Due to popular request, I will continue my writings on London and UCL during the last summer. (To be honest, it was just one person who ask me to write about my uni to be included in iluvislam.com)
Looking back at the past two years I would say I will never regret being sent to London or more specifically UCL. If I have to list all the reasons down, I don't know whether I can put everything in this page. There are so many things to put.
LIFE AS A MUSLIM
One of my main concern regarding studying abroad before I came to UCL was how can I live as a Muslim over there? If my lecture timetable is full, will I be able to pray? Where can I get halal food? How about Muslims in the uni, are they friendly?
LIFE AS A MUSLIM
One of my main concern regarding studying abroad before I came to UCL was how can I live as a Muslim over there? If my lecture timetable is full, will I be able to pray? Where can I get halal food? How about Muslims in the uni, are they friendly?
Alhamdulillah, I found that there isn't any big problem practicing Islam in this uni and London generally. If you want to pray, you can pray in the Hut 34. It is a multi-religion contemplation room. Normally there will be a prayer in congregation in early prayer time. In worst case scenario, you dont have to pray under the stairs, there a lot of quiet free spaces or common room around UCL. So you can pray there. Just bring along a compass with you.
You have to make wudu' in the toilet. The toilet near UCL shop have a special basin to wash your leg properly. If you need to use the toilet, you're are recommended to bring along a bottle with you because as you know, western toilet does not use water. There are many disabled toilet especialy in Malet Place Engineering building. Why did I mention disabled toilet? You will understand and appreciate it when you are here.
For those who are interested to pray in bigger jamaah, you can go to Muslim World League located at Goodge Street. It is a proper mosque, it has prayer hall for both muslimin and muslimat. Please note that some mosques in the UK does not offer any room for muslimat. Please don't be shocked. Besides that, they have wudu' area, toilet, library, small room for discussions, office and a canteen too. So you can have proper lunch. They offer discount for students so don't worry you don't have to dig deep into your pocket. If you are lucky you will meet brother Ramadhan serving the food. He and his colleagues in the canteen are very nice people. Muslim World League is my favorite place because it is very convenient for me. Everything is there. Below the mosque, there is a nice Italian pizza shop, ICCO. I like to eat the pizza there. Lately, I rarely go to the mosque because I am too busy or sometimes I don't go to uni, no lecture.
As far as I know there are more than four mosques around UCL within 15 minutes walk. They are Shah Jalal Mosque down Drummond Street, Kings Cross Islamic Cultural Centre, Muslim World League and another mosque near Kings Cross station. If you fancy praying in SOAS, they have a proper prayer room too.
You have to make wudu' in the toilet. The toilet near UCL shop have a special basin to wash your leg properly. If you need to use the toilet, you're are recommended to bring along a bottle with you because as you know, western toilet does not use water. There are many disabled toilet especialy in Malet Place Engineering building. Why did I mention disabled toilet? You will understand and appreciate it when you are here.
For those who are interested to pray in bigger jamaah, you can go to Muslim World League located at Goodge Street. It is a proper mosque, it has prayer hall for both muslimin and muslimat. Please note that some mosques in the UK does not offer any room for muslimat. Please don't be shocked. Besides that, they have wudu' area, toilet, library, small room for discussions, office and a canteen too. So you can have proper lunch. They offer discount for students so don't worry you don't have to dig deep into your pocket. If you are lucky you will meet brother Ramadhan serving the food. He and his colleagues in the canteen are very nice people. Muslim World League is my favorite place because it is very convenient for me. Everything is there. Below the mosque, there is a nice Italian pizza shop, ICCO. I like to eat the pizza there. Lately, I rarely go to the mosque because I am too busy or sometimes I don't go to uni, no lecture.
As far as I know there are more than four mosques around UCL within 15 minutes walk. They are Shah Jalal Mosque down Drummond Street, Kings Cross Islamic Cultural Centre, Muslim World League and another mosque near Kings Cross station. If you fancy praying in SOAS, they have a proper prayer room too.
Our uni got a very good Isoc. They organise many good activities such as Islamic Awareness Week and Islamic classes. Every week they will make sure there is a room large enough for us to pray Jumaah in the uni. Alhamdulillah Isoc brothers are very helpful and kind. Insyallah if you have any problems they can help you.
In terms of Islamic events in London, there are countless events organised by different organisations throughout the year. For the past few years, we had Eid concert. Many famous nasheed group were invited including Raihan. That was my first time to meet Raihan in live. It's quite strange though, I have not met them in Malaysia but I managed to meet them in a country 10 000 miles away from Malaysia. There will be a weekly talk by City Circle. You can learn Arabic for free in London Central Mosque. Islamic classes are often held in the mosques such as Central Mosque, East London Mosque and Finsbury Park Mosque. World renowned scholars always come down to London to give talks. Well there whole lot of opportunities for you to grab here.
The best time in UK is during the Ramadhan. Normally all mosque will serve iftar for free. Sometimes Isoc do serve iftar for free too. During this month you don't have to spend anything on food as there are abundant source of free food. Tarawikh prayer here was excellent. Depending on your taste, you can choose where you want to pray. If you want to pray xtra speedy, you may want to pray in Bengoli masjid, if you want to pray with Imam who reads very long surah, find Arabs masjid, and if you feel home sick and want to pray just 8 rakaat, come down to MSD at Bayswater to pray with other Malaysian Brothers. Two added value praying tarawikh in MSD are you will be able to listen to wonderful tazkirah and have very nice moreh after prayer. It may sound funny, but that is the reality here. In the first year, I used to pray in many different mosque. Just to gain some experience.
In terms of Islamic events in London, there are countless events organised by different organisations throughout the year. For the past few years, we had Eid concert. Many famous nasheed group were invited including Raihan. That was my first time to meet Raihan in live. It's quite strange though, I have not met them in Malaysia but I managed to meet them in a country 10 000 miles away from Malaysia. There will be a weekly talk by City Circle. You can learn Arabic for free in London Central Mosque. Islamic classes are often held in the mosques such as Central Mosque, East London Mosque and Finsbury Park Mosque. World renowned scholars always come down to London to give talks. Well there whole lot of opportunities for you to grab here.
The best time in UK is during the Ramadhan. Normally all mosque will serve iftar for free. Sometimes Isoc do serve iftar for free too. During this month you don't have to spend anything on food as there are abundant source of free food. Tarawikh prayer here was excellent. Depending on your taste, you can choose where you want to pray. If you want to pray xtra speedy, you may want to pray in Bengoli masjid, if you want to pray with Imam who reads very long surah, find Arabs masjid, and if you feel home sick and want to pray just 8 rakaat, come down to MSD at Bayswater to pray with other Malaysian Brothers. Two added value praying tarawikh in MSD are you will be able to listen to wonderful tazkirah and have very nice moreh after prayer. It may sound funny, but that is the reality here. In the first year, I used to pray in many different mosque. Just to gain some experience.
I think that's all about it for this time. Brothers and sister, I you want me to tell everything about what I think and my experience here it may take a very long entry. I believe no one will read it, unless you're are 'addicted' to the internet. You need to come here and experience it yourself. So I would like to encourage students esp my KYUEM juniors to choose UCL or any uni in London as your frim choice. You will never regret it, Insyallah. As Dr Foord said, London is the centre for everything, centre of excellence.
See you in the next series. Food and halls, maybe.
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