Mosque to open in Cwmbran after community rallies together

In November 2022, Siraj Khan, 63, bought an old doctor’s surgery in Pontnewydd with the intention of opening Cwmbran’s first community Mosque.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Khan is Mr Miah, who said: “When he initially came to Cwmbran it was not very diverse and it was a very small emerging town. But Cwmbran is not the same place it once was.”

Mr Khan moved from the West Midlands to Cwmbran in the 1980s and opened Khan Tandoori, one of the first Indian restaurants in the area, which he owned until his retirement in 2022.

Mr Khan practices as a Sunni Muslim, one of the largest branches of Islam. To regularly practise his faith, Mr Khan must travel to his closest Mosque in Newport, around six miles away.

Inside the mosque

Mr Miah said this distance is too far for the elderly Muslim population in the area.

“In Cwmbran or towards the Valleys there is nothing for the Muslim faith,” said Mr Miah.

Mr Khan took it upon himself to provide for his Muslim community in Cwmbran.

In November 2022 he bought an old doctor’s surgery on Maendy Wood Rise, which is now being converted into a community Mosque.

“The community as a whole is now working together to raise funds to pay for renovation which is almost complete,” said Mr Miah.

Inside the mosque

All together the community has raised more than £8,000 from more than 250 donors, with the Mosque due to open in the next couple of months.

Currently the Muslim community in Cwmbran travel to Mosques in Newport and partake in Friday prayer practises in a rented leisure hall.

Mr Miah said this is a traditionally male-only practise with 55 to 70 men attending every week. But, if there was a local Mosque, women and children would also be welcome.

Mr Miah estimates that around 100 members of the Muslim faith would attend.

“Even though there is a Muslim community in Cwmbran we also cater to people from Aberdare, Pontypool, Blackwood and that direction,” said Mr Miah.

As for the community reaction to a Mosque opening in Cwmbran, Mr Miah said residents have shown a lot of support towards the project.

Mr Miah said that local builders have even offered generous rates to help in renovating the mosque as part of a community effort.

“I think local residents were initially hesitant but since engaging with us I would say relations have improved. It is important to keep our good relationship and work together,” said Mr Miah.

“Anyone who wants to come in and engage they are more than welcome to.”

For more information or to donate to the cause click here.