Followers flock to see spiritual leader open £2m mosque

4:54pm Wednesday 9th July 2008

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A new mosque, built at a cost of £2 million, has been officially opened in Bradford by the Shia Islam sub-sect’s 97-year-old spiritual leader.

The Dawoodi Borha community welcomed Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin yesterday to open Europe’s second-only purpose-built Borha mosque in Syedna Way, formerly Plumpton Street, Girlington.

Syedna Way was renamed after Dawoodi Borha community members campaigned for the change three years ago to honour their leader, who has travelled from India for his third visit to the city.

Crunwelle Court in Allerton, where he has stayed during his visits, was also recently renamed Syedna Place, in his honour.

Dr Burhanuddin officially named the new mosque Adam Masjid, and carried out a series of blessings allowing the community to officially pray there under their leader.

Onali Shamshudin, of the Bradford Dawoodi Bohra community, said: “It’s just out of this world. When we started the building we were allowed to have the name of the street changed and we are very proud. It’s such an historic event for our community.”

The mosque is one of the first in the UK to incorporate solar panels to cover most of its electricity needs. It features several prayer areas, a covered courtyard, a dining hall and classrooms.

Its most ornate part is a prayer hall with marble walls and the 100 Islamic names for Allah written around it in gold plate.

Unlike many mosques which have prayer facilities for women in separate buildings, the new mosque includes a women’s area as part of the central building.

Rashida Manimoon, of Thornton Road, is a member of the Burhani Women’s Association. She said: “We’re just so excited. It’s an amazing day. We’ve been waiting for him to come for so long and now he has made us so happy. We have so much belief in him. He is like a grandfather to us.

“Having the name of the road changed is very precious to us and it is an honour to celebrate our leader.”

A spokesman for Bradford Council, which approved the street name changes, said: “Syedna Way was changed four or five years ago and Crunwelle Court was recently officially renamed Syedna Place.

“In order for a name change to go ahead the law requires it to be agreed by two thirds of council tax payers on the street. In the case of Crunwelle Court/Syedna Place there was only one property on the street.”

e-mail: tanya.orourke @telegraphandargus.co.uk