Erkam Sermons: Reviving Prophetic Guidance and Building a Faithful Community

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and discuss with them in the best manner.”   Qur’an, 16:125

A Place of Guidance, Knowledge, and Remembrance

The Erkam Sermons at New Peckham Mosque Sheikh Nazim al-Qubrusi are regular Islamic gatherings held within the ʾIrshād Department of ICMG UK Peckham Branch. These sermons aim to strengthen faith, increase Islamic knowledge, improve character, and support the spiritual and moral development of our community.

They are more than ordinary talks. They are moments of reflection, remembrance, learning, and brotherhood, helping Muslims connect the teachings of Islam with everyday life in Britain.

The Meaning of Erkam

The name Erkam comes from Dār al-ʾArqam the house of the noble companion ʾArqam ʾibn ʾAbī al-ʾArqam in Makkah. In the early years of Islam, this house became one of the first centres of Islamic learning, where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught the Qur’ān, strengthened the faith of the first Muslims, and prepared them to carry Islam with patience, wisdom, and sincerity.

Inspired by this Prophetic example, the Erkam Sermons seek to revive the spirit of sincere learning, companionship, and moral formation within our own community.

In Accordance with ʾAhl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah

ICMG UK Peckham Branch gives great importance to ensuring that the Erkam Sermons are delivered in accordance with the principles of ʾAhl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah. This means that the sermons are rooted in the guidance of the Qur’an and Sunnah, the understanding of the recognised Fuqahāʾ, and the established principles of Islamic scholarship, including Ijmāʿ and Qiyās.

Our aim is to provide sound, balanced, and responsible Islamic guidance. The sermons promote moderation, mercy, knowledge, good manners, and sincere adherence to the teachings of Islam.

The Mosque Environment

Erkam Sermons at New Peckham Mosque – Sheikh Nazim al-Qubrusi take place in a remarkable heritage setting with a deep history of faith, architecture, and community. Formerly known as St Mark’s Church, the building is a Grade II listed heritage building, officially recognised in England for its special architectural and historic interest. Originally built in 1879–1880 and designed by the distinguished Victorian architect Richard Norman Shaw, the building carries the beauty of Gothic Revival architecture and the memory of London’s religious and cultural history.

After serving as a church for many decades, the building was later purchased around 1980 under the leadership of Sheikh Nazim al-Qubrusi and established as New Peckham Mosque in the early 1980s. Today, under the leadership of ICMG UK Peckham Branch, it continues its sacred purpose as a place of worship, learning, guidance, and community service.

Holding the Erkam Sermons in this environment gives the gatherings a deeper meaning: faith is taught, hearts are strengthened, and the community is brought together in a historic and spiritual setting.

Our Aim

Through the Erkam Sermons, we aim to:

• strengthen Islamic faith and identity;
• increase love for Allah, the Qur’ān, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ;
• teach Islamic belief, worship, ethics, and good character;
• support families, young people, and the wider community;
• promote unity, brotherhood, and mutual care;
• encourage Muslims to serve society with wisdom and responsibility;
• provide guidance in accordance with ʾAhl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah.

Our goal is not only to share knowledge, but to help shape sincere, responsible, and morally strong Muslims.

What We Talk About

The Erkam Sermons cover important themes such as faith, spirituality, Qur’ān and Sunnah, Islamic manners, family life, youth identity, brotherhood, social responsibility, and community service.

We discuss topics including sincerity, patience, gratitude, repentance, trustworthiness, avoiding gossip, respecting others, protecting family values, raising children with Islamic identity, and contributing positively to society.

The sermons also address the Islamic responsibility of encouraging good and preventing harm, always with wisdom, gentleness, mercy, and good manners.

Why Erkam Sermons Matter Today

Muslims living in Britain face many challenges, including identity confusion, family pressures, social isolation, weak community ties, and distance from religious knowledge. The Erkam Sermons provide a regular and welcoming space where people can reconnect with the mosque, strengthen their faith, and receive practical Islamic guidance.

They remind us that Islam is learned not only through books, but also through companionship, sincere advice, community, and consistent practice.

Our Method

The method of the Erkam Sermons is based on gradual learning, reflection, sincere advice, and spiritual companionship. The sermons are delivered in a clear and accessible way, with respect for different levels of knowledge and experience.

We aim to create an atmosphere of wisdom, encouragement, humility, and brotherhood, following the spirit of Dār al-Arqam, where the first Muslims were educated with patience, sincerity, and deep faith.

Our Vision

Our vision is to revive the spirit of Dār al-ʾArqam in the heart of Peckham: a place where faith is taught, hearts are strengthened, families are supported, and the community is united.

The Erkam Sermons are therefore not just weekly talks. They are part of our wider effort to build a conscious, compassionate, spiritually strong, and morally responsible Muslim community in accordance with the principles of ʾAhl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāʿah.