The London mosque where Almadani made the comments is also a UK-registered charity and runs a madrasah (Islamic school) for children aged four to 15.
The mosque advertised the event, a “Qunoot Nazilah,” on October 7 and said the congregation would pray for “peace and success for the Palestinian people in the occupied territories”. The charity shared footage of Almadani’s remarks on October 9 and the footage was still live at the time of publication.
The event on October 7 with Almadani was advertised on Darul Ihsaan's social media hours before. The post, which is still live, said the congregation would be praying for the "success" of the "Palestinian people within the occupied territories." (Photo: Instagram)[Missing Credit]
In Almadani’s sermon, translated for the JC, Almadani urged divine support for Islamist fighters, telling worshippers: “God give victory to our supporter brothers, give victory to our mujahideen brothers in Palestine, give victory to our mujahideen brothers in your name in Gaza, give victory to our oppressed brothers in Gaza, give victory to our mujahideen brothers in dear Gaza, give them the ability give them victory, make them hit their targets.”
“Mujahideen” refers to Islamic fighters engaged in jihad. Members of the Mujahideen Brigades were among the terrorists involved in the October 7 atrocities, including the kidnapping and murder of Ariel and Kfir Bibas.
“Give victory to our mujahideen brothers in Al-Aqsa Flood, they are supporters of Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Almadani went on. The October 7 attacks were codenamed “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.
Almadani told the congregation: “They are defending Al-Aqsa Mosque, God they are defending our holy sites, give them victory, give them the ability.
“Defeat their enemy, feed their hunger, God give victory to your book... give victory to your religion, give victory to your good worshippers.
“God free our captives,” Almadani said, “free Al-Aqsa Mosque”.
“Give the ability to the young mujahideen in your name, take the difficulty away from Gaza and Palestine. Reveal the gloom of the nation of Mohammed.”
In response to the JC’s story, Darul Ihsaan said the terms “mujahideen” and “Al-Aqsa” are “rooted in Islamic spiritual language” and “are not political endorsements nor incitements to harm.”
Almadani co-founded an Islamic school in east London for children as young as four (Photo: Google maps)[Missing Credit]
After lecturing about the “usurping Jews,” Almadani went on to state: “Shake the ground from under the feet of the oppressor Zionists, don’t let their flag rise and don’t make any of their wishes come true... Make them an example for the ones behind them.”
In response to the JC’s enquiry, Almadani said “I do not condone violence against innocent civilians, as this is a clear violation of my faith and the Qur’anic principle that upholds the sanctity of life irrespective of religion.”
He affirmed his support for the “right to resist”, explaining, “That said, the Palestinian people have the right to resist occupation under international law. Muslim sermons often include prayers for justice, protection of holy sites, and relief for oppressed people, including Palestinians. These should not be distorted or misrepresented as calls for violence.”
Days after the sermon, the mosque also shared a post with the charity Save One Life, which started a Gaza campaign on the day of the massacre.
In a post on the mosque’s Instagram on October 10, Save One Life – which is currently being investigated by the Charity Commission over its cash distribution programme in Gaza – is described as “our regular charity partner”. On October 15, the mosque said they raised “£9,309.80 in less than a week” for the appeal “with our brothers and sisters from Save One Life".
The mosque has campaigned with Save One Life (Photo: Instagram)[Missing Credit]
Darul Ihsaan has also posted videos of other incendiary sermons on its Instagram, including clerics talking about how “inspired” young people are by the “shaheed” – or martyrdom – in Gaza, lecturing against modern families with working mothers and suggesting that Muslims should not march for Palestine with “socialists and feminists”.
Islamic proselytizer, Dr Daniel Haqiqatjou – who has been hosted by the mosque at least twice – suggested that men looking after children is akin to “an attack on family”.
In a separate sermon, Haqiqatjou criticised Muslims for marching for Palestine with progressives. In a video shared in October 2023, he said: “What do you think of marching with socialists and feminists and communists against Israel?
“I don’t think that Muslims should be marching with these groups that don’t like Islam and that are opposed to Islam. When they say, ‘free Palestine,’ these particular groups, they mean they want to see Palestine as this pro-LGBT, feminist state, communist state.”
In the caption for the sermon, the mosque noted that they do not “necessarily condone nor agree with all statements of the speaker”.
The mosque, which says it is “community-driven” and “working on real and urgent issues in Barking and east London,” hosted an event last month titled “Hamas de-proscription and legal strategies against Zionism,” which featured the lawyer acting on behalf of Hamas, Fahad Ansari.
Commenting on Almadani’s sermon, a CST spokesperson said: “These are deeply disturbing comments, especially given that they were made on October 7, a day when Jews were enduring the worst massacre since the Holocaust. What makes this even more concerning is that the individual responsible holds a position of authority within an educational setting and is entrusted with the care and guidance of children.”
In response to the JC’s enquiries, Darul Ihsaan said they had a “policy of non-engagement with The Jewish Chronicle.”
However, the mosque released a public statement saying: “Our sermons frequently include prayers for justice, protection of holy sites, and relief for oppressed people around the world – including Palestinians. These should not be misrepresented as calls for violence.
“Phrases such as ‘victory for the mujahideen’ or ‘defend Al-Aqsa’ are rooted in Islamic spiritual language. They are not political endorsements nor incitements to harm. We categorically reject terrorism, extremism, and hatred. We do not and will not support violence against any community or group.”
The statement went on: “We host a diverse range of speakers. Their views are their own. We clearly state that hosting a speaker does not imply full endorsement of every statement they make. Selective quoting of sermons or speeches without context risks misrepresenting our values and misleading the public.”
When asked about their partnership with Save One Life, Darul Ihsaan said: “Our humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza were conducted through lawful partnerships with UK-registered charities. All funds raised were for humanitarian support only, and our accounts are transparent and accountable. We welcome oversight from the Charity Commission and fully comply with regulatory guidance.
"Our mosque promotes family support, youth development, and community engagement. We encourage respectful dialogue on social issues in line with Islamic principles and British law.”
The mosque concluded: “We call on all media outlets, including The Jewish Chronicle, to uphold ethical standards of reporting and avoid misrepresenting faith communities, especially during sensitive time.”
A Charity Commission spokesperson said: “We are assessing concerns raised with us about a video posted on the YouTube account of Darul Ihsaan Barking. These concerns will be assessed against our published guidance to determine our role.
“Speaking generally - we take very seriously any alleged links between a charity and extremism or terrorism. Such links are abhorrent, and corrosive to the trust on which the charitable sector depends. In the minority of cases where it occurs we won’t hesitate to take robust action, as recent cases show.”
Haqiqatjou has been approached by the JC for comment.
