Watch: Newest Mosque in Wales opens in Welsh city

Stephen Price

The newest Mosque to be built in Wales with space for over 500 worshippers opened over the weekend, aiming to stand as a ‘shining beacon of peace, love, and harmony’.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community inaugurated the Bait-ur-Raheem Mosque in Cardiff (House of the Merciful) over the weekend – its first purpose-built mosque in Wales – marking a significant moment for the community and the wider region.

The two-storey complex, built on a 1,200-square-metre site, comprises two prayer halls, including a main prayer hall of 170 square metres with a capacity of 270 worshippers.

The mosque also houses offices, a dining hall and a mission house and 17-metre minaret.

His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Caliph and Worldwide Head of the Community, attended a special reception, which welcomed community members, dignitaries, and guests, and delivered a keynote address on the mosque’s mission of peace and service.

At the outset of his address, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “The purpose of this Mosque, like all true mosques, is to serve as a sacred place where people gather to worship Allah. Moreover, wherever we build a Mosque, it also stands as a testament to our commitment to our neighbours and the local community.

“According to Islam’s teachings, when Ahmadi Muslims gather here to pray for themselves, they shall also pray for the peace, well-being and security of all people… Muslims are instructed to identify and help those who have no one else.”

Earlier, during guest remarks, a video message from the Rt Hon Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales, congratulated the Community on the inauguration and praised its charitable work and guiding principle, “Love for All, Hatred for None.”

Building on this sentiment, Jane Hutt MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and representative of the First Minister of Wales, described the occasion as a “proud and historic moment” for both the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the people of Wales.

During the keynote address, His Holiness noted that misconceptions about Islam can create local unease, clarifying that a Mosque seeks not division but the promotion of peace and harmony.

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad stated: “Let me reassure you; our Mosques are not built to sow disorder or to incite division. Rather, they stand as shining beacons of peace, love, and harmony.

“A Mosque only serves its purpose when it is used for both the worship of God and also to manifest Islam’s true teachings of kindness, love, and compassion for all mankind.”

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad added: “The Holy Quran strongly emphasises the rights of one’s neighbours. Therefore, every Ahmadi Muslim who shall worship here is obliged to care for all of you and to manifest kindness and compassion.”

Prior to the reception, His Holiness planted a tree on the mosque grounds as a symbol of peace.

The Baitur Raheem Mosque in Cardiff. This marks the first purpose-built mosque of the Jamaat in Wales.

During the event, Huzooraa spoke on the virtue of feeding the hungry and supporting the impoverished. He drew specific attention to the Quranic instruction to help “a poor man lying in the dust.”

Huzooraa explained: “These words are deeply significant, meaning Muslims are obligated to help those who are utterly crestfallen, who have no one else to aid them and who have been forgotten by society. While some people have family and friends to support them, Muslims are instructed to identify and to help those who have no one else. In economic terms, it means that if an individual has hit rock bottom and has no one to help them, a Muslim must endeavour to assist them and help them get back on their feet.”

He invited all people to join the Community in this mission of establishing peace and goodwill, saying: “Imagine the impact if all the nations of the world, including every Muslim country, acted upon this unifying and magnanimous principle.

“Surely, it would be the means of tearing down the walls of crippling inequality, injustice, and ignorance that plague the world. And in their place, we would witness the majestic sight of rising tides of love, compassion, and understanding sweeping across society; true contentment, peace, and security would prevail.”

Huzooraa reiterated that the Holy Quran instructs Muslims to respect leaders and uphold the laws of the land, making loyalty to one’s country an intrinsic element of faith.

“Consequently, those who possess even a basic attachment to Islam understand that pleasing God and fulfilling a mosque’s objectives are inseparable from adopting the highest moral values and serving humanity,” he said.

Concluding his address, Huzooraa reminded the local Ahmadi Muslims of their responsibilities:

“I also wish to remind all Ahmadi Muslims living in this area that they must strive to live according to the inclusive and noble teachings of Islam that I have outlined today. While it is their duty to worship Allah in this mosque and pray for peace, it is equally their obligation to strive towards achieving it and to be ready to make sacrifices for the greater good of mankind. They must consider how they can play a practical role in bringing peace to the world.”

Huzooraa prayed, “Now that this mosque is open, it is my heartfelt prayer that those who enter it will fulfil not only the requirements of worshipping Allah but also all needs of humanity.”

The event concluded with a silent prayer led by Huzooraa, followed by dinner.