[1][2] It was built between 1983 and 1985 by the Muslim Association of Canterbury, an organisation founded in 1977 that also manages the mosque building.

Al Noor Mosque was founded by the agricultural scientist Hanif Quazi, who at that time was working for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research based in Lincoln.

[9] The first Friday prayer was held in the mosque on 21 June 1985, coinciding with Eid al-Fitr.

[24][25][26][27][28] The president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, Anwar Ghani, said that mosque officials had told a Salafi follower not to promote his views there.

[27] El-Zeiny said that many Muslims were angry about US drone strikes in Yemen and that the mosque's leadership was "spending most of [its] time trying to lessen the effect.