Our Long Journey to a New Masjid Space
For many years, our community has been searching for a permanent home — a proper masjid where we can pray, study, connect with each other, and serve the wider community. Alhamdulillah, after a long period of effort, patience, and dua, we have now secured a new space on Claremont Road. We wanted to share the full story so everyone understands this didn’t happen overnight.
A Search That Began Many Years Ago
Our efforts to find a suitable masjid premises actually go back to 2008/2009, when we started looking seriously along Wilmslow Road in Rusholme. Over the years we explored many options and came close on several occasions:
- 2014 & 2018 — We had serious discussions on different properties.
- September 2022 — We were very close to securing a site. Terms were agreed and it looked like it was going to happen, but after further checks we discovered a grave beneath the building. After consulting with scholars and elders, we made the difficult decision to walk away. It was a principled choice — we didn’t want to compromise on something so important.
Even after that, we didn’t stop. We kept looking and assessing new opportunities.
Continuing the Search (2023–2024)
In September 2023, we made a formal offer for the bookstore unit at 100 Claremont Road. The landlord accepted the offer in principle, and we agreed on the main terms. From the outset, we also enquired about the neighbouring units in the same building and were granted first refusal at that time. Expansion was part of our intention from the very beginning.
We maintained regular contact with the agents (Sterling Properties) and the landlord over a considerable period. This was never a one-off enquiry — we kept the relationship active and consistently reaffirmed our interest.
Throughout 2024, we continued viewing other options. One example was in November 2024, when we visited a former church building in the Moss Side / Hulme area. We were open to different types of properties as long as they could work well for the community long-term.
Moving Forward with Claremont Road (2025)
Things progressed more actively in 2025. On 24 June 2025, we had a formal viewing of the additional space at Claremont Road with the agent. Brothers Amjad and Abul Farooq Kamal attended with Faizal Kara. It felt like a significant step forward after years of groundwork.
Alhamdulillah, after all these years of consistent effort, we were able to secure the site.
What This Journey Has Taught Us
Looking back, the biggest lesson has been the importance of sabr (patience). We could have rushed into something that wasn’t quite right, but we chose to keep searching, keep consulting, and wait for the right opportunity.
This process has involved:
- Careful due diligence on every property
- Walking away when something didn’t feel correct
- Building genuine relationships with agents and landlords
- Always keeping the long-term benefit of the community in mind
Looking Ahead
We’re not sharing this to revisit old stories, but to give clarity and show that this outcome is the result of more than 15 years of quiet, behind the scenes work. The new space still needs significant renovation and development before it can fully open as a masjid, but we’re excited about what’s to come, insha’Allah.
We ask Allah to place barakah in this project and make it a source of good (khayr), unity, and benefit for the entire community — young and old, brothers and sisters, and everyone who walks through its doors.
JazakumAllahu khayran to everyone who has supported, made dua, or contributed in any way. May Allah reward you all.
