The Liverpool Muslim Institute was founded by Abdullah Quilliam in 1887.

Overview

William Henry Quilliam was born in

Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

in 1856. He developed an interest in

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

when travelling in Morocco. In 1887 he converted to the religion, taking the name Abdullah Quilliam and founding the Liverpool Muslim Institute with Mrs Elizabeth Cates. Within two years they had set up a small

mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...

within their building at 8, Brougham Terrace, on West Derby Road, Liverpool. The ''Liverpool Mosque and Muslim Institute'' was officially established in 1891. This was probably the first recorded mosque in the United Kingdom, as the earlier date attributed to the mosque at 2 Glynrhondda Street, Cardiff has been discounted. By 1893 they started publishing ''The Crescent'' on a weekly basis, to be supplemented by ''The Islamic World'', which appeared on a monthly basis. They developed their own printshop in the basement of the building and soon attracted an international readership from across 20 countries. Maulavi Barkatullah worked at the institute from 1895 to 1899. Robert Stanley served as the vice president of mosque. By the turn of the century they numbered 150, mostly English people. They were able to expand into adjacent buildings and soon organised a school. They also developed a library, a reading room, museum and science laboratory, providing evening classes for Muslim and non-Muslim alike. Quilliam left Liverpool in 1908 in advance of being struck off as a solicitor and his son disposed of the property that had been used as a mosque and Islamic centre and the Muslim community in Liverpool dispersed. Brougham Terrace became home to the Liverpool

Register Office A register office or The General Register Office, much more commonly but erroneously registry office (except in official use), is a British government office where births, deaths, marriages, civil partnership, stillbirths and adoptions in Eng ...

until 2000. The Abdullah Quilliam Society was formed in 1996. The Society is raising funds to restore 8–10, Brougham Terrace to re-open the historic mosque and establish an educational centre. It has signed a two-year lease on the premises and has started restoration work. 8, Brougham Terrace, West Derby Road was upgraded to a Grade II* listed building in 2018. It is built in brick, partly stuccoed, with stone dressings, and a slate roof. The terrace has three storeys, and is in six bays. The windows are

sashes Sashes Island is an island in the River Thames in England at Cookham Lock near Cookham, Berkshire. It is now open farmland, but has Roman and Anglo-Saxon connections. The island is located between Hedsor Water and the present navigation cha ...

. At the top is a shallow

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). ...

References

External links

{{Commonscategory, 8 - 10 Brougham Terrace, Liverpool
Abdullah Quilliam Society - Official WebsiteEnglish Heritage; Where was Britain's first recorded Mosque?
History of Liverpool 1887 establishments in England Religion in Merseyside Mosques completed in 1891 Religion in Liverpool Mosques in England