Bristol Muslim Cultural Society (BMCS)

24/10/2026

A reminder that clocks go back tonight on Sun 25th October 2026!

For our Muslim followers - don't forget all prayer times will be one our earlier too!

11/09/2026

“That’s your lot that is!”.

25 years ago these are the words that my colleague said to me at work after I returned from my lunch break on September 11th 2001. I worked at PC world at the time and as we were based at a shopping mall I used to walk through some of the other department stores during my lunch break.

Walking through one of the stores I saw something in passing on the TV screens of a live news feed of buildings on fire but didn’t think too much of it. When I got back to work I found my work colleagues huddled around a computer monitor watching a live news feed of the Twin Towers. The whole world had come to a stop. Including our workplace. That was when my colleague said to me, “That’s your lot that is!”. Even though she was a nice person the words hit me like a tonne of bricks and I realised a paradigm shift was about to take place in society.

As customers came into the store that I still had to deal with you could cut the tension in the store with a knife. It was the same on the bus ride home. For the first time in my life, I felt vulnerable as a British citizen and a person of colour.

The impact in terms of Islamophobia was immediate. In the wake of the horror of 9/11 hate crimes rose dramatically. There were also the unintended consequences of 9/11 such as the “Del Boy” foreign policy decisions by various countries that led to not only the death and destruction of hundreds and thousands of innocents in other countries but also the dismantling of whole societies and communities. Lives were lost not only on 9/11 but all around the world in the aftermath. One act of terror spawned thousands of other acts of violence across the world – supposedly in the name of justice.

Here in the UK, the British Muslim community who were once invisible were now the main topic of discussion. Our lives, our loyalties, our British identity and faith came under intense scrutiny. Mohammed’s started calling themselves Mo’s. Samia’s became Sams. Vain attempts at trying to reduce the impact of prejudice and Islamophobia.

About a week after 9/11, myself and my fellow volunteer at Bristol Muslim Cultural Society were awaiting the arrival of a school for a cultural tour of a local Mosque. After about half an hour past the due time wondering where the school had got to, one lone tall gentleman arrived. He looked very embarrassed and sheepishly introduced himself as the headmaster of the school. Still blushing he told us that every parent had pulled their child out of the Mosque tour and that he had come to notify us not only of the cancellation of the visit but to apologise to us in person as well. I still admire him for this as he could easily have phoned us instead. It took courage and leadership on his part to show us the dignity of apologising in person. It also showed us his humanity. But this was the second wakeup call about what lay ahead.

This incident spurned myself and colleagues to work tirelessly to educate others about Islam. To remove misconceptions and misunderstandings and combat Islamophobia. Clearly there was huge gap in knowledge being filled with misinformation. Fuelling more hate.

Over ten years in my previous job I had the privilege of helping to combat Islamophobia at a grass roots level by educating over well over 30,000 people through Demystifying Islam sessions. It was tiring work but rewarding. A number reached largely by word-of-mouth reputation and recommendations. People and educational organisations were reaching out to me at Bristol Muslim Cultural Society rather than me having to reach out to them. I learnt first hand education and dialogue can have a big impact when done in the right way and with competence and context.

I genuinely wish I had space to share feedback but sometimes sessions were life changing, sometimes emotional for attendees in making them face up to their prejudices and having life changing moments realising that what they sincerely believed to be fact were often fiction and misinformation. I still try to continue to do this work as it seems in the current climate it’s more needed than ever. I am still asked to regularly speak on Islamophobia from a grass roots perspective.

Ibn Rushd, an Islamic religious philosopher from the past, put it best when he said: “Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to hatred, and hatred leads to violence. This is the equation.” This has been a driving force for me as well.

Reflecting on how much has changed in the last 25 years – unfortunately in recent years because of various factors I don’t have time to go into things seem to be getting worse. Back then large swathes of society were blamed and held accountable for the actions of a misguided few. Not much seems to have changed in this regard and in this regards emotion, fear and rage seem to overcome common sense and reason and minorities once again being scapegoated for societal problems.

Now more than ever at a societal level with increasing louder voices of hate we have to combat them with even louder voices of hope, constructive dialogue and education. We also have to reach out to them with the hand of truth and friendship. For truth and human connection will always overcome hate.

If we don’t, then those who carried out the attacks on 9/11 will have ultimately achieved their aims even though it took them the long way round to get there.

Rizwan Ahmed
Bristol Muslim Cultural Society (BMCS)

28/08/2026

❤️ FREE MUSLIM MARRIAGE EVENT (Bristol) 💍
Organised by Muslim Marriage Events

🗓️ Sunday 6th September 2026
🕐 1PM to 4PM
📍 BAWA, 589 Southmead Rd, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7RGS

🔹 All welcome
🔹 Even ratio of genders
🔹Structured event with one to one meetings

🖊️ TO REGISTER (Plus event overview) GO TO tiny.cc/iif9101

Event also in support of Orphans In Need

Further Info:
📞 07956 735 301
✉️ [email protected]

29/06/2026

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon

JANAZAH PRAYER ANNOUNCEMENT

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of sister Zohrah Ahmed.

Zohrah Ahmed was the wife of the late Haji Fazal Ahmed.

Mother of Rizwan Ahmed (BMCS) , Luqman Ahmed, Urfan Ahmed and Adnan Ahmed.

She was also the sister of Mohammed Younis & Shah Jehaan

Mother-in-law of Shaila Yakub
Auntie of Idrees Yunis
Auntie of Sheila Yunis
Auntie of Asma Yunis

JANAZAH DETAILS
Date; TUESDAY 30TH June
Time; After Zuhr - 2pm
Venue; Easton Jamia Masjid. St. Mark's Rd BS5 6JH

We will leave for burial immediately after Fardh salah.

Burial will be at South Bristol Cemetery, BS13 7AS

QUL KHATAM at 5pm -
All our family, friends and guests are requested to return to the Masjid after burial for the Qul Khatam for the Esaal-E-Sawaab of our beloved Zohrah Ahmed.

May Allah grant our beloved Zohrah the highest rank in Jannah and strengthen the family with Sabr at this most difficult time. Ameen 🤲

21/06/2026

*** Anti-Muslims Attacks - Edinburgh – 21st June 2026 ***

By now many of us will have heard about the appalling attacks in Edinburgh on the news.

From the video footage of the arrest of the suspect one can see from his words he has been radicalised by anti-Muslim sentiment.

Sadly the attacker will be venerated by certain sections of society and will no doubt inspire others radicalised by anti-Muslim sentiment to act on their hatred. In 2025 the Government appointed British Muslim Trust recorded 27 attacks against Mosques between July 2025 and October 2025. Attacks continue albeit with less frequency. In August 2025, 18-year-old neo-Nazi Alina Burns carried out a terrorism-motivated axe attack on Mohammed Mahmoodi, an Iranian-Kurdish barber.

The incident in Edinburgh will not be the last of such attacks.

It is no coincidence that this increase in violent attacks has occurred at the same time as the current anti-immigration and far right rhetoric being pumped out by some political parties, far-right personalities and certain sections of the media. Some of the blame squarely lies at their feet for emboldening those susceptible to such speech and radicalising and motivating them to carry out such violence contrary to British values. Social media companies have also played their role in allowing hate filled content to propagate relatively unchallenged.

The aforementioned have taken genuinely perceived grievances and packaged them in hyperbole and misinformation thereby amplifying and weaponizing them to stir not only division and hatred in our nation but cause people and communities to build walls between themselves.

We need those in authority, especially in political leadership to speak up and take stronger action against the rising tide of racism (rapidly morphing into fascism) and against the bad actors promoting this hate. We also need leaders who can build bridges between communities to overcome the divisory walls being erected between them.

At a societal level with increasing louder voices of hate we have to combat them with even louder voices of hope as the people of Southport showed us in 2024 in the wake of riots by turning a situation of “hate” into “hope”. Human connection and common values will always overcome hate.

Our communities need morally strong leadership. Our communities need action.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. That hindsight should not come at the expense of more victims of hate.

May Allah grant justice to those affected. Ameen.

As a nation may Allah keep our hearts united in hope and not divided by hate. Ameen.

Rizwan Ahmed.
Bristol Muslim Cultural Society
Muslim Chaplain.

13/06/2026

Later Today!

BMCS EID FAIR | SATURDAY 13TH JUNE 2026

Looking for a great family day out this June?

Join us for an afternoon of delicious food, shopping, henna, children's activities, community stalls and a fantastic atmosphere for all ages.

With over 20 plus stalls already confirmed and more being added, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you're coming for the food, to support local businesses, meet friends or simply enjoy the day, we'd love to welcome you.

📅 Saturday 13th June 2026
🕐 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton, Bristol BS34 7PS

🎟️ Entry is FREE

Please register in advance:
https://tinyurl.com/mrs5ym3u

❤️ BMCS has been serving the community for over 40 years. If you would like to support future community events and projects, voluntary donations are welcome:
https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/QE7DZON8

Please share with your family and friends and help us make this a wonderful community celebration.

Join Bristol Muslim Cultural Society (BMCS) for an afternoon of food, shopping, henna, family activities and community spirit

11/06/2026

BMCS EID FAIR | SATURDAY 13TH JUNE 2026

Looking for a great family day out this June?

Join us for an afternoon of delicious food, shopping, henna, children's activities, community stalls and a fantastic atmosphere for all ages.

With over 20 plus stalls already confirmed and more being added, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you're coming for the food, to support local businesses, meet friends or simply enjoy the day, we'd love to welcome you.

📅 Saturday 13th June 2026
🕐 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Filton Community Centre, Elm Park, Filton, Bristol BS34 7PS

🎟️ Entry is FREE

Please register in advance:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bmcs-eid-fair-2026-food-shopping-family-fun-tickets-1991156190767?aff=oddtdtcreator

❤️ BMCS has been serving the community for over 40 years. If you would like to support future community events and projects, voluntary donations are welcome:
https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/QE7DZON8

Please share with your family and friends and help us make this a wonderful community celebration.

29/05/2026

The Ultimate Heatwave….the Day of Judgement and Lack of Umbrellas….

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

As the current heatwave seems to be abating, a reflection on the current excessively hot weather we have had.

The other day during the current heatwave (which has now thankfully passed) as I was doing wudhu (ablution) and as the water was hitting my face and offering me a much needed cool down, a whole chain of thoughts popped into my head about the heatwave and the Day of Judgement (Day of Resurrection) and I thought I’d share with others to hopefully benefit from as well.

The first thing that hit me was during this heatwave I experienced extra sweating, extra thirst, discomfort from the heat and times it felt like there was no escape from it. If I stepped outside it almost felt like I was being physically hit by the heat. This I experienced with the sun being about 93 million miles away from the Earth – and this is after some of the heat has been absorbed by the atmosphere and clouds etc. So, if this is the level of discomfort I’m experiencing with the sun being 93 million miles away – what will it feel like when on the Day of Judgment, we are told the Sun will be brought close to the Earth above our heads and visible to us. How intense will the heat be on that day in comparison to a heatwave?

This heatwave only lasted a few days for some of us or weeks or months in some places. But what will it be like when the Day of Judgement we are told is 50,000 years long? Even a few days of intense heat was too much.

At least here in order to cool down I am blessed enough to able to either drink water or other cool drinks, splash water on myself or find shade. Or even use a fan or failing that fan myself with even a piece of card. If I go outside I can take an umbrella with me for shade or if out and about pop into a shop if I need a drink to quench my thirst in the intense heat. The key thing is I’m blessed to be in a country where I can find some relief from the heat.

I imagine on the Day of Judgement as humans once the heat starts to get to us we will instinctively want to seek out some sort of shade, water or any comfort. But there will no shops to get a drink from, no access to drinking water, nowhere to grab an umbrella for shade from, not even a simple piece of card to fan ourselves with – in fact there will be nowhere to find any relief full stop. The whole Earth will be as the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us - just one huge flat structureless plane.

The only shade available on that day will be under the throne of Allah for the following categories of people as the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us in a hadith:

• A just ruler.
• A youth who grows up in the worship of Allah.
• A man whose heart is attached to the mosques.
• Two people who love one another for the sake of Allah.
• Someone who resists a direct temptation from the opposite gender.
• A person who is completely selfless in charity.
• A person who remembers Allah in private and sheds tears in doing so.
(For more info about above categories please Google -“seven under shade of Allah”.)

The other source of shade will be our charity. The Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said "The believer's shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity." (Source Tirmidhi)_
So in a light bulb moment it dawned on me that yes on that day I won’t be able to find or purchase any sort of relief from the heat but I can buy some shade in advance of that day in this life through charity or being one of those people under the shade of the throne of Allah.

Hopefully this way when I get to the Day of Judgement and things start to get uncomfortable and unbearable for me…I hope that the charity I do now whilst alive will be there to provide me much needed shade and relief on a day when it is literally every person for themselves.

May Allah give us the ability to do the right thing. Ameen.

Rizwan Ahmed
Muslim Chaplain
Bristol Muslim Cultural Society

27/05/2026

Eid Mubarak to everyone from BMCS!

27/05/2026

Eid Mubarak to everyone from BMCS. Eid Mubarak to all the children as well and let's not forget those still struggling as well.