London -

After two years of closure imposed by the Corona epidemic, the mosques of the British capital, London, have returned to receive worshipers in large numbers during the month of Ramadan.

In an atmosphere that mixes celebration and spirituality, the British Muslim community returned to mosques to revive the atmosphere of Ramadan, with religious lessons, dhikr sessions and Tarawih prayers.

Al Jazeera Net has moved between more than one of the famous mosques in London, to stand on the extent of the longing expressed by those in charge of these mosques, as well as the state of joy apparent to their visitors, after all restrictions were lifted and the mosques returned to their previous era.

The chandeliers of London mosques, with their soft lighting, remind of their counterpart, "the ancient mosques in Egypt" (Al-Jazeera)

return of the soul

After more than 6 years of work and a budget of 10 million dollars, the Muslim community succeeded in constructing an Islamic edifice west of the capital, which is the West London Islamic Center, consisting of 4 floors on an area of ​​approximately 5,000 square meters.

“It is as if I am in a mosque in my country, everything is in it,” says Abu Muhammad, who is of Egyptian origin, pointing to the chandeliers hanging in the ceiling of the mosque, with their soft lighting. “They are like hanging chandeliers in our ancient mosques in Egypt, and praise be to God this year, our Lord has honored us by returning to the Qiyam prayer in The mosque after two years of the epidemic and closure.

Abu Muhammad’s description of the mosque’s chandeliers was accurate, as they were inspired by the lighting method in Eastern and Ottoman mosques, as they appear to be glowing candles close to the worshipers, giving the prayer hall prestige and serenity.

The halls of the Islamic Center in West London are full during the month of Ramadan (Al-Jazeera)

And because the construction of the mosque was attended by Muslims from Arab and non-Arab communities, its architecture was also a mixture of different styles. Inside, you will find Andalusian decoration, Egyptian arches and Ottoman lighting, while the carpet reminds you of the mosques of Bukhara and Samarkand.

“The past years have been very difficult for us since the beginning of the epidemic and the closing of mosques and then gradually reopening, and this year it is as if I am being reborn and I see hundreds of worshipers and prayer halls filled to the brim.”

And it is not just about Tarawih prayers, as "the dhikr sessions, science sessions, and charitable works, which we abound in this month, have returned, especially since this year many of our brothers suffer from an unprecedented high cost of living," Muhammad adds.

The construction of the Islamic Center in West London, in which Muslims from Arab and non-Arab communities participated (Al-Jazeera)

Indescribable feeling

An “indescribable feeling” with this phrase, Muhammad Kuzbar, director of Finsbury Park Mosque in London, tried to describe his feeling as he watched the return of hundreds of worshipers entering the mosque to perform Tarawih prayers, and before that to participate in the collective Iftar organized by the mosque.

Finsbury Park Mosque has a special symbolism not only in London but in all of Britain, as it is a witness to historical events, and is considered a mecca for the British political elite and a beacon of religious tolerance.

Islamic Center West London (Al Jazeera)

"This year, the number of worshipers is about 1,800 people, and all the halls of the mosque are full, and this is a scene that we missed for two years because of the epidemic," Kuzbar says in his speech to Al Jazeera Net, adding that the timing of Tarawih prayers this year is not late at night, and Ramadan coincides with school holidays. This made families go to mosques with their children.”

And it is not only the Tarawih prayer that has returned to its previous era, but even the collective iftar organized by the mosque on a daily basis, and hundreds of people, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, benefit from it throughout the month of Ramadan.

Walid Abu Ouni, a Tunisian immigrant who recently settled in London, found in the collective breakfast a haven that protected him from the savagery of alienation, and he told Al Jazeera Net, "Last year, the month of Ramadan passed me hard. I have no family here, and mosques did not organize any social activities."

The architecture of the Islamic Center is a mixture of different styles between Andalusian, Egyptian and Ottoman (Al-Jazeera)

He added, "This year in Ramadan, I participate in collective iftars, and I met large numbers of the Muslim community, and this relieved me of a lot of feelings of alienation, especially in the month of Ramadan, which has a special atmosphere in our country."

Walid says that he got acquainted with the stories of immigrants, "including the painful stories of elderly people who spent the past two years isolated from the world, and now they are returning to mosques with a childlike joy as if they were returning to their homes."

Mosques’ activities range from organizing remembrance circles, religious lessons, launching charitable campaigns and distributing aid to the needy.

After two years of stopping, the mosques of London returned as if they were a beehive that did not stop throughout the day until the completion of Tarawih prayers, and the spirit and movement returned to them, as well as the spiritual atmosphere with a large turnout from the Muslim community.