Document Type

Contribution to Book

Publication Date

2024

First Page

177

Last Page

192

Book Title

Islam and Muslims in Victorian Britain: New Perspectives

Publisher

Bloomsbury Academic

City

London

Editor(s)

Jamie Gilham

Keywords

British converts to Islam, Christmas, Islam in Britain, Islam in Liverpool, William Henry Abdullah Quilliam, Liverpool Moslem Institute, feeding the poor

Abstract

The Liverpool Muslim Institute (LMI), a group of mainly British Muslim converts led by Abdullah Quilliam, began an annual tradition of feeding the poor and hungry on Christmas Day soon after the groups’ founding in the late 1880s. The feasts would become the largest and perhaps most important public event on the LMI’s calendar until its demise in 1908. This chapter provides a brief outline of the history of Christmas charity in England and Liverpool and then delves into the Muslims’ rationale for the feedings, their fundraising and preparations, and actual Christmas Day feasts, as recorded in the LMI’s weekly newspaper, The Crescent. Additionally, the chapter juxtaposes the Christmas events with the LMI’s celebration of Islamic holidays and explores selected Muslim and local press reactions to the meals.

Rights

This is the final version of a chapter in a book published by Bloomsbury Academic in December 2023. Available at publisher site: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/islam-and-muslims-in-victorian-britain-9781350299634/

Download

Share

COinS