Interior of A Mosque

Muslims have to pray 5 times each day.  Mosques (or Masjids as they are known in Arabic) are places built to provide a peaceful place to pray.  The prophet, peace be upon him, instructed those who follow his way , Islam, to especially offer the Friday noon time prayers in congregation. In addition to this, he instructed all men to pray the 5 daily prayers in congregation with other worshippers in a mosque, unless that person has a valid reason not to (illness etc).

On Friday, the "imam" or leader delivers a sermon, after which prayers are said.

The following are just two of the Mosques in London, near the "Square Mile", the financial district.

1. East London Mosque, Nearest Tube Whitechapel / Aldgate East
2. Regents Park Mosque (Islamic Cultural Centre)  Nearest Tube - Baker Street (yes , the place where Sherlock Holmes lived). Mosque has bookshop, cafe, nearby parks.

Non- Muslims are always welcome to visit the above mosques for a tour - just ask at the reception or contact them in advance. Many English reverts to Islam also attend, so you might be able to have a chat with them as well.

There are many other mosques in London, though not all are near the city centre. To view the list, please visit www.salaam.co.uk