Located in Little Gilbert Street in the south-west corner of the Adelaide city centre, the mosque was originally built to accommodate the spiritual needs of "Afghan" cameleers and traders coming in after working in South Australia's northern regions.

After the congregation dwindled and the mosque fell into disrepair in the early 20th century, it took on a new lease of life with post-World War II Muslim migration, and has since been thriving.

Abdul Wade (also known as Wadi, Wabed, Wahid), originally from the Quetta district (now Pakistan) and then merchant and cameleer in the area of Bourke, New South Wales, became the trustee and builder of the mosque.

[2] Over time, as the cameleers passed on or returned to their countries of origin, the mosque became unused and decrepit, until the post-World War II wave of migration to Australia.

All of the old Afghans continued to wear national dress, including the old caretaker, Iset Khan, who lived at the back of the mosque and refused to use electric lighting.