LICS HISTORY & BACKGROUND
LICS is a unique and dynamic organisation who work in partnership with communities countrywide to provide essential services to our users and local community. We provide educational services, youth programmes, counselling, advice on welfare benefits, marriages, support with problems such as relationship breakdown, funerals, and support for the elderly and families, observance of Islamic events, in addition to religious guidance. The future of our communities rests in the hands of our youths, they need guidance and support to understand and shape the future. LICS are committed to working for peace and harmony within our communities.
OUR JOURNEY
23 JULY 1983
London Islamic Cultural Society was formed in the home of President Abdool Alli by a small group of Muslims predominantly from Guyana, South America; who saw the need to bring together its members both religiously and socially. The primary aim of the Society was to engage, communicate and support the diverse community by establishing a Mosque/Cultural Centre and to provide essential services which would also benefit the wider multi-ethnic community. LICS was officially registered in 1983 as a charity governed by its constitution. Before LICS was formed into a charity and subsequently once established all gatherings and observation of Islamic/cultural events were held in our first ’home’, the home of our President, Abdool Alli and as numbers grew, the Society began using school halls.
24 MAY 1985
LICS purchased its first centre, a house in Parkview Road, Tottenham N17 for a price of £41,260. Funds for this purchase were raised by donations and Interest Free Loans and were fully paid prior to its sale in 1987. Our first centre in Park View Road very quickly became too small for this progressive, dynamic Society as numbers of users grew.
06 JULY 1987
LICS went on to purchase 389-395 Wightman Road, N8 at auction for a price of £150,500. Our President Brother Alli and Imam Al Haj Ebrahim McDoom attended the auction and secured this wonderful site for LICS. This building was originally the home of the Hornsey & Wood Green Synagogue. Proceeds from the sale of Park View Road, donations and Interest Free Loans collectively freed this building of debt. This centre allowed the Society to provide better facilities for our users and secured our commitment to working in harmony with all schools, faith groups, the council, other agencies, hospitals and the Police to secure a brighter and better future for all people in our community. As the Mosque/Cultural Centre developed it was quickly realised that more space was needed for our ever-growing users, in particular better facilities for our sisters and their families.
31 OCTOBER 1991
Following discussions with Haringey Council, LICS negotiated and purchased land adjacent to our existing building for £32,500. Outline planning permission was also agreed by the council for LICS to erect a purpose-built Mosque/Cultural Centre. Users and members once again raised the purchase price so that the land was free of debt shortly after acquisition. In 1996 the Society was granted full planning permission to erect the First Purpose-built Mosque/Cultural Centre in the borough of Haringey. Our young brother architect Haroon Phobee designed the building and Al-Haj Mekaeel Maknoon provided legal guidance. Both brothers did so free of charge for the sake of the House of Allah.
15 SEPTEMBER 1998
Building works commenced to erect the new building and a dream became a reality for our President, Brother Abdool Alli for his visionary leadership, his foresight and burning ambition to succeed and to provide something for the people in our community. The task of undertaking construction of a building this size was an enormous one and filled with many pitfalls but supported by a dedicated team of helpers working together we achieved what seemed to be impossible. Brother Capan Er helped LICS at a time when our appointed contractors failed, by providing skilled craftsmen to complete the beautiful building we have today.
12 JULY 2002 / 25 AUGUST 2002
The new Mosque was officially opened with representatives from the council, Police, Faith Groups, dignitaries, valued members and members of our community. In 2002, LICS became a Trust with a Board of Trustees.
END OF JUNE 2004
By this date the Society successfully raised the sum of 1.2 million by interest free loans, donation and other forms of fundraising. On this day all outstanding funds was raised, and the building became free of debt, Alhamdulillah. A thanksgiving event was held on 18 July 2004.
14 MAY 2012 – BUILDING WORKS BEGIN ON NEW DEVELOPMENT
LICS announces its commitment to provide additional educational facilities and better accommodation overall. The Society leases a building, Willmott House, nearby as it embarks on a new development to erect two additional floors above the old Mosque. This was done to keep prayers running and to continue services such as the madrassahs. Feasibility of this new project was investigated as the Society worked hand in hand with Haringey Council to agree on the new project. The new development estimate was 1.5million plus the cost of modernising the existing main Mosque area such as wudu facilities and works on merging the two buildings.
JULY 2013 – BUILDING WORKS COMPLETED
LICS raised a significant amount and in July 2013 building works was completed on the new extension constructed by Brother Capan Er of Er Building Services. Users benefited when using the new facilities was opened for use in Ramadan 2013.
11th MARCH 2018 – LICS FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT RETURNED TO ALLAH
On the 11th March 2018 our dearest, dynamic and caring President, Brother Abdool Alli passed away. It was his dearest wish that the Masjid should be free of debt. At the time of Bro. Alli’s passing LICS owed 98k in interest free loans but with determination and commitment of LICS’s community family and Trustees we realised his wish by raising enough funds to FREE the Masjid of Debt in September 2018. Alhamdulillah
Together we have established an amazing, unique and dynamic House of Allah Please continue to help us; make your commitment to secure the future for our young ones by donating Direct to the Society or to the Bank:
NatWest Bank,Finsbury Square Branch,
1-2 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AA.
Account No: 28043405
Sort code: 60-08-23
