Tower Hamlets has one of the highest concentrations of mosques in the UK. On any given Friday, you can find a Jumu'ah khutbah starting somewhere in the borough every 15 minutes between 1:00pm and 2:30pm.

The three main slots

Most mosques in Tower Hamlets run Jumu'ah in one of three windows:

  • 1:00–1:15pm — Earlier slot, suited to those with a lunchtime window
  • 1:30–1:45pm — The most common slot; East London Mosque and several larger masjids
  • 2:00–2:15pm — Later slot, common in smaller masjids and community centres

East London Mosque — Whitechapel

The largest mosque in the borough, with capacity for thousands. Jumu'ah runs across multiple sessions. Khutbah typically begins at 1:30pm, with a second khutbah at 2:00pm on busy weeks. The Arabic khutbah is followed by an English translation.

Nearest station: Whitechapel (Elizabeth line, District, Hammersmith & City)

Jamme Masjid — Brick Lane

One of East London's oldest mosques, Jamme Masjid has served the Bengali Muslim community since the 1970s. Jumu'ah khutbah at 1:15pm. Tight capacity — arrive 20 minutes early or stand in the overflow.

Nearest station: Aldgate East (District, Hammersmith & City)

Masjid Hamza — Stepney Green

Smaller masjid, 1:30pm khutbah. English-language sermon followed by Arabic. Good for families — accessible ground-floor prayer hall.

How to use FirstRow for Friday

On the FirstRow home screen, tap Jumu'ah in the prayer filter row. This filters to show Zuhr/Jumu'ah times only, sorted by how soon the khutbah starts relative to your current time.

If you're rushing, the countdown timer on each card tells you exactly how many minutes until the khutbah — not just the listed time.

Tips for Friday

  1. Leave 30 minutes earlier than you think — parking is essentially impossible near any major mosque in Tower Hamlets on Fridays. Walk or use the Overground.
  2. Check times the morning of — mosques update their times seasonally (summer Jumu'ah can shift by 30 minutes vs winter).
  3. The Elizabeth line helps — Whitechapel station puts you within walking distance of four large mosques.

Times listed on FirstRow are updated daily from each mosque's own schedule. If you spot an error, use the flag button on the mosque detail page.