highly decentralised."
  5. News: Wainright. Martin. The name's Dewsbury. 15 October 2010. The Guardian. 29 May 2008.
  6. Web site: Tablighi Jamaat: An Indirect Line to Terrorism . Stratfor Global Intelligence . StartforGI . 23 January 2008 . 9 August 2014 . Fred Burton and Scott Stewart . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140905014000/http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/tablighi_jamaat_indirect_line_terrorism . 5 September 2014 .
  7. Werbner. Pnina. The Making of Muslim Dissent: Hybridized Discourses, Lay Preachers, and Radical Rhetoric among British Pakistanis. American Ethnologist. February 1996. 23. 1. 102–122. 646256. 10.1525/ae.1996.23.1.02a00060.
  8. Web site: Institute of Islamic Education. Ofsted. 15 October 2010.
  9. Web site: Institute of Islamic Education . get-information-schools.service.gov.uk.
  10. Web site: Timol . Riyaz . Obituary: Hafiz Patel (1926-2016) .
  11. Web site: Robinson. Andrew. 20 October 2018. Muslims travelled from across Britain to Dewsbury to hear this message. 10 June 2020. ExaminerLive.
  12. Timol . Riyaz . first_pagesettings Open AccessArticle Structures of Organisation and Loci of Authority in a Glocal Islamic Movement: The Tablighi Jama'at in Britain . Religions . 14 October 2019 . 10 . 10 . 10.3390/rel10100573 . free .
  13. News: Norfolk. Andrew. How bombers' town is turning into an enclave for Muslims. 15 October 2010. The Times. 21 October 2006.
  14. News: Norfolk. Andrew. Muslim group behind 'mega-mosque' seeks to convert all Britain. 15 October 2010. The Times. 10 September 2007.
  15. News: Mosque leaders should speak out, says Tory.... The Press. 15 October 2010. https://archive.today/20130422065903/http://www.thepressnews.co.uk/NewsDetails.asp?id=2009. 22 April 2013. dead.
  16. News: Trial puts Dewsbury Islamic group in spotlight. Hookham. Mark. 11 September 2008. Yorkshire Evening Post. 15 October 2010.
  17. News: Saturday afternoon in Dewsbury. Kristianasen. Wendy. November 2006. Le Monde diplomatique - English edition. 15 October 2010.
  18. Book: Institute Of Islamic Education (Jaamia Talimul Islam). Ofsted. 15 October 2010. 17 October 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20090603181458/http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_reports/download/(id)/70397/(as)/107791_109927.pdf. 3 June 2009. dead.
  19. News: Education League Tables Institute of Islamic Education. BBC News . BBC. 19 October 2005.
  20. News: Education League Tables Secondary schools in Kirklees. BBC News. BBC. 15 October 2010. 10 January 2008.
  21. Book: Institute Of Islamic Education. Ofsted. 15 October 2010. 12 June 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20090603181459/http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_reports/download/(id)/97396/(as)/107791_321812.pdf. 3 June 2009. dead.
  22. Web site: Ofsted find book in Dewsbury school calling for gay people to be killed. Nick. Lavigueur. 21 July 2021. YorkshireLive.

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