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Glasgow Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
‘Remarkable' Mosque paid tribute to Glasgow's ‘first Asian GP'
He was born in India in 1938 before migrating to Pakistan and settling in Multan. He became a doctor in 1965 after working as a trainee surgeon when the war broke out between India and Pakistan. After leaving the army to pursue a career in medicine, Dr Kausar came to Glasgow in 1972, where he said he 'fought' to become a GP. Speaking in an interview with Colourful Heritage, he said: 'Outsiders were not allowed to become GPs here and the local GPs only gave us very minor, underpaid and overworked duty jobs. They (British Medical Association) offered me the same, but I said I wanted to be a partner. They didn't give me a job. READ NEXT: 'Many great memories': The Pogues inducted into Barrowland Hall Of Fame "Then I said I'd open my own surgery so I looked for a place in Pollokshields and submitted an application to open my surgery there. They said 'unless you have a thousand patients, we will not give you any money which means you will be giving a free service so how will you live, eat and pay the bills'. He served as a medical officer in the 1965 war (Image: Facebook) "I said it's no problem, I'll see for myself but they still rejected my application. They refused to allow me to become a GP even though I was fully trained in all aspects. I appealed, and it was rejected again. I made a final appeal to the Secretary of State and told them I would fight it up to the European Committee." An independent inquiry was set up following his appeal and soon after, he applied for a GP role at a practice in the west end and was given the job. He said: "I was the first GP who fought and got his rights on his merits." READ MORE: 'We will always be grateful': Barras stall announces closure - and new plans Following the news of his passing Glasgow Central Mosque, where he was heavily involved, has paid tribute to him. Omar Afzal from Glasgow Central Mosque said: 'I was saddened to hear of the passing of Dr Kauser. My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones at this time. He lived a remarkable life as a physician, a soldier, a poet, and much more. 'He dedicated many years of his life to the Glasgow Central Mosque, where he served as General Secretary, bringing with him the decorum and strength such an office demands. 'Remarkable' Mosque pays tribute to Glasgow's 'first Asian GP' (Image: Facebook) 'He was also a formidable advocate for Muslim communities in Scotland; often speaking truth to power, and challenging misconceptions around Islam and Muslims. 'Well over a thousand mourners took part in his funeral prayer - a reflection of the impact that he had, and the way he touched people's lives. 'Whilst his warmth and wisdom will be sorely missed, his legacy will live on through the impact he made across civil society.' Lawyer and Activist, Aamer Anwar, also paid tribute to him, in a post he said: 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. Surely we belong to Allah (SWT) and to Allah (SWT) we shall return. Sad to hear Dr Kauser has passed away. Dr Kauser spent much of life serving the Muslim community and the wider community. For many years, he was the President of Glasgow Central Mosque. He was a pioneer, a trailblazer, a father to the community and will be hugely missed.
BBC News
13-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
Glasgow Central Mosque given category-A listed building status
The Glasgow Central Mosque (GCM) has been granted category-A listed building status by Historic Environment Scotland (HES).The categorization covers the mosque's original paved courtyard with garden, boundary walls and railing but excludes a hall that was added at a later four-acre (1.62ha) site opened to the public in 1984 at a cost of £3m and was the first purpose-built mosque in status, awarded by HES, recognises buildings with special architectural or historical interest. The mosque is located on Mosque Avenue, next to the A-listed Victoria Bridge and B-listed Union Railway was or the Jamiat Ittehead ul Muslimin (the Muslim Mission), an organisation established in Scotland in 1933 by early migrants from organisation was previously based in the Gorbals area, and inaugurated the first mosque in Scotland in a converted tenement block in for a purpose-built mosque for the community had begun by the early 1950s and plans for the GCM were approved in location, on the southern bank of the Clyde, was the former site of the Adelphi whisky building was completed in two phases by architects W.M. Copeland and Associates and Coleman Ballantine Partnership. The GCM is the first mosque building in Scotland to be built according to Islamic architectural traditions with a courtyard and central gathering space , garden, an entrance "iwan", a dome and arched glass dome and minaret tower, which calls worshippers to prayer five times a day, is a recognisable part of the city mosque opened on 18 May 1984 with capacity for up to 2,500 worshipers and is Scotland's largest mosque community aims to help tackle poverty in the city and provides more than 350 weekly food parcels to asylum seekers and refugees every Sunday and during Ramadan. During the Covid pandemic, the mosque's function suite was used as a vaccination centre by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. HES said: "We decided to list the Glasgow Central Mosque at category A in recognition of its architectural quality, its status as the first mosque building designed according to Islamic architectural traditions in Scotland, and its important role in the development of the Muslim community in Scotland in the second half of the 20th century."
