Southall's Darus Salaam Mosque marked 100 years of London's first purpose-built mosque on 3 Oct with the Mayor and an MP. Photos, speeches, what's next.
Ahmadiyya Muslims from across Ealing and the Middlesex Region marked the centenary of the Fazl Mosque, London’s first purpose-built mosque, at Darus Salaam Mosque in Boyd Avenue, Southall, on Saturday 3 October 2026, the day the Southfields mosque turned 100. The Mayor of Ealing, Seema Malhotra MP and leaders from the borough’s Hindu, Christian and Jewish communities were among the speakers.
Updated 5 October: the event has now taken place. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Southall has sent The Ealing Post its report and photographs from the evening; they are below. The year-long programme further down continues.
Corrected 5 October: the mosque’s name is Darus Salaam, not Darus Salam as we first spelled it.
What happened at Darus Salaam on 3 October
The Fazl Mosque opened on 3 October 1926. It was also the first purpose-built mosque the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community built in Europe, the community says. The main centenary event was held at the Fazl Mosque in Southfields on Saturday, with similar gatherings at the same time in Southall and at many other mosques across the UK.
In Southall the day started at 5am with collective prayers at Darus Salaam Mosque, which the Middlesex Region of the community hosted. In the evening the mosque was lit up and members were joined by guests from across Ealing and the Middlesex Region, including leaders of other faiths and civic and political representatives.
Guests could see a special exhibition, take a tour of the mosque, watch the Muslim prayer and hear speakers from a range of backgrounds. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association (AMA) Middlesex presented gifts to several special guests, and people in the audience were invited to say a few words on a roaming microphone.
The keynote address came by video link from Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. He spoke about the purpose of the Fazl Mosque and of mosques in general, and urged world leaders and governments to choose peace and justice over war. The evening closed with a silent prayer, which guests joined in whatever way they were comfortable with, followed by a meal.
What the speakers said
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad:
“Rather than being a source of conflict, the true mosque is built to foster peace and harmony in the local community and the wider world.”
“We will always be grateful to the people of this nation for giving us the opportunity to open mosques in different towns, and cities.”
“I have repeatedly expressed my fear that humanity has forgotten the lessons of the previous world wars and as a result, we stand on the precipice of a third world war.”
Zaheer Khan, Regional President of AMA Middlesex, listed what the mosque’s members have done locally:
“Here at Darus Salaam Mosque, as across our mosques and centres, that has included Feed the Homeless campaigns, aid collections, blood donation drives, collections for food banks and vaccination support during the pandemic.”
“The Fazl Mosque Centenary is not simply the celebration of a building. It is the story of a community that, for a century has sought to serve Britain, promote peace and build bridges across faiths and cultures.”
The Mayor of Ealing, Cllr Faduma Mohammed, picked up a point from a documentary shown on the night, that the Fazl Mosque was paid for with charity given by women:
“The Fazl Mosque was London’s first purpose-built mosque and from its earliest days, it became not only a place of worship, but a place where people of different faiths and background could meet, talk and build an understanding.”
Seema Malhotra, MP for Feltham and Heston:
“We cannot and must not let war be the defining characteristic of our generation but instead a legacy of peace.”
Arun Thakur, Treasurer of Shree Ram Mandir Southall:
“We are always there together for anything that is needed for the community. I once again, on behalf of all in the community, congratulate you on the 100 years of Fazl Mosque.”
Father Wilson Masih, Parish Priest at Christ the Redeemer Church Southall:
“We work together to make Southall and our community a better place to live in.”
Larissa Pelham, Director of Ealing Sanctuary Hub and a member of Ealing Liberal Synagogue:
“Seeing the Mosque here tonight, thriving today and inviting such a diversity of us here this evening, is testament to our plurality and tolerance in Ealing, which we must actively seek opportunities to maintain.”
From the floor, Reverend Canon Mark Poulson, Convenor of the Southall Faiths Forum, thanked the committee and Shaikh Latif for their hospitality:
“Jesus said, blessed are the peacemakers and I always say to people He didn’t say, blessed are the peace talkers.”
“We have a responsibility, all of us, not to take offence.”
Cllr Kester Bey, of the Moorish Holy Science Temple of the World, said the evening “rang of infinite possibilities of Love and the activation of ‘Love for All, Hate for None’”.
Safeer Zartasht Khan, the Imam at Darus Salaam Mosque, said the centenary being marked at mosques throughout the country “shows how far the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has come and how it’s bringing people together for peace and harmony”. Sayeed Abdus, President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Southall, said: “Our community in Southall exists because of that mosque in London.”
The Greenford branch
The branch serves members across Greenford, Harrow, Pinner, Wembley and the surrounding areas, its local president, Dr Mansoor Javed, told The Ealing Post in an email sent with the community’s press release. He said the centenary celebrates “one hundred years of integration, loyalty, community service and interfaith friendship in Britain”.
Why a mosque in Southfields matters in Greenford
The Fazl Mosque opened in 1926 on what the release calls “a quiet suburban residential street in southwest London”. It has room for around 150 worshippers. Dr Javed’s point is that the Greenford community grew out of it:
“Our community in Greenford and surrounding areas 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.”
“A hundred years on, we mark this centenary the way we were taught to, by helping the people around us. That is what a mosque is for. It is a beacon of peace for all.”
A hundred years of visitors
According to the community, the mosque has received faith leaders, presidents, secretaries of state and royalty since it opened. Its list of visitors includes Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan; Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan, President of the United Nations General Assembly; Professor Abdus Salam, the first Muslim to win a Nobel Prize in science; and Prince Faisal and Prince Saud, both of whom later became Kings of Saudi Arabia. Prince Edward has visited in recent years.
The building was listed by Historic England in 2018, and in March 2026 Wandsworth Borough Council gave it a green heritage plaque, the release says.
From the start it served London’s growing Muslim population and became a venue for interfaith dialogue and public debate. The community says it has since hosted events for the Silver, Diamond and Platinum Jubilees of Queen Elizabeth II and for the Coronation of King Charles III, and has supported charity walks, blood drives and campaigns to provide food for people in need.
The worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Fifth Caliph, 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.”
10,000 meals, 10,000 hours, 100 buses
The centenary runs under the theme Fazl Mosque: Beacon of Peace, A Century of Integration, Loyalty and Service. It launched a year-long national programme: members aim to serve 10,000 meals to homeless people and others in need, and to give 10,000 volunteer hours to people in need across Britain.
There will also be a centenary advertising campaign on 100 London buses in October, with more buses to follow across the UK, the community says.
What it means for you
- The local event has passed: it was held on Saturday 3 October 2026 at Darus Salaam Mosque, Boyd Avenue, Southall, with the Mayor, MPs, councillors and faith leaders among the guests.
- What carries on: the year-long programme of 10,000 meals and 10,000 volunteer hours runs into 2027. The branch serves members across Greenford, Harrow, Pinner, Wembley and nearby.
- On the buses: if you see a Fazl Mosque advert on a London bus this month, this is the campaign behind it.
For more going on across the borough, see things to do in Ealing and what’s on in Ealing this month.
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