Union introduces security for Friday prayers as Muslim students struggle to find places to pray

Muslim students and staff are now required to present their Imperial IDs to attend Friday prayers in the Beit building from Friday, the 25th of October. Security was stationed at the doors of Beit due to overcrowding concerns, as Muslim members of Imperial gathered for Jumu’ah, the Friday congregational prayer.

Approximately 331 men and 21 women joined the prayer, while 31 external visitors were turned away at the doors because of security concerns. A member of Islamic Society (ISoc), familiar with the situation, commented, “The Union has definitely raised that they struggle to host us for Friday prayers. We use that space, and it’s booked by us, but it’s not ideal really.” Another ISoc member familiar added, “With Friday prayers in particular, the biggest issue is capacity. People come, and if there’s no space, then they’ll have to end up praying slightly outside the room in the corridor, which is a health and safety concern. And we don’t want our students to be just praying in the corridor.”

Jumu’ah prayers hold deep significance in Muslim practice. Idrees Mahmood, President of ISoc, emphasised, “Stopping Jumu’ah, stopping Friday prayers completely, is not an option, because it’s a compulsory requirement for us Muslims, and we see it as that.”

A spokesperson for the Union has stated, “Imperial College Union understands the profound importance of Friday prayers to the Muslim community at Imperial. As a result, we are taking appropriate measures to ensure it is managed safely. “Currently, ICU provides ISoc with several, non-specialist spaces for students and staff to pray on Fridays during term time. All usage of Union spaces must comply with the law, our charitable objectives, health and safety legislation, and fire safety regulations. This means that only Imperial students and staff are allowed to access the prayer.

“Unfortunately, overcrowding and the presence of the general public has led to health, safety, and building compliance concerns during this necessary period of worship. The required measure of security enables all students and staff to pray safely in the Union building. We are also looking into other space-saving initiatives.

“In the longer term we are working with the University to ensure there is appropriate facilities for the Imperial Muslim community at all campuses.”

Prayer rooms: a long– term issue

For Muslim students, the lack of adequate prayer spaces on campus isn’t a new problem. While Imperial’s chaplaincy provides a space for daily prayers in the basements of 14 and 15 Princes Gardens, members of the Muslim community report that the facilities are far from ideal. There is also a new prayer space due to open at 88 Wood Lane.

The chaplaincy basements are a 10- to 20-minute walk from the main South Kensington campus, with the Huxley and Blackett buildings situated the furthest distance from the prayer rooms. This distance becomes increasingly problematic during winter, when compressed prayer times leave students rushing between their classes and the prayer room, making it difficult to observe their religious practices without disrupting their academic schedules. As ISoc VicePresident Zaynab Choudhury explains, students end up “having to go to some staircase or find random places in the corridor to pray.”

Mahmood also stated students “feel like they have eyes on them. They constantly feel a bit uncomfortable.”

Choudhury flagged additional concerns, noting that the lack of elevator access makes the prayer rooms inaccessible to “people who have mobility issues”. she explains that “it just means that they would never be able to use the prayer room”.

While the basement is adequate for daily prayers, as they have a time interval in which they can be prayed in, it is too small to accommodate the larger number of students and staff attending Friday prayers. With approximately 300 attendees regularly gathering for Jumu’ah each week, the basement’s limited capacity poses significant concerns regarding time management and safety.

Choudhury points out, “The problem with this is that you have 100 people at once packed into the basement. When something happens, it takes them 10 minutes to get in, and 10 minutes to get out. So, if something like a fire happens, someone will get injured.”

Beyond logistical issues, persistent maintenance problems such as leaks, dampness, and limited ventilation add to the safety hazards in the basements. This can be especially inconvenient for things like “wudu”, the religious ablution that must be completed before each prayer. Last November, a water leak in 15B Princes Gardens led to several months of work due to the location of a services pipe that affected other buildings. The Union has attempted to address these challenges by accommodating Friday prayers in Beit. Renovation plans for the Great Hall include a dedicated washing area and provisions for Friday prayer, but this change is unlikely to be put in place before 2026, leaving two more years of struggling with inadequate facilities.

The ISoc committee and its members believe that the best solution would involve directly engaging with Imperial College administration to establish dedicated prayer spaces across campus. Until now, communication around prayer spaces has only taken place through the Union.

An Imperial College London spokesperson said: “Prayer spaces are a fundamental service for our staff and student community and providing appropriate spaces to meet demand is a priority as we continue to develop our campuses.

“As part of the renovation of the Great Hall, we have been working with Imperial’s Islamic Society, the Prayer Spaces Working Group and Imperial College Union to support the hall’s use for Friday Prayers.

“There is also work ongoing to identify further opportunities for multifaith spaces on the South Kensington and White City campuses, so we can continue to support the needs of our community in the coming years - with a new space for Islamic Prayer set to open on the White City Campus this term.”

When asked why prayers are so important for Muslims, Choudhury explained: “It’s a part of our life, just like living and breathing. And we only want to be able to kind of reconciliate the spiritual obligations with our educational obligations. “And if college were able to acknowledge that would make the lives and the wellbeing of Muslim students improve drastically. “