[3] Construction of the three-storey East London Mosque began in 1982 on land left empty after bombing during World War II, and was completed in 1985.

[5] In 2009 phase 2 commenced,[6] a nine-storey addition on the Fieldgate Street side to be known as the Maryam Centre, on a site originally used by the mosque's funeral services,[7] designed by the same architect.

[9] People associated with the London Mosque Fund over the years include:[10] From 1910 to 1940 various rooms had been hired for Jumu'ah prayers on Fridays.

On 2 August 1941 the combined houses were inaugurated as the 'East London Mosque and Islamic Culture Centre' at a ceremony attended by the Egyptian Ambassador, Colonel Sir Gordon Neal (representing the Secretary of State for India).

Under the leadership of chairman Haji Akbor Ali, the mosque launched a campaign to buy the land; the purchase was completed in 1999.

[23][25] On the opening day Sheikh Abdur Rahman Al-Sudais, Imam of the Great Mosque of Mecca, led the Friday prayer.

[32][33] In December 2008 the East London Mosque planned to allow Noor Pro Media to hold a conference on 1 January 2009 which would include a videotaped lecture by Anwar al-Awlaki.

[37][38] 5 Mar 2010: hosted the BBC's weekly live topical debate Any Questions?, chaired by Jonathan Dimbleby and with panellists Ken Livingstone (former Mayor of London), Shadow Business Secretary Kenneth Clarke, Mehdi Hasan (senior politics editor at the New Statesman) and Julia Goldsworthy (Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Communities and Local Government).

[39] 25 Aug 2010: subject of a BBC documentary, Middle EastEnders, that "chronicles the setbacks and triumphs of an institution which has shaped the identity of a corner of London", timed to anticipate the centenary of the mosque.

[40] 4 Sep 2010: the mosque raised over £1.1 million in one night in Ramadan on Channel S,[41] breaking the record for ethnic television for the third year in a row, in an appeal for the building of their Phase 2 expansion.

[43] 3 Sep 2011: the English Defence League (EDL) wanted to march past the mosque, but after widespread opposition[44] were prevented by a ban imposed by Home Secretary Theresa May.

[45] 20 Jan 2012: the president of the International Court of Justice, Hisashi Owada, delivered the keynote speech at Evolving World at the London Muslim Centre.

[49][50] June 2015: Purchase of the Fieldgate Street Great Synagogue[51] 30 Sep 2015: subject of BBC documentary Welcome to the Mosque by filmmaker Robb Leech.

[56] The Director is Dilowar Hussain Khan, The Khatib and Head Imam of the mosque is Abdul Qayum, the CEO is Junaid Ahmed, and the Chairman is Abdul-Hayee Murshad.

[67][68] In July 2017 the mosque and others complained to Pride London about placards displayed in their march by the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB), claiming they were Islamophobic.

[69] Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell defended the CEMB and criticised the mosque's record on homophobia, writing "In the last two years, I and my colleagues at the Peter Tatchell Foundation have 11 times contacted the mosque and LMC, requesting them to have a dialogue with the LGBT community: to build bridges and solidarity between LGBTs and Muslims to combat the prejudice, discrimination and violence that both communities suffer.

[79][80] Other visitors include Prince Charles,[21] Prince William, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (former Prime Minister of Malaysia),[26] Dzulkefly Ahmad, (Health Minister of Malaysia), Brendan Barber (Secretary General of TUC),[81] Louis Susman (United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom),[82] Sarah Mullally (Church of England, Bishop of London).

Services provided to the community include: nursery, primary and secondary schools; supplementary education; library; fitness centres; wedding and conference hire; support for deaf children and adults; ICT Training and English classes; advice and counselling; and exhibitions and open days.

[84] The mosque previously ran Muslim Community Radio (MCR), in partnership with the Islamic Forum of Europe, which started to broadcast in 1998 through an RSL, then through Spectrum.