The South East Region of Jamaat-e-Ahmadiyya UK held an event at the Noor Mosque in Crawley, on 3 October 2026, to mark the centenary of the Fazl Mosque. Held under the theme “Building Better Neighbourhoods”, the event was attended by 40 external guests from across Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
The guests included Peter Lamb MP, Member of Parliament for Crawley; Marilyn Mansfield-Clark MBE DL, Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex, representing the Lord-Lieutenant; Cllr Marion Ayling, Mayor of Crawley; Cllr Nick Harrison, Mayor of Reigate & Banstead and Cllr Sharon Jackson, Deputy Mayor of Medway. 11 councillors from four councils attended, along with officers from Sussex Police, faith leaders, representatives of local organisations and neighbours. Upon arrival, guests were given a tour of the mosque, including a centenary exhibition on the history of the Fazl Mosque.
The formal session began with a recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a welcome address by Ahsan Ahmedi Sahib. The first guest speaker was Cllr Marion Ayling, Mayor of Crawley, who said the Jamaat’s members contribute to the life of the town through community projects and voluntary service. Cllr Nick Harrison, Mayor of Reigate & Banstead, said that “celebrating 100 years is quite a step”. Cllr Sharon Jackson, Deputy Mayor of Medway, spoke about community cohesion. Marilyn Mansfield-Clark MBE DL, speaking on behalf of the Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, praised the Jamaat’s work in building better neighbourhoods, from New Year’s Day clean-ups and blood donation drives to interfaith events and the relief work of Humanity First.
Five atfal from Crawley gave a presentation on the charity work of Ahmadi youth across the UK, including New Year’s Day clean-ups and blood donations. Dr Bilal Bhatti Sahib, Regional Amir South East, delivered a speech on the history of the Fazl Mosque, which was followed by a video on the history of the Fazl Mosque.
While guests waited for the broadcast of Huzoor’s (aa) address, Revd Canon Doris Staniford, one of the first women to be ordained priest in the Church of England, introduced Gary, a Langley Green resident of more than 50 years. He described how the words “Love for All, Hatred for None” on the mosque had caught his eye every time he passed. Liz Ostermann of the Church of Scientology in East Grinstead presented the Jamaat with a certificate of appreciation for its interfaith and charity work. Guests also put questions to the Jamaat’s missionaries, including one on the Jamaat’s vision for the next 100 years. The missionaries explained that service to humanity will always remain at the heart of the Jamaat’s work and that its mosques are funded entirely by its own members.
The guests then watched the broadcast of the keynote address delivered by Huzoor (aa) for the centenary of the Fazl Mosque.
Peter Lamb MP gave the closing remarks and said that Huzoor (aa) had “captured the centre of value across all faiths and all identities. We have the same message, which is about love and concern for one another.”
Dr Bilal Bhatti Sahib and the missionary, Saad Shinwari Sahib, presented centenary gifts to guests, including the Mayor of Crawley and the Deputy Mayor of Medway. At the end, dinner was served.
Speaking after the event, Cllr Nick Harrison said of the Jamaat’s slogan, “You live it day-to-day. That’s very clear in everything you do.”
Of the 25 guests who completed a feedback form, 23 rated the event “excellent” and the other two “good”. Six said it was the first time they had been inside a mosque.