Last Post Played For First Time Ever In A Mosque
The rendition of The Last Post happened as Baitul Futuh Mosque hosted East Surrey’s Poppy Appeal launch.
The rendition took place at the Royal British Legion’s (RBL) East Surrey Poppy Appeal launch at Baitul Futuh Mosque.
It was attended by veterans, local school children and members of the local Muslim community.
Jim France, the RBL’s manager, spoke about the moment’s significance: “We can’t find any record anywhere of there ever being any music played in a mosque at all, so we are eternally grateful to the Imman and community here in the mosque for allowing us to do that.”
The RBL has had a relationship with the mosque for the last 15 years since several members volunteered to man a poppy stand at a local supermarket.
Jim France said that since then their relationship has gone from strength to strength: “We now have a very good relationship with the mosque and it plays into our theme this year which is, ‘Remember Together’, where the Legion is asking people to remember those from different communities that supported the UK during both World Wars and in conflicts since.”
Alongside a bugler playing The Last Post, to commemorate the fallen since the 1800s, children handed out poppies to representatives of the military, mosque and the Royal British Legion.
Chelsea Pensioner David Godwin attended the launch, it was the first time he had been to a mosque: “This just goes to show how cultures can join together and survive.”
Rafi Ahmad, who is the Vice-Chair for Walk For Peace Charity and the Vice President of Ahmadiyyah Muslim Association, said: “We think about the Armed Services personnel and what they have done, what they have done for us to be living today and our children.”
Last year the mosque collected over £500,000 for the poppy appeal in just over two weeks, with one member of the mosque single-handedly collecting an incredible £85,000 from a train station last year.
This year they are hoping to collect even more.
https://www.forces.net/news/last-post-played-first-time-ever-mosque