“As I have travelled throughout the world, I see many places that have adequate Masjid facilities and many places that are in dire need of a Masjid. I remember entering a derelict Masjid in Malawi where I found a pig asleep inside! We need to focus on refurbishing the existing Masjids and filling the ones we have, as well as finding where the real need for a Masjid is before rushing to build a new Masjid as many have done.”
-John Fountain (Volunteer Sierra Leone)
Refurbish African Mosques
Masjids play a pivotal role within Muslim communities, but without the means to carry out the simplest of repairs and refurbishments, countless Masjids in Africa are standing in ruin and struggling to cater to the needs of the communities in which they are situated in.
About us
The Balad Foundation is a Charity where 100% of your donation received goes to the charitable projects. Our focus is community empowerment and sustainable development.
This project was started by the Islamic Centre Edgware (ICE) in Ramadan 2019. For over 20 years, ICE has worked tirelessly alongside the Muslim community in Edgware to establish a Masjid and Community Centre.
We value the presence of Masjids within local communities, and so our passion and dedication of meeting the needs of Muslims have now led us to extend our efforts internationally.
We set up this project to support our brothers and sisters across the globe in restoring their local Masjids and establishing them as community sanctuaries.
The need
Unfortunately for many disadvantaged communities within Africa, Masjids have dilapidated over time, and the simplest of repair work and refurbishments, such as replacing broken tiles, updating the toilets and wudhu area or simply painting and decorating the interiors, is not feasible due to the lack of funds. Overcrowding is another issue, which requires block paving outside to accommodate the extra worshippers, especially on Friday. The demand in the local community is so high that incomplete Masjids, without doors or windows, are being used as places for prayer and education.
All too often, we get so caught up with the idea of building new Masjids from scratch that we fail to support our existing Masjids.
First-hand accounts
John Fontain from Volunteer Sierra Leone , has witnessed first-hand how derelict Masjids can attract a range of unwanted visitors. He stresses the need to refocus our energy in restoring existing Masjids and conducting thorough needs assessment before hastening to build new ones.
“As I have travelled throughout the world, I see many places that have adequate Masjid facilities and many places that are in dire need of a Masjid. I remember entering a derelict Masjid in Malawi where I found a pig asleep inside! We need to focus on refurbishing the existing Masjids and filling the ones we have, as well as finding where the real need for a Masjid is before rushing to build a new Masjid as many have done.”
An inspiring story
I read a story by Ajmal Masroor on Facebook titled Return on Investment which has inspired me to continue this beautiful project and invite you to join us Insha’Allah.
Every month without fail, we spend on our worldly life for food, rent, mortgage, council tax, bills, insurance, transport etc etc etc. Thousands of pounds, but how much do we spend regularly in charity for our Hereafter?
If the answer is not enough, join us on this project Insha’Allah. We are looking to raise just £1,000 a month to continue this project in 2021/2022. Allah loves the small deeds that are done consistently.
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Monir Arimoku
| Name | Donate Amount | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Anonymous | £10 | March 05, 2021 |