Once a year, the gates of Jamia Ahmadiyya UK open to the people of Haslemere. It’s an invitation to see what goes on behind the walls of the Islamic educational institute, meet students and teachers, and ask anything.

“When we moved in it raised some eyebrows, because people don’t know what we do,” says Fatir Tahir, teacher of English, history and religion. “Some didn’t even know this is a school and people were suspicious. What they know about Islam is what they hear on the news and we are seriously misrepresented.”

The solution was openness. Annual Open Days give the community a chance to connect, ask questions, and see for themselves. “We still get some negative social media comments, assumptions about what we do here. So we open the doors, the only way to connect with people is to talk to them so we can open their eyes.”

The institute trains students from across the UK over seven years to become religious teachers and missionaries, combining theology with languages, ethics, and community service. For some, like Labeed Mirza, it is a spiritual calling. After pursuing a degree in computer sciences, he found his purpose here.

Jamia Ahmadiyya’s impact is felt beyond the classroom. Students actively support the local community, donating more than 110kg of food to food banks in December 2025, visiting care homes, giving out chocolates to neighbours for New Year, participating in litter-picking, tree-planting, and even blood donation drives.

“Islam believes that every being is a human, which is the most sacred life, and we want to protect the rights of all humans. Men and women are equal,” says Fatir. “We must push back against misrepresentation. We want people to come and talk to us.”

Years on, relationships have grown strong. “We now have very good relationships with the people in Haslemere, they often defend us if something comes up on social media. We are just a school like any others, Muslims are just like everyone else.”