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https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/harrogates_first_mosque
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Impact: Harrogate, England
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This campaign will collect all funds raised by October 29, 2020 at 5:00 PM EDT
"Whoever builds a masjid (mosque) in which the Name of Allah is mentioned, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise." (Sahih)
- Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Assalamu aleikum from Harrogate in beautiful North Yorkshire in the United Kingdom.
Harrogate is one of the most picturesque towns in northern England. Famous for its springs and floral beauty, it’s also home to 1,000-year-old castles and historic Victorian architecture. The Harrogate district covers an area the size of 1,300 km2 (or 500 square miles) and is home to over 160,000 residents.
But there’s one thing Harrogate doesn’t have. A mosque.
Over the past 10 years, a unique Muslim community has formed here with families arriving from all over the world. Included among them are people from Nigeria, Algeria, Pakistan, America and, yes, England too.
We’ve found the people of Harrogate extremely welcoming. Even though Harrogate is a semi-rural town, its residents petitioned its council to admit Syrian refugees, not keep them out. We have been fortunate enough to help look after the 50 or so families that ended up here and get them adjusted to British life.
When a gunman killed 51 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019, leaders of the Christian community reached out to us and joined us at our Friday prayers, which by then were being held at the community centre of St. Roberts Catholic Church. The kindness and solidarity were very much appreciated.
By the time the COVID-19 lockdown came into effect, we had nearly 100 men and women joining our Friday prayers. Our venue at St. Roberts then shut and remains so to this day. We struggled to meet in congregation safely and took our gatherings online to maintain a virtual connection. We also took this opportunity to try to put down roots in a building - a masjid - of our own.
Our past attempts to find a permanent building over the years hit many roadblocks until we came across a former children's centre in the Starbeck neighbourhood last month that was perfect in every way.
Renovated from two semi-detached modern homes 10 years ago and well maintained ever since, it includes a large hall, kitchen and living facilities, disabled access, a backyard and a car park. It was only available for lease, not purchase, and we weren't sure it was worth dipping into our carefully accrued savings for it.
However, when the Muslim owner of the property learned about our intentions, he offered the property to us at a sizeable discount. The only catch is we have until the end of September to close the deal - otherwise, he'll have to lease it to someone else as previously arranged.
At the moment, we have about 80% of the purchase price accounted for, thanks to the generosity of a member of our community who is loaning 50% of the money and our savings which cover an additional 30%. But we need your help to make up the 20% difference - and we need it fast!
The facility is ready for us to use, with only some minor redecorating needed. Inshallah, we'll already be using the facility as Harrogate's first mosque shortly after the campaign concludes. But we are making a commitment to finalise the purchase and we need to stick to it.
Go to www.launchgood.com/harrogate and please donate what you can. We have many tiers that allow you to contribute to the contents as well as the purchase of the property itself. As a registered charity in the UK, we promise not only to look after your investment, but to also give back to our neighbours in the wider Harrogate community as we settle and grow. UK taxpayers are also eligible for Gift Aid, where we can claim back £0.25 from the government for every £1 you donate.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive community, with women sharing leadership roles with men, classes for children and families, and keeping our doors open to all who visit.
Stay tuned to this page for updates, including pledges of support, video and pictures.
Jazakullah khair.
The brothers and sisters of the Harrogate Islamic Association
Supporter
We'll recognise your contribution at this level with a permanent thank you on our website if you so choose.
136 claimed
Supplier
Help us supply the essentials - including prayer mats, books, shoe storage, audio/visual and more - by donating at this level. Includes permanent recognition on our website if you so choose.
Sold out!
50 of 50 claimed
Donor
We'll recognise your contribution at this level with a permanent thank you on our website if you so choose.
29 claimed
Decorator
This level will help finance the decoration and minor modifications to the building that will help make it a pleasant and practical place to gather and worship. Includes permanent recognition on our website if you so choose.
Sold out!
50 of 50 claimed
Donor
We'll recognise your contribution at this level with a permanent thank you on our website if you so choose.
4 claimed
Member
This level of donation will register you and your family as members of our community, including all events, celebrations, and the option to use the facility for private events (subject to availability and fees). Includes permanent recognition on our website if you so choose.
18 claimed
Bronze Level Patron
At this level, we will give you special, permanent recognition on a plaque in the lobby area of the masjid.
13 claimed
Silver Level Patron
At this level, we will give you special, permanent recognition on a plaque in the lobby area of the masjid.
2 claimed
Gold Level Patron
At this level (and up), we will give you special, permanent recognition on a plaque in the lobby area of the masjid. The top four donors will be given the option to have a meeting room named for them and/or their family.
0 claimed
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over 0.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/harrogates_first_mosque
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Ghulam Zouq and Rafiqan Bibi (2 donors)
An Anonymous kind soul
Sufia Choudhury
An Anonymous kind soul
nusarat hussain
Ansar Hussain& Nasima Choudhury
Mr z Choudhury
S Ahsan
Muhammad Ajaib
An Anonymous kind soul
An Anonymous kind soul
U Hasan
Miss Fatimah S Khan
ففروا الى الله
An Anonymous kind soul
M S Hussain
Tahira Rafiq
Reza
Pray for each other please
An Anonymous kind soul
Our next phase of renovation begins
Assalamu aleikum! After several months of planning and additional fundraising, we’re pleased to announce that, inshallah, our next phase of renovation on the building at 4 Belford Road is due to begin in July 2023, continuing for approximately 12-15 weeks.
Here’s what we have planned:
Before we got to this point, we made sure that emergency repairs to the roof were complete and that all necessary surveys were taken of the building, including checks for rot and asbestos. It’s difficult to convey how deteriorated the building interior is, but we’re determined to make it right.
This phase of renovation will focus on stripping the interior and commencing with structural works. We’ve worked with our builder to ensure that this can take place within the confines of the property. This means no disruption of traffic on Belford Road or Tower Street.
We’re also working closely with North Yorkshire council to make sure all works are conducted according to established building regulations and in a way to cause minimal disruption to our neighbours. There will be no scaffolding or other exterior works during this phase.
This phase will see a removal and replacement of both the ground and first floors, each of which have suffered extensive rot and degradation. The floors will be replaced with steel framing and timber infrastructure to match the existing levels. The steel infrastructure will also help brace the existing masonry walls.
The purpose of this phase will be to ensure the building is structurally sound and safe for its intended use. We will need to raise additional funds to proceed with our final phase, which will involve installation of electrical, heating, security, and plumbing systems, along with interior walls, doors, and amenities. We may reach out with another Launchgood campaign when the final phase begins.
Our intent is for this process to be a model that other communities can follow in terms of outreach, management, safety, and engagement with the wider community. Thank you for contributing to this effort!
Until we can open our doors to everyone, our digital inboxes are open either on our social media (Twitter: @harrogateIA, Facebook: @harrogatemuslims) messaging us here or emailing us at info@harrogatemuslims.org.
Harrogate Islamic Association
One step closer to our goal
March 2021 Update
Assalamu aleikum
We want to give you an update on our efforts to establish a mosque and community centre here in Harrogate, inshallah.
Since our original campaign, we have engaged with a number of options to acquire a suitable facility, starting with the building featured in our original campaign, shortly followed by an offer on a former church annex (you can read about these in articles in our local paper, the Stray Ferret, here and here).
Unfortunately, those early options were not successful due to planning issues (the former) and a rejection of our offer (the latter). Our masjid committee has been meeting (virtually) almost every other week since to reevaluate our strategy and development targets for the Harrogate district.
Since late last year, we have continued an intensive search for other facilities, making sure we leave no stone unturned. We have recruited advisors to assist in evaluating a number of greenfield sites at the edge of the city (where a new building would be constructed), the renovation of other unused church facilities within Harrogate with development partners, and the purchase of disused commercial sites (a situation exacerbated by COVID-19) in Harrogate.
Our most recent effort was an offer on an unused and dilapidated former community centre in Harrogate. If this offer is accepted, this will require significant remedial work - a challenge we are willing to accept. If the offer is not accepted, we will continue searching, inshallah.
We want to thank you for your patience with us as we try to establish ourselves at a difficult time for our community and country. Inshallah, as the COVID-19 crisis is mitigated, we pray that our efforts also prove successful. We will also try to keep our communication with you more regular, inshallah, with the hope that we can meet in our own centre someday soon.
Harrogate Islamic Association
Mosque acquisition update
Assalamu aleikum everyone. We wanted to give you a quick update on where we are.
When we were given the opportunity to purchase a property in Starbeck, we were delighted to see that it was used as a childrens centre - the same planning class as a house of worship (D1).
A planning enquiry with the council has now come back to us with news that recent planning class changes (as of September 1st) require a redefinition of the planning class of the property and that the building may not be suitable for a house of worship even though the existing class implied that it would.
Although the property is still available to us to purchase, we are hesitant to proceed if the property is unsuitable, as the enquiry seems to indicate.
As it happens, we have found another property in Harrogate currently on the market, previously used as a house of worship, that may address all the concerns above and are engaging with the vendor. If we're successful in securing it, we feel there's a better chance it will satisfy our donors, neighbours, and community alike.
We are grateful for the show of support, both financially and within Harrogate itself, to establish our first mosque! May Allah SWT accept everyone’s contribution and reward them with the best in both this life and the next. Aameen.
Celebrating our biggest donation
Assalamu aleikum,
Once again, thank you all for helping us reach our campaign target! Although our campaign closed with £56k of our £85k goal reached, we had mentioned that we had offers to close the funding gap.
We're now able to tell you that a wonderful family learned about our campaign through LaunchGood and invited us to visit them in Rochdale, England (about an hour's drive from Harrogate) last weekend. After hearing more about our community and efforts, Ghulam Zouq and Rafiqan Bibi made a generous contribution of £45,000 to ensure that we would meet our target by the end of the campaign. Alhamdulillah, we exceeded our goal due to the increased interest in our cause as the campaign came to a close, raising over £100,000 in total.
The Zouq family business, Lancashire Farms, is a dairy they founded in 1984 that has since grown to become one of the largest yoghurt manufacturers in northern England. We'd also like to thank their daughter Nadia and son Azhar for welcoming us. We were touched by their grace, humility, and work ethic. Read more about this inspirational family here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/12093616/Natural-touch-behind-Rochdale-family-yoghurt-firms-sweet-success.html.
Thank you again for all your support. We will keep you updated by email here and at our Facebook page, website, and Twitter feed, inshallah.
The Harrogate Islamic Association
Thank you!!
Asslaamu aleikum,
As the campaign comes to a close, we want to thank the over 600 supporters who gave so generously. It may seem that we didn't reach our goal, but we have had commitments from other generous individuals to fill in the funding gap. Alhamdulillah, I'm pleased to say we'll be able to do this. All of you (and that includes the team at LaunchGood) made a difference!
Now we'll begin the next stage with the vendor. We still ask for your prayers to ensure that the remaining process goes smoothly. We don't know if there will be unforeseen issues, such as public opposition (we have had some related comments on our Facebook page), but we will do our utmost to overcome them, inshallah, with you, our friends and our allies.
If you have left your email with us, we can send you updates directly. If not, you can keep up with us on our website, Facebook page or Twitter feed.
Jazakallah khair,
The brothers and sisters of the Harrogate Islamic Association
Final 24 hours
Assalamu aleikum,
We're so heartened by the response we have had in the last 24 hours, but we are now in the final 24 hours of this campaign. Although it seems like we're far off, we have had a number of people saying they would be willing to close the gap if it was small enough. I can't say any more than that for now, but prepare to be surprised.
In the meantime, this is your chance to make that gap small enough and help us reach our goal. If you've donated already, THANK YOU! If not, please consider donating... even a little will help us (and we have had 515 small donors as of this update).
We have documents in the solicitors hands waiting for a confirmation that we can proceed with the sale. Let's make this happen, inshallah!
The brothers and sisters of the Harrogate Islamic Association
£20,000 with 3 days to go!
Assalamu aleikum and thanks to all of you who have donated so generously so far to our effort to conclude the purchase of a building to use as a mosque in Harrogate. As of today (Monday) with three days to go, we are just tipping over into £20,000 donated from over 430 supporters.
Although this seems far from our £85,000 goal, we know of many people behind the scenes who have been collecting donations from their families to contribute in lump sums. From what we're aware, that means that the £20,000 amount is effectively doubled so far.
We'll try to get some more video updates to you given the short time frame. We were keen for you to meet other members of our community, particularly the strong women's network (two who serve as trustees), although Covid-19 restrictions have made that difficult. Inshallah, we'll share more even after the campaign concludes.
Jazakullah khair and thanks again for all your support!
Over £6,000 in 24 hours
Assalamu aleikum. We're overjoyed with the response to the first 24 hours of this campaign. We want to thank LaunchGood, who publicised this effort in a newsletter blast to get us going. Inshallah with your help, we'll close the gap.
Members of our community are fundraising within their extended families and those totals aren't reflected here yet. But we're confident that we'll be able to add much more to this amount, inshallah.
I'll post some more pictures an updated video soon, with interviews from a number of community members - sisters, elders, youth and even non-Muslim supporters (many of whom have also donated... THANK YOU!)
During filming, we spoke to some of the neighbours and promised them a welcome party with food if we're able to reach our goal. Although the building is zoned for a house of worship, it sits in a residential area and it's really important to us that our future neighbours don't feel burdened by our presence. We want our doors to be open to everyone and look forward to hosting events for the whole community!
Thanks again to everyone who has donated and supported us!
Giving is better together! Your share could raise over 0.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/harrogates_first_mosque
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
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Giving is better together! Your share could raise over 0.
https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/harrogates_first_mosque
“Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like the one who did it.”
— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ