Islamic Society of Illawarra

Islamic Society of Illawarra is an inclusive organisation representing the Islamic community of the Illawarra managed by volunteers within the community.

Our purpose and objectives are:
- To preserve the Islamic ideas and way of life as laid in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah within the community.
- To develop the concept of Islamic Brotherhood/Sisterhood amongst Muslims in the Illawarra.
- To advance the Illawarra Muslim interests.
- To provide the Muslim community and wider community with social, educational and spiritual services.

Islamic Society of Illawarra manage the Bilal Mosque in Cringila/Wollongong NSW, which was established in the 1970s and catered for all migrants working in and around the nearby Port Kembla steelworks. We offer services everyday for the 5 daily prayers where the worshippers kneel facing Mecca.

Our Mosque is named after one of the companions of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Bilal (ra) is honored to be the first person to call the Muslims to prayer with the vocal Adhan. Bilal (ra) is a highly respected companion and was a freed slave. We honor him and emphasise the inclusiveness of our religion Islam.

Bilal Mosque is predominantly Sunni, the largest denomination of Islam, though it is still open to minority Shia Muslims. The imam, or religious leader, is from Turkey, so the main language at the mosque is Turkish. The imam leads the prayer service five times a day — morning, midday, afternoon, evening and night prayer. The main weekly prayer service at midday on Friday, its sermons are translated from Turkish to Arabic and also English, to cater for the whole community. Islamic Society of Illawarra also conducts funeral services, the imam acts as a chaplain, imam officiates at weddings and Islamic Society of Illawarra run lessons about the Qur’an for all ages, Ramadan events, picnics, festivals and also involved in charity work.

Islamic Society of Illawarra emphasise significance on social inclusion for the community. It accommodates Bilal Mosque to be not only a place of worship but also places of social get together, cohesion, where people come to a mosque, they see others, meet people, they learn what is happening in their community.

Islamic Society of Illawarra foster peace in our local community and is able to keep that peace and friendship in the community by holding eid festivals, mosque open days. By holding these community events, it provides the Islamic community a chance to get in contact with people from other faiths or no faiths who live in the wider Illawarra area. It is a chance for muslims also to break the ice and make that contact to talk with others to share the festivities. Members of the public can also have the chance to see for themselves and talk to people from the Islamic community about any issues they may have. Islamic Society of Illawarra promotes a message of unity, peace and harmony.

Islamic Society of Illawarra would also have an open hand and co-organise with other organisations with similar aims and objectives. Islamic Society of Illawarra would like to function as representatives of Islam by presenting aspects of Islam to the wider community.

So invite your family, children, siblings and friends whom can benefit from Islamic Society of Illawarra by clicking on LIKE and following our page so they can keep up to date with what’s happening. There will be events and programs hosted by Islamic Society of Illawarra posted up on this page.

Islamic Society of Illawarra also supports the youth within the community, establishing a sub-committee that has youth members managing the youth group. They also have a Facebook page @BilalMosqueYouthGroup