WHAT IS VISIT MY MOSQUE
About
Visit My Mosque is a national initiative facilitated by the Muslim Council of Britain encouraging over 250 mosques across the UK to hold open days to welcome in their neighbours from all faiths and none and build bridges across communities.
Whilst mosque open days in Britain have been taking place for decades, Visit My Mosque enables mosques to be a part of a nationwide event where mosques across the UK are able to open their door together on the same day.
When did it start?
Many mosques in the UK have been holding open days for their local communities for decades.
As a national initiative, #VisitMyMosque was conceived in February 2015 with about 20 mosques taking part in holding an open day on the same day. Due to popular demand the initiative has grown to over 250 mosques now taking part, with MPs and other senior politicians taking parts too, including the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and Metro Mayors visiting their local mosques.
Does it happen once a year?
Many mosques organise open days regularly throughout the year and also have events where people of other faiths and none are welcome to attend.
Interfaith work is very important and many Muslim communities are very active in interfaith work, making regularly make visits to their local churches and synagogues and other places of worship, forming relationships with their congregations and maintaining those relationships throughout the year through regular events. However, Visit My Mosque day is a national day where mosques across the UK time their open days to be on the same day of the year.
Who runs Visit My Mosque?
Visit My Mosque is organised by the hundreds of volunteers across the UK who have taken time out of their Sunday to open up their local mosque, send invitations to their neighbours, and be available on the day to meet & greet neighbours and answer their questions. At a national level, Visit My Mosque day is facilitated by the Muslim Council of Britain who have a steering committee to coordinate the day.
A GUIDE JUST FOR YOU:
VISITING A MOSQUE
Download the VMM ‘Easy Guide to Visiting a Mosque’ for 2023. Our guide explains what a mosque is and what to expect when visiting one, with some commonly asked questions.
FAQs
What can I expect when I visit my local mosque?
Each mosque will be different. You will be welcomed by volunteers at a registration desk and probably directed to a main hall where there will be some tea and refreshments. Some mosques will put on guided tours of the building, while others may play a video or have exhibitions/poster display e.g. about Islam, or showcasing recent charity initiatives undertaken by the mosque.
Why isn’t my local mosque taking part?
Some mosques may also choose to schedule their open day on another day of the year. Sometimes, some mosques are unable to hold an open day due to logistical reasons such as other events taking place in the mosque or refurbishment work.
We’ll continue to reach out to more mosques and encourage them to get involved every year. Please tell us which mosques in your area you’d like to visit by getting in touch.
Do Mosques have a dress code?
Mosques will differ on dress code. Like many places of worship, such as historic church sites in France or Italy, mosques may ask guests to respect the sacredness of the building by for example, asking men to wear long trousers or women to wear long skirts or a shawl.
Do you need more information?
Contact us.
Call Us: 0845 26 26 786