4 February 2026

The East London Mosque Trust has been awarded a £7,800 grant from the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust (NMCT) to conserve and preserve the personal memory book of Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1872–1953), the renowned Qur’an translator whose work has made the Qur’an accessible to millions worldwide.

Thanks to the NMCT grant, which covers the full cost of the project, a document that had deteriorated through wear and tear can now be conserved and preserved for future generations. 

Closely associated with the East London Mosque from the 1920s to the 1940s, Abdullah Yusuf Ali played an important role in British Muslim religious and public life. His personal memory book brings together newspaper cuttings, speeches, correspondence, and poetry, offering rare insight into Muslim civic, religious, and intellectual engagement in Britain during the inter-war period.

Sufia Alam, Head of the East London Mosque Archives, said:

“NMCT first supported us in 2013 with the preservation of the London Mosque Fund Minutes Book. We are once again grateful for their support, which will help ensure that young Muslims in particular have access to a primary source documenting the life and work of one of our pioneering elders. The book is currently in urgent need of conservation.”

The conservation work will be carried out by Abigail Bainbridge ACR, an accredited book and paper conservator. Alongside conservation of the original volume, the project will produce a digital copy, allowing archive visitors and wider audiences to access the material without further handling of the original.

The scrapbook is of national significance, documenting Muslim participation in British public life during the inter-war years. Its contents include newspaper cuttings recording Yusuf Ali’s public engagements, transcripts of ‘Eid khutbahs and speeches, personal correspondence and poetry, and material relating to his work for the Ministry of Information during the Second World War.

Remarkably the scrapbook was recovered from debris around 1973 when a mosque in London was demolished for redevelopment. It remained in private hands until it was recently donated to the East London Mosque Archives.

The conservation of this memory book takes on added resonance as the community approaches Ramadan, the sacred month in which the Qur’an was revealed. Abdullah Yusuf Ali is best known internationally for his English translation and commentary of the Qur’an, a work that continues to be widely read and referenced today.  Preserving this personal archive not only safeguards an important chapter of British Muslim history, but also honours a legacy that remains deeply connected to Qur’anic learning and reflection, particularly during Ramadan.

Below: Abigail Bainbridge examining the scrapbook before disbinding

Below: Abigail Bainbridge beginning the disbinding process