Category Archives: Our History

Introduction

Aberdeen is the north-most city of United Kingdom. It has a population of over half a million. Aberdeen is the third biggest city in Scotland after Glasgow and Edinburgh. Aberdeen is famous for oil production and is called ‘the oil capital of Europe’. Aberdeen has excellent educational institutions particularly Aberdeen University and Robert Gordon University. It has state of the art hospitals. Aberdeen is also a prospering business centre. Therefore Aberdeen is always attractive to Muslims from all walks of life.

History of the Muslim Community in Aberdeen

The Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre is a registered charity organization (charity number: SC028038) under the Scottish Law. It works under an approved constitution. The Centre functions with a Board of Trustees and the Mosque Executive Committee.

The Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre was founded some 25 years ago by a small number of Aberdeen University students and a few local businessmen. It was initially located in a small house beside the University. Later, as the community grew two further adjacent houses were bought to accommodate the growing number of Muslim worshippers and users of the Centre. Currently, the Muslims of Aberdeen use these three small houses located side by side as their mosque for prayers. This mosque is rapidly becoming too small to accomodate everyone.

The Muslim population in Aberdeen in has been growing fast particularly in recent years. It is estimated that currently there are more than 5000 Muslim plus their families living here with their Scottish hosts.

  • There is a huge number of Muslims with their families who are employees working in Aberdeen’s oil-related industries.
  • There are a large number of both undergraduate and postgraduate Muslim students particularly from Middle East, Asia and Africa. Some of them also have their families with them.
  • Muslims can also be found working in the medical institutions.
  • Aberdeen has a significant Muslim business community.