Town plans mosque for rising Muslim population

"Mobile imam" Mohamed Osman (front) and worshippers at Selby Friday prayers

A market town could get its own Islamic centre after a significant increase in the local Muslim population.

Attendance at Friday prayers in Selby has doubled in the past two years, but worship is led by a "mobile" imam because there is no mosque.

Mohamed Osman travels from York for the meetings at the town's community centre.

He said: "It is a small community but it is growing. Selby is making us very welcome and our doors are open. It is at an early stage, but we are working towards having an established, integrated mosque."

The imam is also a lecturer in biomedical sciences at the University of York and organised the outreach visits to Selby two years ago in partnership with the city's mosque.

Selby's Muslims were previously travelling to York or Doncaster for prayers.

He added: "The numbers coming have doubled, and that is down to the work of the brothers and sisters, and being at the community centre, a consistent, fixed place.

"It is also helping with integration. Everyone can see us here, it is very important for us to be a part of the community, we don't want to be working in isolation."

Mr Osman said that fundraising activities for a dedicated place of worship had begun, but that the Friday gatherings were the "nucleus" for the wider project.

Worshipper Akhtar Zaman at Selby Friday prayers

Akhtar Zaman, who runs a newsagent and convenience store, settled in Selby in 2016, before the Friday prayer sessions were set up.

Mr Zaman said: "I used to pray at home. These Friday prayers have made such a difference. We can get together, make new friends and really feel like a community.

"That is so important to us, to be able to get together here, worship and support each other. Every Friday more people are coming, word is getting round, people from out of town who are working in Selby are coming to join us here."

Somaya Abdel-Aal at Selby Friday prayers

Somaya Abdel-Aal lives in the village of Eggborough and was previously travelling to a mosque in Doncaster. Because of her work commitments and the journey time, she was only attending prayers when she had a day off.

"It has made quite a big difference having somewhere local. The future plans are exciting. It would be nice to have a bigger place, more space for women, children and families.

"It's really important that communities feel settled and able to access something they need that is fit for purpose."

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