JAMIYAT SOUTHFIELD SQUARE – BD8
The foundations of Jamiyat charity was built around Southfield Square, Bradford BD8 – this was the very first mosque and community Centre in Bradford of the Sunni Community in the UK. The U-shaped cobble stone road of Southfield Square are a constant reminder of the struggles and challenges of Jamiyat, as it endeavored to serve the community in the difficult period of the 1960s and 70s.
First prayers were conducted in 18 Southfield Square, a small house belonging to Pir Sahib in 1962. This house is still inhabited by Pir Sahib and his family to this day. Prayers, community activities and teaching subsequently moved to 68 Southfield Square, a house which was first bought in 1965 – this house then became first mosque of Bradford. Number 69 was purchased in 1966 and both of the houses were then combined together to make a larger mosque and centre.
During this period, more and more young men were arriving from Kashmir and other areas of the Indian sub-continent to work long hours in the textile mills. The Second World War had a huge impact on the working population of Britain and many young people from the Indian subcontinent, some of whom had fought in the war to support Britain, were now coming to England to work and rebuild the economy.
The cultural mind set of the migrants was a confused one: they didn’t want to invest in Britain in case they had to leave. They were also very curious and apprehensive about the risks of losing their culture and concerned that if their children did come to live with them, how they would cope and hold on to their roots.
In the 1960’s it was typical for many migrants to leave their families in India/Pakistan, work in the UK and then travel to visit their families every so often. May held the view that any efforts to establish a mosque or community centre was a wasteful exercise, as there was a feeling that there was no long term prospect or security in the UK and eventually after they had done their fair share of work, they will return to their native country.
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP OF PIR SAHIB
In these circumstances, Pir Syed Mahroof Hussain Shah Arif Qadiri Naushahi worked tirelessly to establish Southfield Square – he was a visionary leader and understood, that whatever the outcome of their status of working in the UK, it was important for the community to prosper and support each other.
Pir Sahib was working in the Hield Brothers Textile Mill at Lower Town Mills in Oxenhope West Yorkshire and despite working long hours, the mission of establishing something for the community came from Pir Sahib’s profound desire and understanding, that once a community prayer centre and facility was established, it was going to become a pillar of service for the community.
SOUTHFIELD SQUARE OPEN ALL HOURS
Southfield Square was open for long hours. It was customary for night shift workers to benefit from the services of Southfield Square during the day; and as for those who worked during the day, they would benefit from the prayer and teaching activities in the evenings.
During Eid, there would be visitors from out of Bradford, and every year, the queues for people to perform their Eid prayers were getting longer and longer.
FIRST SUPPORTERS OF JAMIYAT CHARITY
Some of the first students who enrolled in the teaching courses in 18 Southfield Square in the 1960s were: Choudhry Sajawal, Choudhry Bashir, Muhammad Shaffi, Haji Noor Hussain, Haji Muhammad Ismail, Khadim Hussain, Muhammad Asghar, Haji Muhammad Sultan and Choudhry Qurban Hussain, Muhammad Riyasat, Muhammad Sabir, Muhabbat Ali, Mehrban Ali, Haji Muhammad Ramadan, Phelawan Abdul Hameed, Haji Muhammad Nazir, Ustad Muhammad Malik, Qazi Muhammad Shabbir, Qazi Muhammad Yousaf, Khalifa Abdul Rehman, Maulana Muhammad Bostan al-Qadiri, Soofi Muhammad Suleman, Muhammad Riaz,
Some of the first regular attendees are regular worshippers at 68 Southfield Square were: Qazi Muhammad Akram, Sayyid Tasaddiq Hussain Shah Naushahi, Sayyid Tasawwar Hussain Shah Naushahi, Haji Muhammad Zaman, BD8, Haji Muhammad Sultan, BD8, Haji Muhammad Yasin, BD8, Haji Murad Ali, BD5, Haji Mohammad Ismail, BD8, Haji Allah Ditta, BD8, Subedar Muhammad Latif BD8, Haji Muhammad Nazir BD8, Captain Hukumdad BD8, Khawaja Muhammad Rafiq, Khawaja Muhammad Ibrahim, Khawaja Muhammad Najib, Khawaja Muhammad Saddique BD3, Chaudhary Barakat Hussain, BD8, Sufi Abdul Karim, BD8, Haji Muhammad Latif, BD7, Muhammad Hanif Ansari, BD8, Haji Muhammad Yaqub Ansari, BD8, Haji, Muhammad Hussain Naushahi, BD7, Raja Muhammad Aslam, BD5, Haji Abdil Wahid Naushahi, BD5, Haji Abdul Rahman BD5, Haji Sabir Hussain Naushahi, BD5, Liaqat Hussain Naushahi, BD8, Maulana Khalil ur Rehman Naushahi, BD8, Sufi Muhammad Suleman BD8,Sufi Sabir Hussain BD8, Soofi Muhammad Azim Naushahi, Sufi Sabir Hussain BD3, Soofi Mahboob Hussain, Muhammad Younis (Gift Centre), Choudhry Abdul Rahman, BD5, Muhammad Rashid BD8, Ch Haq Nawaz, Haji Muhammad Sultan, Soofi Allah Ditta Sahib, Haji Gul Nawaz Naushahi, Haji Ghulam Ali Naushahi, Abdul Rahman Qureshi, Haji Muhammad Walayat Naushahi, Muhammad Habib Naushahi, Haji Sabir Hussain (Gujarkhan), Haji Abdullah, Raja Muhammad Arif, Keighley, Haji Ghulam Sarwar Naushahi, Keighley, Haji Allah Ditta (Kalyal), Haji Ch Muhammad Ismail, Haji Abdul Rahman Naushahi, Khalifa Abdul Rahman, Abdul Rehman (Jhelum) Haji Muhammad Shaffi, Haji Muhammad Munshi, Haji Munshi Khan, Fazal Hussain (Mistari), Haji Muhammad Nazir (Pandori) Ch Barakat Hussain (Raees of Puthuhar) Maulana Muhammad Bostan al-Qadiri, Qazi Muhammad Akram, Haji Atta Muhammad, Soofi Jan Muhammad, Subidar Muhammad Latif, Ch Barakat Ali, Ch Soofi Abdul Karim, Zahoor Ahmad (Katib) Haji Fazal Hussain ( Dhanghari Sharif) Haji Muhammad Bostan (Domal), Haji Lal Khan, Muhammad Aslam Khan, Muhammad Ayub Ansari, Soofi Muhammad Ishaq, Choudhary Farman Ali Naushahi, BD8 and Subedar Muhammad Khan who became chief advisor for Jamiyat Southfield Square.
IMAMS AND TEACHERS OF SOUTHFIELD SQUARE
60-70s:
Hazrat Pir Sahib (Teacher)
Ustad Muhammad Malik
Janab Muhammad Ayub Ansari
Raja Muhammad Arif
Sahibzada Sayyid Tasaddaq Hussain Shah Naushahi
Moulvi Muhammmad Nazir
Hafiz Abdul Ghafoor
Hafiz Sayyid Muhammad Fazil Shah
Hafiz Misri Khan (Teacher)
Maulana Khalil ur Rehman Naushahi (Teacher)
Liaqat Hussain Naushahi (Teacher)
70-90s:
Allama Abul Mahmood Nishtar (Head of Building Project Jamia Masjid Hanfia)
Qari Sayyid Haseenuddin Shah
Hafiz Ghuam Muhammd
Maulana Muhammad Mumtaz Ashraf Qadri
Maulana Muhammad Ayub Hazarvi
Mufti Iqtadar Ahmed Naeemi
Maulana Saeed Ahmed Saeed Bandiyalvi
Mufti Saif al-Rahman Hazarvi
Hafiz Muhammad Ismail Naushahi
Qari Muhammad Allauddin
Hafiz Abdul Qadir Naushahi
Hafiz Muhammad Ayaz Naushahi (Teacher)
Hafiz Bashir Ahmad
Sayyid Abbas Ali Shah Noorani
Hafiz Bilal Ali Naushahi
Qari Abdul Qayyum Ulfat Naushahi
Visiting Imams
Hazrat Shah Muhammad Arifullah Qadiri,
Hazrat Maulana Rehan Raza Qadiri (Great Grandson of Imam Ahamd Raza Qadiri)
Mualana Shah Ahmad Noorani
Maulana Muhammad Ibrahim Khustar
Pir Muhammad Allauddin Saddiqi
Maulana Abdul Wahab Siddiqui
Mufti Gul Rehman Qadiri
Hazrat Sayyid Noorani Baba
Maulana Ghulam Rasool Chaksawari
Maulana Muhammad Hanif Rizvi
Maulana Muhammad Maleegh
Qari Muhammad Ismail
Mualana Muhammad Saleem Naqshbandi
Pir Muhammad Karam Shah al-Azhari
Syed Habib al-Rahman alias Syed Zahid Hussain Shah Rizvi
Hafiz Muhammad Farooq Chisti
Pir Sayed Abdul Qadir Jillani
Pir Fiazul Hassan Qadiri
Maulana Sajid al-Qadiri
Maulana Abdul Sattar Niazi
Allama Arshadul Qadiri
Mualna Muhammad Tufail Azhar Naushahi
Hazrat Sayyid Sayyid Mazhar Hussain Shah
Mualana Niaz Ahamd Niazi
Mualana Aurangzaib Naushahi
In the early seventies, students graduated in Hifzul Qur’an at Jamiyat Southfield Square. For many years Hafiz Tikka Khan Naushahi and Haifz Shabbir Ahmad recited the Holy Qur’an in Taravee prayers in Ramadan at the Central Mosque Coventry. Maulana Muhammad Arshad Misbahi, Hafiz Ghulam Rasool, Maulana Liaqat Hussain Naushahi, Maulana Khalil ur Rehman Naushahi, Maulana Ashfaq Ahmad, Soofi Muhammad Younis, Qari Talib Hussan, Ch Khadim Hussain are well known scholarly students of Jamiyat Southfield Square.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
Both 68 and 69 Southfield Square houses (purchased for £1100 and £1300) were combined together and the work was carried out by King Builders, who later became the owner of King Fireplaces. The total cost for the conversion was in the region £25,000. Four floors were converted together in this construction project.
During this period, the average salary of the workers in the textile factories was £5-6 pound a week. Southfield Square has been fully refurbished in 2015 and the local community is still very active in the mosque and centre.
SERVICES OFFERED
Congregational Prayers (all 5), Education, Madrassah, Ramadan, Eid prayers, Registered Place of Marriages and Community Facilities and Projects.
FUTURE PLANS
There are some future plans to extend the building for community use, approximate cost is £30- 50k.
Your donations and support will be most welcome.