Imam Saghir Ahmad
Imam Saghir has been the Imam of Chelmsford Central Mosque since 1981
He was born in 1947 in Khanewal, Pakistan. As a young man he memorised the Qur’an and spent much time with scholars at the well renowned institution Jamia Rashidiyya.
In 1981, Imam Saghir was invited to the UK to take up the role of Imam in Chelmsford. Ever since he has diligently served the masjid and its community tackling every challenge that has come along. The Central Mosque opened with as little as 12 people for Jumu’ah and Taraweeh Salah. Imam Saghir has led the congregational salah for over 40 years.
Our Imam also played a huge role in the building of the masjid at Moulsham Street, ever present and working closely with the project manager Mohammed Akram to oversee the project was completed successfully.
Over the years Imam Saghir has officiated hundreds of marriage ceremonies as well as hundreds of funerals. He has had the privilege of officiating the marriages of many of his students who he had taught the Qur’an and Islam. Imam Saghir is well respected even amongst the non Muslims of Chelmsford and partakes in many interfaith events and school visits.
Throughout his career Imam Saghir has treated the masjid just as one would treat their own home, from ensuring the masjid is clean and tidy, making sure not a penny is wasted and always going above and beyond.
Shaykh Shams Adduha
Shaykh Shams is the Head of Chelmsford Muslim Society’s madrassah, Makarim Academy and part-time Imam
He has previously worked as a London based Imam, teacher and school governor. Throughout his career he has also worked on several educational projects, most notably Ebrahim College which he co-founded in 2003. Shaykh Shams served as its director until March 2019 when he stepped down to focus more on community work, teaching and academia.
As an educationalist, Shaykh Shams is particularly interested in developing contextualised programmes of learning for Islamic studies and the Islamic sciences for British Muslims. As a teacher he also lectures in Islamic theology, Hadith studies, and Islamic jurisprudence.
Shaykh Shams grew up in East London. He memorised the holy Qur’an and studied the Islamic Sciences at traditional Islamic seminaries (Darul Ulooms) in the UK (Dewsbury and Nottingham) and Bangladesh (Jami’ah Madinatil ‘Uloom, Sylhet) where he got his Shahadah al-Takmeel from the Wifaqul Madaris al-‘Arabiyyah (a national board for traditional seminaries). Upon his return to the UK, after some years as an Imam and setting up Ebrahim College, he completed a Masters in Islamic Studies at the University of London, Birkbeck College.’
Imam Habib Ahmad
Imam Habib started in August 2024
Imam Habib was born in Chelmsford and has served the Essex Muslim community with dedication. He served as an Imam in Colchester from May 2017 to May 2021 and continued his service in Southend from May 2021 until July 2024.
Imam Habib completed his Islamic education with distinction at Lantern of Knowledge Leyton, studying Quranic studies, Arabic, Islamic jurisprudence, and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, with a focus on making Islam relevant to British society.
Throughout his roles, he has enhanced madrassa operations, organized community events, and used his IT skills to improve mosque communications and administration.
Imam Abdur Rahman Abid
Imam Abid started part-time in August 2024
Imam Abid moved to Chelmsford from London to take on the role of Imam, teacher at Makarim Academy and youth programme coordinator. He co-initiated a youth organisation called youth of the ummah in his local community in London which then expanded to multiple Masajid, inspiring the youth to be productive Muslims building a brotherhood amongst the youth.
He completed his Hifz at Darul Uloom London and then went on to study the ‘alimiyyah programme in Jamiatul Ilm Wal Huda (Darul Uloom Blackburn) studying the Arabic language, Islamic Jurisprudence, Hadith and the foundations of Quran studies. He completed years 4-7 of the programme at Imam Zakariya Academy in London going more in depth into Hadith studies, Quranic exegesis, Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic theology. Professionally he has been doing software development for the past couple of years and is currently completing an apprenticeship in software engineering.
