Views of a Muslim School

A Visit to Islamic Primary School, London


By the mercy of Allah, I had the good fortune to visit Islamia Primary School in London a couple of days ago.

I certainly didn't imagine it to be as I had imagined, in fact it was much more than what I was expecting to see. What can however be said that the experience was well appreciated by both myself and sis Z who accompanied me, and alhamdulillah perhaps some benefit can and will be drawn from the experience. I know for certain that the impression will be lasting, my only hope is that perhaps by the Mercy of Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) much more can be done to facilitate similar projects throughout the country, ameen.

As we walked along we came accross school after school - and for the first time in my life, had I seen in person, high fencing (surrounding the buildings) as Ive seen on tv of the schools in the US.

I never thought that such a thing would prevale here, though I expect childrens safety is a priority. It was odd, my school was surrounded by fields, no fencing and so I was further surprised when we arrived at the school to find a 'buzz' entry system in place.
Having stood like geeks for about 2 minutes (as we pressed the wrong button) a little kid, the first of many that we were to see that day, came up to us (from inside) and asked 'are you waiting for the gate to open?'.

As much as I wished to reply, 'no we are just standing here as welike the view' the word 'yes' with an accompanied 'uh huh' sound effect spilled out. BZZZZZ, the gate opens, we step inside directing ourselves towards the reception.


The security guard (I presume) seemed not to pay much attention to us, but we none the less asked him to inform bro H of our arrival. We take a seat and wait. To our left sat a sister in this abaya thing with niqaab, and of course her daughter a tiny kid aged maybe 5/6 - waist height, was sitting along side her.

It had been a while, but that was the first little sis that I saw wearing hijab, and a radiant smile grew accross my face. Alhamdulilah - she looked so cute.

Anyway we waited for about 4 minutes, and by chance bro H was walking past. We introduce ourselves, the second 'first time' in person meeting of the day - and I found myself surprised, his accent. I was expecting one slightly more Arab, but that certainly wasnt the case.

We had arrived around noon, which happened to be the childrens Quran class. Bro H tok us to his class, introduced us brielfy and asked the Quran teacher if we could sit in with them. Z and I moved to the back of the class where while we were agog in contentment of seeing so many cute bros and siss in that class, took to listening to the children as they began their class.

The tables were divided into groups, and so it seemed that with each group recitation of some Surahs, each team was in cimpetition with the other. Not a formal arrangement, but an attempt to develop team spirit and of course, to learn some surahs.

The first surah al Fatiha, was easy, both Z and I were not only content listening to them but were still in shock to see children being taught such a thing in school. You see, both Z and I attended reasonably strict non Muslim schools. While Z was fortunte enough to be able to get out of chapel services, I on the other hand wasnt.

So where my mornings would begin with a 10 minute chapel service, these children I expect were spared such torture and benefit from such things as Qur'an class.

In retrospect, I am grateful to Allah (Ta'ala) for allowing me such exposure to Christianity from its roots, for that has aided my understanding and of course familiarised me with the teachings of Christianit which I can now use today to rebute certain false claims contained within their texts. By no means am I learned in this field, but I do now have the added advantage which I would not have had otherwise.


The children carried with their surahs to apoint where they began to recite those which neither Z or I knew. It is here where I finally appreciated the feelings of some of the converts that I know. They, women, in their 30's or 40's , and even one in her 60s' would recount to me their attendance at Quran schools where all other students were aged 7/8, they were as they were.

Having felt like a child amongst the group, they did none the less look upon the children with great admiration, and of course were grateful to Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) for allowing them such good company. What better forum within which to learn than that of the childs, where the pace is easier relxaed and of course, produces results, by the mercy of Allah.


The class soon ended and the children lined up then filed out, one by one. Z and I, were stranded alone with the Qur'an teacher and so made our way towards the door.

Attempts to make conversation failed when we realised that her english wasnt as, well lets just say I dont think she understood a word that I had said, so we walked out of the class. Uncertain of what to do we looked at the notices on the wall - the work of the children bought back memories when I was younger in Saudi - I used to do that....My reminising was soon interupted however as bro H came along. The memories however, remained in mind.

It was now lunch time, the children were, I expect, out in the playground doing kid things, and as 'adults' Z and I joined H in the staff room. There we met a multitude of people, and of course bro H insisted that we dine with them. So we did (great tea by the way H).

The time now approached 1 pm to which H said, 'it's prayer time'. Now here I am, already so happy and pleased to see what I had seen, but to learn further that the kids would prayer in congregation. Alhamdulillah.


We assembled in the sports hall, which was the temporary prayer room as the permanent room upstairs was being used by the elder students (gcse age) who were sitting their examinations. After much hustle and bustle we filed in, one by one, and took our places. There the most wonderful thing happened to me.

First I sat down between the kids, and of course being out of te ordinary and of course twice their size some looked at me in curiosity. One little bro came along and sat nex to me. So I ask him, what his name is and he replies...We engage a little chit chat to the point where we become friends.

So I tell him, in the way that I tell all kids that I come accross, that I'm an evil monster and that I'll eat him later.

And his reply, the first I have ever heard in my life of this nature was, 'no youre not, youre beautiful'. Now I had thought, subhan'Allah, this guy needs glasses! But never in my life had a kid that age said such a thing, certainly not after I had said that I was a monster.

That was just the start....another child stood, moved to the front, and made the adhan.

In the name of Allah, I have been to many mosques around the globe, by the mercy and favour of Allah (Ta'ala) alone. What I heard then was a wonderful, beautiful call to prayer.

When I was younger we used to live in Riyadh. Our location let us do hajj many times, and umrah almost annually - by the mercy of Allah. I remember disinctively, the prayers from one of our trips to Makkah where both imams were in action. And for a brief moment, my memory was jogged, my mind delved into the past, and the voice this young brother had, bought back flashes of memory.

To think I have prayed in mosques in the US, the UK, Bosnia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and many other places - by the mercy of Allah - yet it is here, in England, in a school, with the voice of a little bro, that my mind is reminded of my days of youth.I guess you had to be there to fully appreciate it, but for me it wa such a buzz - making this short trip to the school all the more memorable.


The school has a compliment of some 210 pupils, 2/3 of whom seemed to be little sisters. After Duhr I asked one of the kids, you kow you are out numbered by the girls, and he said, there are more girls than boys but we can still win.

And I thought, great, time to plant my 'boys are better than girls' seed and hope it flourishes :) ha ha.

After salah Z and I joined H in his class. We had first been introduced to all the kids, they mentioned who they were and where they came from, then we presented ourselves. My timing was great I chose the day they had art!!!

Z and I became assistant teachers and spend the afternoon helping the kids with their 'shaddow' art project - which was essentially the name Allah (in arabic) to be cut out and put onto a backed board with a black shaddow. It was so much fun - I felt as if I were back in school.


What did become apparent to me is that the stress endured in managing the children. I have worked in a government bank, with an international charity and done afew other bits and pieces in my vacations, and it becamse clear to me that the stress endured by the teacher equated to that which others experience.

It is a shame that people tend to think of it as a laid back job, I for one was certainly tired at the end of the afternoon. So I cant be sure how H managed his class of 30, day in day out, or any other teacher for that matter.

What I was pleased to see is that the school has many dedicated and hard working teachers, their facilities were by no where near what I had at school - our private gym, our private pool, our private sports grounds, our this our that, we had everything money could buy.

These children however, had a reasonable amount of resources above which they had the 'Islamic' environment. Perhaps some of them will realise how lucky they are, and pehaps others will not - as time passes I do know that some will reflect upon their youth as I do today and expect will continue to do so later.


The school is excellent, the teachers dedicated, the children great and above all the atmosphere warming - though very little can be observed in one afternoon and I expect as with all other organisations, there is internal 'red tape'. That aside, I had a truely enjoyable expeience and am grateful that I had spent my time doing something productive.



What I will say is that we need more schools like this, and insha'Allah that will become a realised reality in the not so distant future. People such as Yusuf Islam have made it happen in England, and the many others who manage the affairs of the other Musim schools here, and those elsewhere in the 'western world'. We should inshAllah take from their foundation and build upon it, insha'Allah.


May Allah (subhanahu wa Ta'ala) make that which is good easy for us all.
Ameen.




Reproduced with permission.