In 1965, Marhoom J M Jaffer, a popular figure
in Tanzania, emigrated to England and took residence in Portsmouth. The family
that founded Mehfil-e-Khorassan in Zanzibar, began to hold regular majaalis in
the South of England.
Majaalis continued in Portsmouth by members of
the Jaffer and Versi families under the leadership of two enterprising ladies,
Mrs Sherbanu-bai A Jaffer and Mrs Laila-bai Versi. The participants were mainly
youths who came to study at the University of Portsmouth, formerly Portsmouth
Polytechnic.
The Portsmouth Islamic Society was formed under
the leadership of Roshan Gangji and Ahmed Versi.
Members from Wessex initiated the first United
Kingdom Muslim Sports Association under the guidance of Gulamabbas Jaffer.
In 1984, the community decided to formalise its
existence by the formation of the Wessex Shia Ithnaasheri Jamaat. With the
formation of Wessex Jamaat, MohamedIqbal Somji donated to the community a five
year lease for a flat in Portsmouth to be used as the Imambargah. The lease,
later extended by a further two years, expired on 31 December 1992.
In 1988, Mulla Bashir Rahim graciously accepted
to be the resident zaakir, reciting mostly in English to the young community.
In August 1992, Wessex Jamaat launched the AL
MAHDI Project and under the aegis of the
World Federation of
The Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Muslim Communities solicited financial
assistance from members of the community throughout the world. This assistance
was generously provided and in due course a property was purchased in Fareham,
Hampshire. Appropriately, the centre was named AL MAHDI. The building was
altered and renovated to provide facilities for a gents hall, a ladies hall,
madressa classrooms and an aalim's flat. The official opening of AL MAHDI took
place on the 12th of September 1993 (25th Rabi-ul- Awwal 1414 AH).
The Jamaat now comprises of
over 70 families and the
tradition of holding regular Majaalis continues. Wessex Jamaat has a well
organised Madressa for the 40 community children. The Ladies also hold their own classes to discuss
matters pertaining to fiqh and other issues.
In 1994 Wessex Jamaat held two important
seminars: "How To Raise Children Islamically in the United Kingdom" and "Azadaari:
Its Form and Substance." Seminar generated strategies are being implemented by
the Jamaat.
In 1995, Wessex Jamaat was granted permission
to register marriages at AL MAHDI. The Jamaat also managed to get the Fareham
Borough Council to allocate 102 burial plots for Muslims at the Fareham cemetary.
