Birmingham Central Mosque

Birmingham Central Mosque stands in the Highgate district of Birmingham, a large mosque run by the Birmingham Mosque Trust. It is classed as nonsectarian by the organisation ‘Muslims in Britain’ and can hold six thousand worshippers, including women. A Sharia Council operates within the mosque, handling four hundred divorce requests in 2016. The mosque is led by a board of twenty-one trustees, with Muhammad Afzal as Chair and Mohammed Najib as Vice Chair. The building has seen several notable events since its completion. A golden dome was added to the minaret in 1981, and in 1986 the mosque gained permission to broadcast calls to prayer within certain limits. Between 1988 and 1990, Al-Hijrah School taught children in three rented rooms inside the mosque before moving to new premises. In 2006 a small fire damaged electronics and paperwork, though it was quickly extinguished by the West Midlands Fire Service. In 2011 a man was arrested after threatening the mosque on Facebook, and in 2017 the mosque responded to an English Defence League protest by hosting a larger tea party to encourage interfaith discussion. Visitors find a spacious prayer hall designed for large congregations, with facilities for both men and women. The mosque’s minaret rises above the surrounding streets, topped by the distinctive golden dome added in the 1980s. Inside, the Sharia Council offices handle community matters, while the main hall accommodates weekly prayers and special events. The surrounding Highgate area offers a mix of shops and homes, giving the mosque a central place in local life. Its role in interfaith work and education shows how it serves not only worshippers but the wider community.