Quran reading for children
Learning to read the Quran in Arabic, in small groups by age and level.
Monday to Thursday17:00 to 18:30
Five prayers a day, and a welcome at the door
Al Noor Community Mosque holds the five daily prayers and Friday prayers, runs classes for children and adults, and opens its hall for community events through the year. Visitors of any faith or none are welcome outside prayer times; tell us when you would like to come and a volunteer will show you round.
5 prayersin congregation every day
2 sessionsof Friday prayers
Any faithor none, welcome to visit
- Five daily prayers and Jumuah
- Classes for all ages
- Visitors welcome
- Community meals and events
Prayer times: an example week
These times show how the timetable is laid out; they are not today's times. Each prayer follows the sun, so the times move a little every day and change a great deal through the year. Check this week's sheet, printed by the main door and handed out after Jumuah, before you plan to come.
| Prayer | Time begins | Prayed together at |
|---|---|---|
| Fajr | 05:41 | 06:15 |
| Dhuhr | 12:04 | 12:30 |
| Asr | 14:28 | 14:45 |
| Maghrib | 16:41 | 16:46 |
| Isha | 18:12 | 19:00 |
On Fridays, Jumuah takes the place of Dhuhr: the first session starts at 12:30 and the second at 13:30, each with a short khutbah, or sermon, before the prayer.
Visiting for the first time
Visitors are welcome whenever the doors are open, though the half hour around each congregational prayer is the busiest. Please wear modest clothing that covers the arms and legs; women are asked to cover their hair in the prayer halls, and scarves can be borrowed at the entrance. Shoes come off before the carpet and go on the racks by the door.
Inside, phones go on silent and voices stay low. If a prayer begins while you are there, you are welcome to sit quietly at the back and watch, and please avoid walking directly in front of anyone who is praying. Photos are fine in the courtyard; ask a volunteer before taking any inside.
- Scarves to borrow at the entrance
- Shoe racks and a bench by the door
- A level entrance and a lift to the first floor
Classes for children and adults
Groups are kept small, and fees cover books and teachers' travel. Nobody is turned away for being unable to pay; a quiet word with the office is enough.
Weekend school
Faith, good manners and the stories of the prophets for ages 5 to 14, with a break for play.
Saturday10:00 to 13:00
Arabic for beginners
An adult class in reading and simple conversation, starting from the alphabet.
Tuesday19:30 to 21:00
Introduction to Islam
An open class for anyone curious, for new Muslims and for visitors, with plenty of time for questions.
MonthlyFirst Sunday, 14:00
Sisters' study circle
A weekly gathering for women to read and talk together, with a play corner for small children.
Wednesday11:00 to 12:30
Youth club
Homework help, football in the park and a talk on a topic the group picks, for ages 12 to 17.
Friday18:30 to 20:30
Weekend school asks $25 a month for each child, and adult classes ask $5 a session towards costs. Everyone who works with children has the background checks that local rules require.
The building and its rooms
Built around a small courtyard, with separate entrances for the men's and the women's prayer halls.
Main prayer hall
A carpeted hall facing the qibla wall, with chairs at the back for anyone who cannot sit on the floor.
HoldsAbout 600
Women's prayer hall
A full hall on the first floor with its own entrance, its own wudu room and a lift.
HoldsAbout 250
Wudu rooms
Rooms for washing before prayer, with low taps, seats and clean towels.
OpenWhenever the halls are
Community hall
A hall with a kitchen for meals, talks and family gatherings in keeping with the mosque's rules.
BookingsThrough the office
Library and quiet room
Books in several languages to read on site or borrow, and a room set aside for quiet study.
Open10:00 to 20:00
Courtyard garden
Benches, a fountain and shade, used for Eid gatherings and the summer picnic.
OpenIn daylight
Through the year at Al Noor
Gatherings open to the whole neighbourhood, whatever your faith.
- Eid prayers and breakfast in the courtyard
- Iftar meals in Ramadan, open to neighbours
- An open afternoon each spring
- Weekly food bank collection
- Neighbourhood litter pick
- Saturday youth football
- Talks for new parents
- Summer family picnic
Dates are announced after Jumuah and pinned on the notice board by the main door. Everyone is welcome at the open events, and nobody is asked for anything at the door.
Inside and around the mosque
Rooms you will see on a visit, photographed between prayers.
Words from visitors and families (example reviews)
A class of twenty seven visited on a weekday morning. The guide explained wudu, showed the prayer hall and answered every question the children asked, including the difficult ones.
New to the area in spring, greeted at the first Friday prayer and invited to the Saturday community lunch in the same week.
The weekend school keeps the children keen, and the teachers send a short note home each month about what has been learned.
Questions visitors often ask
Do visitors need to be Muslim?
No. Visitors of any faith or none are welcome, on their own, with family or as a group. Coming outside prayer times makes it easier to look round and ask questions.
What should visitors wear?
Loose, modest clothing that covers the arms and legs. Women are asked to cover their hair in the prayer halls, and scarves can be borrowed at the entrance. Shoes are taken off before stepping onto the carpet.
Why do the prayer times keep changing?
Each prayer is tied to the position of the sun, from first light to nightfall, so the times move a little every day and shift by hours between summer and winter. The sheet by the main door gives the exact times for the week.
Can visitors watch a prayer?
Yes, quietly from the back of the hall. Please avoid walking in front of anyone who is praying, keep phones silent, and ask a volunteer before taking photos inside.
Can a marriage, or nikah, be held here?
Yes, by arrangement with the office. Whether a nikah also counts as a legally registered marriage depends on the country, so couples should check local law and arrange a civil registration wherever one is needed.
How is the mosque paid for?
Entirely by donations from the community. There is a box by the main door and the office can explain other ways to give, and the yearly accounts are pinned on the notice board. Nobody is ever asked to give in order to visit, pray or learn.
Who helps when someone in the community dies?
Call the main number. Outside office hours the recorded message gives a volunteer's number, and the mosque helps the family arrange the funeral prayer alongside the funeral director they choose.
Plan a visit
Tell us when you would like to come, how many people are coming and anything you hope to see or ask about. A volunteer replies within three working days to confirm a time, suggest another day, or explain if the date falls on a busy prayer or event.
- A volunteer guide for every group
- Visits for schools, colleges and faith groups
- No charge to visit
Find us and get in touch
The office answers the phone during its hours, and emails are read every day.
The mosque office
On the corner of the park in the old quarter, with bicycle racks by the gate
Opening hours
| Prayer halls | Fajr to Isha, every day |
| Office, Monday to Thursday | 10:00 to 16:00 |
| Office, Friday | 10:00 to 12:00 |
| Office, Saturday | 10:00 to 13:00 |
| Office, Sunday | Closed |
Giving to the mosque
The mosque runs entirely on donations from the community. Give in the box by the main door, or ask the office about other ways to give; the yearly accounts are pinned on the notice board for anyone to read.