The Founder of the London Mosque Mission: Hazrat Fateh Muhammad Sayal (ra)

At first glance the idea of England as an arena where two great religious forces meet seems rather far-fetched, but there is more Moslem activity in some of our English towns than people imagine. The honourable Cadi Abdulla (sic Qadhi Abdullah) living in London reports that six noted English men and women have embraced the Moslem religion in the cities of Oxford, Leicester etc. The meritorious Abdul Hay Arab has established a new centre in London for calling to Islam, and the Mufti Muhammad Sadik (sic Sadiq) has delivered a speech in English in the mosque on ‘the object of human life^[1]

Following the demise of Hazrat Maulana Noor-ud-Deen Khalifatul Masih I^ra on 13 March 1924, some community members did not pledge their allegiance to Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad Khalifatul Masih II^ra and left Qadian to establish a separate entity in Lahore. The majority of the community elected Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad^ra as the second khalifa in accordance to Al-Wasiyyat (The Will)^[2] published in 1905. This set of affairs not only affected the community in Qadian but also the Muslim converts in Woking, as Khawaja Kamal-ud-Din refrained from pledging allegiance to the second Khalifa and associated himself with a separate mission based in Lahore. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih II^ra directed Hazrat Fateh Muhammad Sayal^ra to relocate to London for the establishment of a new mission^[3].

Hazrat Fateh Muhammad Sayal^ra’s first efforts now focussed on outreach at Hyde Park Speaker’s Corner where he engaged with locals and distributed leaflets about Islam^[4]. Throughout the summer of 1914 and into 1915, he gave lectures to the Theosophical Society, the International Society, the Higher Thought Circle, Fulham and Harrogate public libraries and at various locations in Southsea and Folkestone. By June 1915, Hazrat Fateh Muhammad Sayal^ra  had visited and lectured in eleven British cities including Scotland in November 1915^[5].

Further Missionaries Arrive

In 1915 Hazrat Fateh Muhammad Sayal^ra and some converts made requests to Qadian for more missionaries^[6]. The first to arrive was Hazrat Qazi Muhammad Abdullah^ra whose tenure was from September 1915 to November 1919. Hazrat Fateh Muhammad Sayal^ra remained in England until March 1916. Recognizing the importance of having a permanent location for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission UK, Hazrat Qazi Muhammad Abdullah^ra believed that instead of relying on rented premises, the Jama’at should acquire a property of its own.

Consequently, the Jama’at acquired a property on Star Street, London, which served as the new headquarters^[7]. Hazrat Qazi Muhammad Abdullah^ra fixed a board on the house having Ahmadiyya Movement written on it in bold letters^[8]. On 10 March 1917, another prominent companion, Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq^ra departed from Qadian for England, where he would spend two and a half years before leaving for the United States in 1920. During his residency in England, Hazrat Mufti Sadiq Sahib^ra authored numerous treatises. Noteworthy individuals, such as King George V, the Queen of England, Secretary of State, the British Prime Minister, Lord Mayor of London, and Prince Yori Hito Hakashi Foshi of Japan, were among those privileged to receive the message of Islam through his preaching efforts^[9]. Initially the missionaries encountered various challenges, notably in securing accommodation, leading to frequent relocations. These adversities demonstrated their unwavering commitment and resilience in disseminating the teachings of Islam. The historical archives of the Jama’at provide several locations where Hazrat Fateh Muhammad Sayal^ra and Hazrat Qadhi Abdullah^ra lived.

1. 9 Haredale Road, Poplar Walk, Herne Hill London SE24 0AF^[10]
2. Gretton House, 305 Globe Rd, Bethnal Green, London E2 0NT^[11]
3. 39 Upper Bedford place, Russell Square (now The Buckingham Grange Hotel)
4. 175, The Grove, Hammersmith, W^[12]
5. 41 Great Russell St London WC1B 3PE (acquired as the Jamaat centre in 1916)^[13]
6. 4 Star Street, Edgware Road (In 1917, the mission relocated to a larger leasehold property)^[14]
7. Fazl Mosque Southfields: Acquired in August 1920, the Mission house was officially transferred to this address on the 29^th of September, 1920^[15]

Describing a typical day at the mission house, Hazrat Maulana Abdul Raheem Nayyar^ra wrote:

From almost every station, be it the major railway station of Charing Cross, Waterloo, Victoria or Liverpool Street, you can easily reach Edgware Station through the metropolitan railway or underground tube. You will arrive at Star Street in a matter of two minutes and leaving three houses on the right hand side, you will find a shining brass plaque on the door of the fourth triple storey house with “Ahmadiyya Movement ” written on it. Behind a glass wall adjacent to the plaque, you will see a pasted sample of the Quran – Surah al-Fatihah, published from Qadian. Along with it, you will find small periodicals of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya placed beautifully on the inner side of the glass. Moreover, you will observe a new magazine by the name of A Call to Truth published recently, drawing every passing lady and gentleman towards the truth with all its pages open. Slightly above it, you will see in bold letters, “The Ahmadiyya Library ” written in a straight line, manifesting the inner condition of the room. I am certain that though the noise from the heavy traffic consisting of buses and motor cars running on Edgware Road will draw your attention towards itself, the sight of this house will make you forget for a while as to where you are. [You will wonder] if you are in Qadian or in London^[16].

The Herald (1920) May       The Daily Telegraph (1916) August 30

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^[1] Bury, George Wyman (1919) Pan-Islam. London: Macmillan & Company p. 111

^[2] Note: In 1905, in Al-Wasiyat (The Will), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad^as informed his community of his imminent demise and highlighted two key institutions: the system of wasiyat and the establishment of Khilafat. For further reading see The Will: English Rendering of Al-Wasiyyat (Urdu) by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad

^[3] Al-Fazl (1957) 1 January, p.  6

^[4] Al-Fazl (1914) 25 August, p. 5

^[5] Al-Fazl (1915) 11 August and 7 December

^[6] Al-Fazl (1915) 29 October and 1 December

^[7] Review of Religions (1917) August p. 304

^[8] Al-Fazl (1919) 4 September; Ahmad, R. Hazrat Qadhi Muhammad Abdullah Sahib (ra) – History of Ahmadiyya UK (website)

^[9] Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Sadiq Sahib (ra) – History of Ahmadiyya UK (website)

^[10] Al-Fazl (1914), 22 July, p. 8

^[11] Al-Fazl (1914) 13 Oct, p. 8

^[12] Review of Religions (1914) July, p. 269

^[13]Review of Religions, (1916) September pp. 341-350

^[14] Review of Religions (1917) Aug p. 304

^[15] Al-Fazl (1920) 9 Sept

^[16] Al-Fazl (1919) 7 October, Translated by Al Hakam (2019) ‘100 Years Ago… – London Letter’. 18 October. Available from https://www.alhakam.org/100-years-ago-london-letter/