LONDON, ENGLAND —-— Before heading to Wisma Caraka, the Embassy Guest House, which will serve as the residence of the Dompet Dhuafa Ambassador for the next few weeks, Bahrul Ulum—who has been entrusted with the mission of da’wah by Dompet Dhuafa—was invited to stop by the Indonesian Islamic Center (IIC) located on Clifford Way. There, he met with the mosque’s manager, Djamal Djamalullail, and the mosque congregation. Conversations with several Muslim leaders in London broadened Bahrul Ulum’s perspective on the dynamics of Islam in this country.
“There is a significant Muslim community in London. Some come from Arab countries such as Syria, Morocco, and Iraq, as well as from South Asia like Pakistan, and even from Africa. In fact, a portion of the IIC mosque congregation hails from these very countries,” explained Djamal Djamalullail, the manager of the IIC Clifford Way mosque, to the Dompet Dhuafa Ambassador on Tuesday (February 24, 2026).
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After hearing this explanation, Bahrul Ulum became curious. He eventually looked it up online; according to CNBC, citing Halal Times, the Muslim population in the UK has reached approximately 4 million people. This figure means that 6% of the UK population is Muslim, and more than 1 million of them live in London. This figure amazed Bahrul Ulum. It can be said that nearly 15 percent of London’s population is Muslim.
“That figure amazed me. But what’s even more interesting is the latest data released by the Muslim Council of Britain: 50% of British Muslims were born in the UK. They are no longer immigrants but true British citizens. Thus, they are people who were born and raised with Islamic values ingrained in them,” Bahrul Ulum told the Dompet Dhuafa team.
Bahrul added that conversing with the congregation at the IIC Mosque kept him reflecting. Islam in the UK can no longer be viewed as a religion of newcomers merely passing through. It has become an inseparable part of the mosaic of modern British society.
Text and Photos: Bahrul Ulum, Dompet Dhuafa’s Dai Ambassador assigned to the UK
Editor: Taufan YN