The management team at Masjid Ramadan, also known as Shacklewell Lane Mosque, have launched an online fundraiser during this year’s Ramazan to help keep the mosque open.
Masjid Ramadan is aiming to raise £10,000 to help cover costs related to the running and upkeep of the mosque in Dalston, East London, over the next 45 days.
Writing on the Launchgood platform, which is created to help Muslim causes and communities worldwide, Masjid Ramadan said this was an “Urgent Appeal” to “Save Our Mosque”, with the money needed “for essential renovations, flooring repairs, mounting utility bills, and overall maintenance.”
Good deeds are an essential part of Islam and donating to a mosque by those who can afford to is a form of Sadaqah (‘sadakat’ in Turkish), a voluntary act of kindness and charity, that is believed to generate spiritual rewards for the donor.
One of the first acts of the Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) after he migrated from Mecca to Medina was to build a mosque. Various Hadith cite the Prophet (PBUH) saying: “Whoever builds a masjid for the sake of Allah, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise.”
CLICK TO DONATE TO MASJID RAMADAN FUNDRAISER
By donating towards the building or maintenance of a mosque, it is believed Muslims not only support the vital need of providing a place of worship for fellow Muslims, but also laying foundations for their own spiritual rewards in this life and the next.
About Shacklewell Lane / Masjid Ramadan
The red brick building with a large bronze dome on Shacklewell Lane was originally built as the Stoke Newington Synagogue. Its foundation stone, which is visible to this day, was laid by the Hon. Nathaniel Charles Rothschild, the Chairman of the Building Committee, on 13 September 1903.
Changes to the local area saw the Jewish congregation at this synagogue merge with Hackney Synagogue in 1976, leading to the closure of Stoke Newington Synagogue.
With the growth of the local Turkish and Turkish Cypriot Muslim community in Hackney, a local businessman, Ramadan Guney, decided to acquire the building and convert it to a mosque.
Shacklewell Lane Mosque became a part of the UK Turkish Islamic Trust, which Mr Guney formed in 1977. It is the first Turkish-owned mosque in Britain and is also one of Hackney’s earliest mosques and certainly one of its largest.
Over the years, the mosque has evolved, serving an increasingly diverse Muslim community, reflecting the changing demographics of Dalston and Stoke Newington. It is not just a sacred space for Muslims, but also used for activities by the wider local community.
The ownership of the mosque remains a part of the Guney family-owned and managed UK Turkish Islamic Trust, a UK registered charity. The Trust’s current chair is Erkin ‘Egg’ Guney, who recently made an appeal for urgent funds via social media.
@eggguney Masjid Ramadan (E8 2DA) in London is about to close! #ramadan #mosque #masjid #help #love #islam #muslim #ummah ♬ سبحان الله – Ali Dawud
Appeal message
This was the message that was posted on the Launchgood site to help raise £10,000 over the next 6 weeks.
Dear Community,
Urgent Appeal: Save Our Mosque
We are reaching out to you with an urgent plea for assistance in preserving our sacred space. The mosque, a cornerstone of our community, is in desperate need of support for essential renovations, flooring repairs, mounting utility bills, and overall maintenance.
Your contribution can help maintain this vital hub for prayer, community engagement, and spiritual growth. Every donation, no matter how small, will make a significant impact in ensuring our mosque continues to serve as a beacon of unity and worship for generations to come.
Please consider donating today and share this appeal with friends and family. Together, we can safeguard our mosque and uphold its crucial role in our community.
May your generosity be rewarded, and may our mosque stand strong with your support.
Sincerely,
Masjid Ramadan
