Somali and Yemeni sailors established prayer houses in the Cardiff area from the late 19th century.
When the famous Sheikh Al Hakimi arrived from Yemen in the early 20th century, he organised the community to buy and build one of, if not,
the first purpose built mosque in Britain. The mosque suffered bombardment during the Second World War although no one was killed. Here is a picture of the mosque in 1964 located around the Peel Street road area of Cardiff:
Sheikh Al Hakimi.
The central role Somalis played in the early can be seen in the fact that Al Hakimi secretary was a Somali. Some Somalis also served as Quranic teachers in the prayer homes or in the mosque. Another event highlighting the Somalis prominent role in the early development of the mosque and the first muslim communities, is the dispute which arose between the some Somalis and Yemenis over taking money from the British empire to build the mosque (some Somalis opposed this). The issue was resolved via the meditation of Islamic scholars in Cairo:
The Somalis and Yemenis had their own community leadership groups and would
Often meet to discuss matters arising in the Muslim community
Elsewhere in Liverpool, Somalis were a feature of the congregations of Abdullah Quilliam, one of the earliest British converts, thinker, and Imam of the Liverpool community. Imam Quilliam founded what is said to be the first mosque in the UK:
Picture of Somali men sitting in a tea house owned by Somali men in Cardiff. The man in the middle is Mahmoud Hussein Mataan, who would only a few years after this picture be unjustly hanged for a murder he did not commit. May Allah have mercy on him.
When the famous Sheikh Al Hakimi arrived from Yemen in the early 20th century, he organised the community to buy and build one of, if not,
the first purpose built mosque in Britain. The mosque suffered bombardment during the Second World War although no one was killed. Here is a picture of the mosque in 1964 located around the Peel Street road area of Cardiff:
Sheikh Al Hakimi.
The central role Somalis played in the early can be seen in the fact that Al Hakimi secretary was a Somali. Some Somalis also served as Quranic teachers in the prayer homes or in the mosque. Another event highlighting the Somalis prominent role in the early development of the mosque and the first muslim communities, is the dispute which arose between the some Somalis and Yemenis over taking money from the British empire to build the mosque (some Somalis opposed this). The issue was resolved via the meditation of Islamic scholars in Cairo:
The Somalis and Yemenis had their own community leadership groups and would
Often meet to discuss matters arising in the Muslim community
Elsewhere in Liverpool, Somalis were a feature of the congregations of Abdullah Quilliam, one of the earliest British converts, thinker, and Imam of the Liverpool community. Imam Quilliam founded what is said to be the first mosque in the UK:
Picture of Somali men sitting in a tea house owned by Somali men in Cardiff. The man in the middle is Mahmoud Hussein Mataan, who would only a few years after this picture be unjustly hanged for a murder he did not commit. May Allah have mercy on him.
