SHAH JAHAN MOSQUE, WOKING: PUBLICATIONS

The collection comprises the following items:

Issues of 'The Islamic Review', 1953-1970;
'Mughal Land Revenue System' by Lanka Sundram. Published by The Basheer Muslim Library, Woking, 1929;
'Islam Our Choice' by Dr S A Khulusi. Published by The Woking Muslim Mission and Literary Trust, Woking, 1961;
'Prophecies of the Holy Qur'an' by 'Ali Akbar. Published by The Woking Muslim Mission and Literary Trust, Woking, 1968;
'Eid Sermons At The Shah Jehan [Jahan] Mosque Woking, England, 1931-1940' by Nasir Ahmad. Published by Aftab-ud-Din Memorial Benevolent Trust, Lahore, Pakistan, 2002;
Pamphlet entitled 'War and Religion' by Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall. Published by The Basheer Muslim Library, Woking, c.1950s;
Pamphlet entitled 'Friday Sermons' by Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall. Published by The Basheer Muslim Library, Woking, c.1950s;
Pamphlet entitled 'Alcohol - A Pest of Modern Civilization' by Muriel G Heath. Published by The Woking Muslim Mission And Literary Trust, Woking, 1953;
Pamphlet entitled 'Barriers Between Muslims Must Go' by S. Muhammad Tufail. Published by The Trinidad Muslim League Inc, Trinidad, 1961;
Article from periodical entitled 'How the Woking Mosque came to be the first Mosque built in the UK' by Fazal Karim, c.2000;
Acceptance form from The Woking Muslim Mission and Literary Trust for applicants to certify acceptance of the religion of Islam of their own free will, mid 20th cent

The Shah Jahan Mosque was built in 1889 and was the first formal place of worship for the religion of Islam in England. It was named after its main benefactor Begum Shah (Madame-King) Jahan, a contemporary ruler of Bhopal State in India. The building of the Mosque was largely due to the inspiration of Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner (1860-1899), a distinguished orientalist and linguist from Hungary. Following his death in 1899 the Mosque closed until 1912 when it was restored as a place of worship and has recently been designated a listed building of historic interest. In 1912 Khwaja Kamal-ud-Din, a lawyer from India, came to England to plead a court case before the Privy Council (the highest court of appeal for India at the time). After the conclusion of the case, he stayed on to establish a Muslim mission in England with the object of presenting the true picture of Islam. The result was the Woking Muslim Mission and Literary Trust, which remained an important centre for Islam in England until the 1960s.

There are no access restrictions.

Deposited by Mr Khalid Iqbal of Horsell in September 2005. Mr Iqbal's brother, S. Muhammad Tufail, was Imam of the Shah Jahan Mosque between 1956 and 1966. He was also editor of the Islamic Review.

An item level description of the archive is available on the Surrey History Centre online catalogue

For further correspondence and publications of the Woking Muslim Mission and Literary Trust, and papers relating to Shah Jaham mosque, Woking, 1920-2014, see 8382, 9201, 9340 and 9946.
For records of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, Woking, 1978-2018, see 8859.
For papers of Mohammad Ilyas Raja of Woking, relating to his service as a Woking Borough councillor, trustee of the Shah Jahan mosque and involvement in Woking Muslim community, charity and cultural events, 1947-2019, see Z/454.

Ansari, K H, 'The Woking Mosque: a case study of Muslim engagement with British society since 1889', Immigrants and Minorities, vol. 21, no 3, (London). SHC reference 7553/6/2