Faith, Friendship and Community: Opening Our Doors

This September, mosques across the UK opened their doors to neighbours, friends and the wider community, of all faiths and none, as part of Visit My Mosque, a national campaign by the Muslim Council of Britain.

A mosque isn’t just a building; it’s where neighbours meet, friendships grow, food is shared, and communities come together. In Nottingham, Masjid Al-Shifa (Bobbermill Community Centre) stood as the only mosque in the city to take part in this year’s campaign, welcoming visitors for an afternoon of connection, conversation and celebration.

At the heart of Visit My Mosque lies the same vision that has driven HumanKind since 2016, bringing people together to challenge stereotypes, break down barriers and foster real connections. HumanKind is dedicated to strengthening trust and understanding between British Muslims and the wider community. Through meaningful conversations and shared experiences, we can build a more harmonious society.

What Happened

The Open Day was very well attended, delivered in collaboration with Radio Dawn and Fareshare, and offered something for everyone. Guests enjoyed food and refreshments, and henna, alongside an Islamic exhibition and a free copy of The Majestic Quran for every visitor.

The programme featured a rich line-up of speakers. Chair Dr Saeed and Trustee Tariq opened with an introduction, followed by brother Atif, who gave an overview of the Karimia Institute’s work. Young speakers Hisham and Hinayah (aged just 10) spoke movingly about HumanKind. Brother Arshad spoke about Radio Dawn, and sister Aliya talked about the Bisma and Bilal litter-picking campaign. Councillor Abbas spoke as our local representative.

We also had speeches from sister Zainab (NTU Faith Ambassador), sister Serwish (mental health), brother Khalid (Scouts) Tara and Jaz (food pantry), and Miles and Mukadis (Karimia debate club); each raised awareness of important work happening in our local community.

Brother Najm spoke on behalf of the Nottingham Council of Mosques and the MCB, passing on a message from MCB General Secretary Dr Wajid, which was inspiring and much appreciated.

The Open Mosque Day is HumanKind in action: neighbours stepping through our doors, asking questions, sharing food and discovering the everyday histories we hold in common. None of this is possible without the dedication of our volunteers and ambassadors.

If you believe in breaking barriers, fostering understanding and building a more inclusive society, we invite you to join us, become an ambassador and help educate and inspire others through workshops and discussions, volunteer to support our events and outreach, or partner with us to bring HumanKind workshops to your organisation, school or community group. Together, we can turn open doors into lasting bridges.

Looking Ahead: Bigger and Better Next Year

Building on this year’s success, we have ambitious plans to make next year’s Open Mosque Day even bigger and better. Here are some ideas:

  1. Start publicising early: Begin promoting the event as early as June, as churches, schools and community organisations plan their programmes months in advance.
  2. Invite local churches directly: Write to congregations personally and invite them to bring groups along.
  3. Host an interfaith discussion: Organise a one-hour interfaith event on a contemporary topic, such as “How are Christians and Muslims responding to AI, and how might they use it in their religious life?”
  4. Seek wider media coverage: Approach the Nottingham Post and ask Nottingham Citizens and other community organisations to promote the event among their members.
  5. Engage local schools: Write well in advance inviting teachers, pupils and families to visit.
  6. Promote at the Nottingham Cultural Festival: The HumanKind stall should actively distribute information about the Open Day.

The key lesson is clear: we need much wider publicity, and it must begin well in advance, particularly targeting those who would not normally enter a mosque.

But the Open Mosque Day is not only for non-Muslims. Many Muslims themselves know little about the mosque, its activities and wider work, so we will also focus on encouraging Muslim women and families to attend and participate. With early planning and broader outreach, next year’s Visit My Mosque promises to be our most welcoming yet.

A huge thank you to Dr Assam Latif for leading our Mosque Open Day and overseeing overall operations. His hard work in organising the event, coordinating the volunteers, and ensuring everything ran smoothly was greatly appreciated. We couldn’t have done it without you and your dedicated team. Thank you for your commitment, leadership, and support in making the day a success.

Finally, if you have further ideas or would like to become involved in HumanKind, please contact Sara at the Karimia Institute.