Peterborough mosque raises over £31,000 for charitable causes during Ramadan

Worshippers at the region’s largest mosque have helped raise thousands of pounds for multiple good causes during the fasting month of Ramadan.

The Faizan-e-Madin Islamic Centre on Gladstone Road collected more than £31,000 during Ramadan, which this year fell between March 23 and April 21.

Though many people are aware that all adult Muslims who are fit and well are required to fast during daylight hours, it is less well known that Ramadan is also a time when Muslims are encouraged to support charities and the less fortunate.

Faizan-e-Madin’s chairman, Abdul Choudhuri, explained why fasting – one of the five pillars of Islam – is so important:

“One of the purposes of the fast is to understand what poverty – what hunger – is all about.”

Mr Choudhuri explained that when Muslims “stop eating for 16-17 hours - don’t eat or drink” it makes them appreciate what people caught up in conflict zones and natural disasters experience on a daily basis.

“You feel it and it encourages you to help those people,” he said.

Mr Choudhuri, an integral part of the mosque’s team since it opened in 2006, says he continues to feel overwhelmed by the generosity of worshippers:

“I am really proud of them,” he told the Peterborough Telegraph: “They are very generous.”

The retired 78-year-old has been an active community leader and supporter of interfaith relations for the past 50 years.

Though he is rightfully proud of the funds raised during the holy month, Mr Choudhuri is keen to highlight the fact this generosity doesn’t just start and end with Ramadan.

“Whenever there is a need anywhere in the world – it doesn’t have to be a Muslim country – our community get together and they give money, no questions asked.”

Earlier this year, the mosque raised more than £30,000 for people affected by floods in Pakistan, as well as £22,000 to help victims of the earthquake which devastated parts of Syria and Turkey.

In addition, Faizan-e-Madin’s worshippers also donated thousands of pounds toward charities set up in the wake of the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attacks.

“We were one of the first mosques to support those victims,” Mr Choudhuri said.

Though it is a familiar sight and a de-facto city landmark, many Peterborians remain largely unaware of what goes on inside the Faizan-e-Madin mosque.

Alongside its vast main interior – which can accommodate several thousand worshippers during busy Friday prayers – the grand building is also home to a library and funeral room.

The mosque also acts as a council Food Hub on Thursdays and Fridays, and offers after-school lessons for children throughout the week.

“They [the children] are not just learning about the Quran (the Islamic holy text),” Mr Choudhuri explained, “they are also learning about how to be a good British citizen.”

The grandfather of 11, who grew up in Pakistan and moved to Peterborough in 1969, has long been a passionate encourager of unity, both between the disparate branches of Islam, and between Muslims and other sections of British society.

“Islamophobia, hate crimes, all these things - is still on the rise,” he admits.

Mr Choudhuri believes that, if the general public knew more about Islam, knew more about what actually goes on inside their local mosque then the key ingredient of mistrust and division – ignorance – might be eliminated.To this end, Faizan-e-Madin encourages people “who have never put a foot inside a mosque” to come and see what goes on for themselves.

“We have 300-400 visitors coming per month on school visits,” Mr Choudhuri says, “and we are happy to show anyone around who wants to have a look.”On top of this, the mosque also hosts a number of open days each year, and regularly runs “pro-active” seminars with non-Muslim police, council

and combined authority officials in the hope it will encourage Peterborians – and their elected officials – to move forward in a more unified manner.

“Our aim,” Mr Choudhuri says earnestly, “is to remove the ignorance.”