Prayer Spaces
The ISoc Prayer Room
The Prayer Room is aptly called the ‘heart of ISoc’ and is our main meeting place. We’re extremely lucky to have 24/7 exclusive access to the room by university card. The upshot of this is that whether you’re looking to pray, read the Quran, study, or simply socialise you can do so round the clock.
Facilities
There are two toilets and a small separate ablutions area which can be used for wudu and also a fully fledged kitchen to cater for your culinary needs. The room is also separated by a screen to mark out the brothers and sisters area, and so its open to anyone and everyone at any time.
Congregational Prayers
The Prayer Room holds daily congregational prayers, for both brothers and sisters. You can find the Jama‘at times on the isoc in the official ISoc ‘Week Ahead’ email, or on the ISoc Website: https://isoc.co.uk
General Information
In order to gain access by university card to the Prayer Room, please follow the instructions and complete the following form. We then aim to add you to the system as soon as possible In Shaa Allah.
Prayer Room Address: Sidgwick Site Prayer Room, Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 9DA
“The prayer in congregation is twenty-seven times superior to the prayer performed individually.”
Jummah
ISoc organises weekly Jummah in central Cambridge every Friday during term-time to ensure students, staff and others who are close to the University centre are able to attend, especially as the main Cambridge mosques can be a distance away from many colleges and departments. The venue for Jummah is confirmed each term on the WhatsApp group chats and the weekly emails, so make sure to keep an eye out. The Jummah sermon usually begins around 1:15 pm and the prayer finishes roughly at 1:45 pm. We also usually have lunch straight after so make sure you do join us!
Prayer Room Etiquette
As stewards of the earth, entrusted with an amānah from Allah (SWT), we are encouraged to use resources responsibly and avoid waste, as wastefulness is disliked by Allah.
Let us treat the Prayer Room with even more care than our own rooms, just as we would a masjid or any place of worship.
Practical Guidelines
When entering, please ensure your shoes are placed on the shoe rack and not in the way of any doors/walkways.
Ensure all rubbish is placed in the correct bins (i.e. mixed recycling, general waste, and food waste) by the shoe rack.
Avoid leaving food in the PR, particularly fresh produce and unwrapped/open packets.
If you’d like to use any of the cutlery or crockery, please go ahead, however, make sure you wash up after yourself. There should not be any dirty dishes left in the sink at any given time.
Once you’ve done wudhu, please use the paper towels to dry yourself to prevent the floor from getting excessively wet.
Please leave the bathrooms better than you found them, that means wiping down the sink and floor after use.
If you are the last person to leave the prayer room, please ensure the lights, heater and any other electrics, including any chargers plugged in, are switched off.
Please keep all your personal belongings with you; any unclaimed items left behind in the PR will be placed with other items of Lost Property and will be disposed of after one month.
Please inform a member of Shura (primarily the Student Affairs Officer) or PR subcommittee of any damage (i.e. new spillages/stains). These are best dealt with as soon as possible, so please do not hesitate to reach out.
Contact Details
For any questions or concerns about the Prayer Room, please contact studentaffairs@isoc.co.uk or reach out to a member of Shura or the Prayer Room Subcommittee.
“He is the One Who has placed you as successors on earth and elevated some of you in rank over others, so He may test you with what He has given you. ”
“Remember when your Lord said to the angels, ‘I am going to place a successive human authority on earth.’”
Mosques in Cambridge
Cambridge Central Mosque
Cambridge Central Mosque (CCM), also known as the Eco Mosque, is one of the most unique mosques in the world. It is a stunning work of architecture, and with a near-zero carbon footprint, CCM is committed to sustainability, with rainwater harvesting, solar energy and green transport at the heart of its design. The mosque is around a 30 minute walk from the University centre.
Jummah:
Jummah 1: Khutbah (sermon) begins at 1:15 pm
Jummah 2: Khutbah (sermon) begins at 2:15 pm
Location: 309-313, Mill Rd, Cambridge CB1 3DF
For more information, please visit their website.
Abu Bakr Mosque
Abu Bakr Mosque is Cambridge’s oldest mosque. It is slightly closer to centre of town than CCM, taking around 20 minutes to reach there. The mosque serves as a close link to the local community, and organise weekly talks on Friday evenings and day courses over the holidays.
Jummah:
Jummah 1: Khutbah (sermon) begins at 1:30 pm
Jummah 2: Khutbah (sermon) begins at 2:15 pm
Location: 1a Mawson Rd, Petersfield, Cambridge CB1 2DZ
For more information, please visit their website.
Masjid Al Ikhlas
As with the other mosques, Masjid Al Ikhlas also provide many services to the local Muslim community, hosting regular talks, classes and other activities. It lies between CCM and Abu Bakr Mosque, and is around a 25 minute walk from the city centre.
Jummah:
Jummah 1: Khutbah (sermon) begins at 1:15 pm
Location: 4 Devonshire Rd, Cambridge CB1 2BH
For more information, please visit their website.
Other Spaces
The University of Cambridge has a useful page that details various quiet rooms and multi-faith facilities across different deparmtnets and faculties that can be used for prayer. To find out more click the link below.