The annual Visit My Mosque weekend has never felt more important
On the 10th anniversary of the initiative Muslim congregations opened their doors to visitors of all faiths
On a wet and windy Saturday afternoon, people from across Greater Manchester gathered at Cheadle Masjid for the 10th annual Visit My Mosque open day, a national initiative coordinated by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). Over the weekend, more than 150 mosques across the country welcomed visitors of all faiths and none, hosting talks, exhibitions and refreshments for anyone who wanted to drop by.
According to Aamir Shamsi, the lead coordinator of the 2025 campaign, Visit My Mosque was originally conceived to “build bridges and develop understanding” between communities. This weekend, that mission seemed more urgent than ever.
Two days earlier, on Yom Kippur, Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall — 10 miles north of Cheadle — was subjected to a shocking attack. A 35-year-old man named Jihad al-Shamie drove a car into pedestrians before stabbing several worshippers, resulting in the deaths of two congregants and injuries to others. Al-Shamie was shot dead by police at the scene.
After a horrific and potentially divisive incident, the open day at Cheadle Masjid offered the whole community a much-needed chance to come together. Throughout the day, visitors toured the building and spoke to people who worship there.
“The Visit My Mosque open day is a great way to show that the mosque is an open place,” said Husaam Al-Astewani, 26, who was volunteering for the day. “Muslims are part of society — we’re born and brought up here. The only difference is our religion, but really, there isn’t much difference.”
Inside the women’s prayer hall, stalls and displays lined the walls. Some visitors tried henna for the first time, while others practised Arabic calligraphy and children got messy with arts and crafts activities. A visual exhibition also told the stories of the prophets Muhammad and Isa, and Qur’ans were placed on tables for visitors to take home.
For Sally Mendham, who has lived nearby for more than 50 years, Saturday was the first time she had set foot inside the mosque. “It’s a part of our community, so I thought I should come along,” she told me. “The more we talk to each other, the better.”
Coming from a Quaker background, Mendham observed strong parallels between her faith and Islam. “It’s important to find things in common,” she said. “I knew there were connections between our faiths, but I’ve learned even more about them today.”
Cheadle Masjid, which opened in January 2004, is more than a place of worship. For the past two decades, it has served both the Muslim population in the area and the wider community. It hosts a scout troop, martial arts classes, women’s fitness groups, dementia support sessions, mother and toddler groups and special educational needs sessions for children.
That commitment to public service came as a surprise to Jamie Hibbert, 34, from Salford. “I didn’t expect the mosque to be designed with such a multifunctional purpose,” he said. “It feels inclusive and practical — it’s not just a place to pray and leave. There’s genuine community cohesion here, which I didn’t know existed.”
Hibbert was encouraged to visit by a colleague who had converted to Islam and now volunteers at the mosque. Many Islamic values have also resonated with Hibbert on his own faith journey.
“The best thing I’ve learned about myself is that you’re going to be wrong sometimes, but it’s important to take part in these kinds of initiatives and conversations,” he said. “It’s such a welcoming environment. The Visit My Mosque campaign is so important and feels more important now than ever.”
This campaign’s theme for 2025 — Our Stories, Our Neighbourhoods — is all about the place that Islam has in contemporary British life. “Our mosques are extensions of our homes, safe spaces that show we’re here, we’re not going anywhere and that we’re proud of who we are,” said Zahra Hanif, MCB’s London regional lead.
That theme rang true for Rachel Sumner, 38, who visited with her partner and three young sons.
“There’s so much division in the world right now, it feels nice to be part of something else for a change, to feel at home and among family,” she said. “It doesn’t matter that we’re not the same religion. There’s still that sense of belonging.”
Sumner, who grew up in a Church of England household in Manchester, said she wants her children to have the same kind of exposure to different faiths that she had at school.
“I want them to grow up blending with others,” she said. “That’s just part of life for them. It’s not a big deal, it’s just normal.”
Throughout the day, volunteers at the mosque spoke about the importance of such sentiments at a time of rising anti-Muslim hatred and far-right protests across the UK. Sana Iqbal, 33, recalled one particular moment during the riots of summer 2024.
“When far-right protesters threatened to march here, it was our non-Muslim neighbours who came out to protect us,” she says. “It was so beautiful to see. That was a big eye-opener for me because sometimes you can feel siloed in your own community. It made me realise how important it is to open up, meet more people, and engage with non-Muslims more.”
As the day wound down, volunteer Karim Rakha, 59, reflected on what campaigns such as Visit My Mosque mean to him. “When people are far away, it’s easy to say nasty things,” he says. “But when you’re face-to-face, talking, smiling, connecting, it’s different. The purpose isn’t to convert anyone, it’s simply to get to know each other just like the Qur’an teaches.”
