The Jamia Usmania Mosque in Bradford gained prominence after a video of older men doing Pilates at the mosque went viral. With 2 million views of their Pilates lesson video, the BBC covered Jamia Usmania Mosque’s Pilates class.
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Speaking to the BBC, the mosque’s administrator, Muhammad Ilyas, stated that the classes aim to support the health and well-being of the community’s elderly members. He added that the mosque hosts men over the age of 50 every week and now had to limit the number of members in each class after the overwhelming response.
Ilyas added that the mosque is utilising these lessons to foster social harmony in the community, with the instructor including each member during class. The members later enjoy tea with biscuits and fruit, creating additional opportunities for social interaction.
The Pilates classes have proved to be a source of support for the members, emotionally and physically, 62-year-old Abid Khan said. He joined these lessons after a heart transplant in 2024. Started as a hobby, 60-year-old Habib Rehman said he is amazed by the reactions to the Pilates video online. He said that he started the lessons after he suffered from sciatica and lower back pain.
The classes are led by Zafar Kayani, who stated that his goal is to improve members’ health. He added that he is passionate about delivering these goals, as men over 50 are not given enough opportunities. Jamia Usmania is working to expand its women’s classes once the new mosque building is complete. Currently, the mosque hosts a pilates lesson for elderly men every Thursday.
