Manchester Central Mosque Manchester Central Mosque Manchester Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre (also known as “Victoria Park Mosque”) is a mosque in Manchester, England. Sometimes referred to as Jamia Mosque, it is situated in the middle of Victoria Park, Manchester close to the Curry Mile. It plays a key role in Manchester's Muslim community. Imam and Khateeb Muhammad Arshad Misbahi and Qari Hafiz Javed Akhtar are leaders of the mosque. Qari Javed also leads taraweeh prayers in ramadan. The Victoria Park Mosque began as two adjacent houses, one owned by the Syrian Textile Merchants operating in Manchester since the early 1900s, and
Shah Mosque providing refreshments to the worshipers at the Friday prayers. When passing through the entrance portal, one reaches the main courtyard, centered around a large pool. The two gateways (iwans) on the sides leads ones attention to the main gateway at the far end, the only one with minarets, and behind it the lofty dome, with its colorful ornamentation. The distinct feature of any mosque is the minaret, and the Masjed-e Shah has four. Still, in Persian mosques, tall minarets were considered unsuitable for the call to prayer, and they would add an aedicule, known in Persian as a "goldast" (bouquet)