The six storey center is an extension to the East London Mosque

By Hany Bishr, IOL Correspondent

LONDON, June 14 (IslamOnline.net) – On the Whitechapel Road in Eastern London, the  London Muslim Center resides to tell a story of seven years of strenuous efforts to have a place to educate and build cohesion of the community.

The largest all across Europe, the huge new £10.4m community center attached to the East London Mosque prompted the arrival of 15,000 people Friday, June 11, for the opening ceremony.

From negotiations with local council and previous proprietors to the major plans set out by the British government to "win the hearts and minds" of young Muslims, the project implementation was not an easy way to go.

"We had to convince the local council of the project as well as providing £ 600,000 within six months only for the purchase of the land" Muhammad Habibur Rahman, Secretary of London Muslim Center LMC, told IslamOnline.net Monday, June 14.

Pointing to the six-storey center, which can accommodate 10,000 worshippers, as it has a library, crèche, conference rooms, a gym and classrooms, Rahman explained how Muslims in the country struggled with money and efforts for the project to be launched.

"There was a need to extend East London Mosque, to overcome the increasing demand in serving the needs and desires of the Muslim community, making use of this space initially used as a car park."

"For over 20 years the Mosque persistently fought any attempts to develop it for various projects including a fire station, a corporate HQ tower and finally, luxury flats" he added.

Much Needed

Rahman said the community members opposed any such a project, standing firm in one voice calling for having the much needed multipurpose Muslim center.

With dedication, backed by a large campaign and lobbying, the land was purchased at the reduced cost of £600,000, within six months only.

A plan was laid down for raising funds and launching the stages of such a huge project all in time.

One of these ways was indicating the land’s area of 2,000 square meters.

"Each single worshipper needs one square meter, which costs £300. Every contributor can sponsor a single praying area by buying one square meter, gaining the great award from God for each time one prays in this place."

The plans proved a success, with many of the country's two million Muslims showing up to give charities or provide voluntary work.

"Our commitment mounts from envisioning in the years to come, the many benefits we have worked towards for the Muslims and non-Muslims. Such services and facilities shall also benefit us," said Saiful Alaim, a 23 year old volunteer.

The center was also funded by the British public, raising some £4m for the project, which sponsor bricks with their names on.

Bodies including the European Development Fund, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Surestart and the London Development Agency also joined in funding the center.

New Academy

The center is aimed at improving understanding between Muslims and members of other faiths in the country.

It will also teach women and young people job skills and how to balance work with their role at home.

London East Academy also launched within the center as its secondary school under the slogan "towards preparing a new generation of ulemas and preachers".

The academy intends to follow a balanced curriculum with emphasis on Islamic Sciences, Arabic and the National Curriculum.

It will begin with two classes and aims to contribute towards the preparation of the new generation of Muslim preachers and imams for Europe, and who could "fulfill their duties as responsible citizens," head of the  London  Muslim Center said.

He averred that there is a heavy demand of educated Imams brought up here with an understanding of the British community, indicating to the government the potential of this academy fulfilling such goals.

Press reports had circulated a major plan drawn by the British government to "win the hearts and minds" of young Muslims and address what it believes to be the underlying causes feeding extremism.

Codenamed "Contest", the plan calls for Muslim leaders in Britain to "work harder" at improving the community’s image and to be "more unequivocal" in their condemnation of terrorism.

It also includes creating young Muslim "ambassadors" to project an Islam-friendly image of Britain.

The project addresses the underlying causes on which terrorism thrives, chiefly the marginalization of the Muslim community in comparison with other communities and the British "double standards" in the Middle East.

Adrienne Abida Peter, 22, an American convert has been in charge of the last 3 years for the mosque’s "Community Cohesion project".

Her project provides the local community with an understanding of Islam, its history, culture and understanding through seminars, open days. They also have a "Discover Islam" publication.