A London mosque that hosted a cleric who prayed for the defeat of "usurping Jews" in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks has been granted permission to convert a luxury property into a wellbeing centre.
Barking and Dagenham Council granted planning permission for Darul Ihsaan mosque to transform a £1million home, featuring a swimming pool, into a new place of worship and community centre.
The East London mosque will convert the residential property into a facility incorporating a gym, creche, educational classes for adults and children, and mental health services.
Located just minutes from three synagogues, the new venue will operate from 8am until 10pm daily, extending to 11pm on certain evenings.
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The council received a whopping 23 objections compared with eight letters supporting the application.
The decision has provoked anger among local Jewish residents and antisemitism campaigners, who point to the mosque's history of hosting speakers with controversial views.
On October 7, 2023, as Hamas militants carried out their assault on southern Israel that claimed approximately 1,200 lives, cleric Ustadh Mahmood Almadani delivered a sermon at the mosque.
The co-founder of Sama Academy, a religious school in Bow catering to children from age four, reportedly called upon God to "shake the ground from under the feet of the oppressor Zionists, don’t let their flag rise and don’t make any of their wishes come true... Make them an example for the ones behind them."
A London mosque that hosted a cleric who prayed for the defeat of 'usurping Jews' in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks has been granted permission to convert a luxury property into a wellbeing centre
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The mosque had advertised the talk as a "Qunoot Nazilah", stating the congregation would pray for "peace and success for the Palestinian people in the occupied territories".
A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism described the reported rhetoric from the mosque as "outrageous", adding: "It is shocking enough that the Charity Commission would let an institution like this continue to operate with business as usual.
"But for the local council to accommodate its ambition to expand is deeply concerning."
The organisation's polling indicates that 91 per cent of British Jews believe authorities are failing to adequately address religious extremism.
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On 7 October 2023, as Hamas militants carried out their assault on southern Israel that claimed approximately 1,200 lives, cleric Ustadh Mahmood Almadani delivered a sermon at the mosque
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"When it comes to planning permission, the local authority cannot just concern itself with the impact on parking and other mundane matters: it should ask itself who will feel welcome and who will not in the community that it is building," the spokesperson continued.
Locals described the decision as "shocking" and a "terrible idea".
The council approved the scheme with mitigation measures, including sound insulation, while planning officials cited an "identified need" for the mosque and social infrastructure.
The mosque must submit an active travel plan promoting car-free visits and will provide 22 bicycle parking spaces.
Almadani defended his remarks to the Jewish Chronicle, stating he does not "condone violence against innocent civilians" as this violates Qur'anic principles upholding the sanctity of life.
Darul Ihsaan mosque maintained that terms such as "mujahideen" are "rooted in Islamic spiritual language" and constitute neither political endorsements nor incitements to harm.
GB News has approached Darul Ihsaan mosque and the cleric Ustadh Mahmood Almadani for comment.
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