The Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) was set up in 1990 for

British Muslims Islam is the second largest religion in the United Kingdom, with results from the 2011 Census giving the total population as 2,786,635, or 4.4% of the total UK population,The Young Muslims UK (YMUK).

Background

The ISB's first president was Zahid Parvez. On 16 November 2013 Sughra Ahmed was elected president of ISB, the first female to hold that post. According to ''Islamic Organizations in Europe and the USA'', the society caters to non-Arab Sunni Muslims, born and brought up in Britain. Anti- Islamist author,

Ed Husain Ed Husain (born 25 December 1974) is a British author and academic. He is also a professor in the Walsh School of Foreign Service in Georgetown University. As a political advisor he has worked with leaders and governments across the world. He ...

, who participated in an ISB "Usrah" religious study group in the 1990s, describes the society as "proudly British", predominately middle class and professional. Julie Siddiqi was the executive director of the Islamic Society of Britain from 2010 to 2014. According to the book ''The Muslim Brothers in Europe: Roots and Discourse'', the society is "based on a chaotic partnership" between members or former members of the

Muslim Brotherhood The Society of the Muslim Brothers ( ar, جماعة الإخوان المسلمين'' ''), better known as the Muslim Brotherhood ( ', is a transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt by Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan ...

and former members of

Jamaat-e-Islami Jamaat-e-Islami ( ur, ) () is an Islamic movement founded in 1941 in British India by the Islamic theologian and socio-political philosopher, Syed Abul Ala Maududi.van der Veer P. and Munshi S. (eds.''Media, War, and Terrorism: Responses fro ...

. R. Geaves describes ISB as one of several movements that "have their ideological roots in the activism of

Sayyid Qutb Sayyid 'Ibrāhīm Ḥusayn Quṭb ( or ; , ; ar, سيد قطب إبراهيم حسين ''Sayyid Quṭb''; 9 October 1906 – 29 August 1966), known popularly as Sayyid Qutb ( ar, سيد قطب), was an Egyptian author, educator, Islamic ...

and Maulana Mawdudi", but whose "radical voice that called for an Islamic state has been toned down to a gradualist approach and the emergence of `British Islam`." According to Husain, the society broke with

, and has taken a "vehement stand" against the global, neo-caliphate Islamist group

Hizb ut-Tahrir Hizb ut-Tahrir (Arabicحزب التحرير (Translation: Party of Liberation) is an international, political organization which describes its ideology as Islam, and its aim the re-establishment of the Islamic Khilafah (Caliphate) to resume Isl ...

. In 1997, some supporters of the

"broke off" from ISB to form the

Muslim Association of Britain The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) is a British Sunni Muslim organisation founded in 1997. MAB has been well known for its participation in the protests opposing the Iraq War. More recently, it has been known for promoting Muslim partici ...

, and Husain writes, some bitterness remains between the two groups. According to Anshuman A. Mondal, the society "has been one of a large number" of British Muslim "organizations, individuals and processes ... that have been contesting older Islamist ideas, to varying degrees.".

Methods of working

The Islamic Society of Britain directs its work into the following areas: Internally: * Open and dynamic organisation * Personal development of members- in outlook, Understanding, skills and character * Facilitating spiritual progress of members And externally: * Promoting a deep awareness of Islam * Social concern and engagement

Membership and structure

The Islamic Society of Britain is a nationwide organisation that has local branches in addition to a national guiding body, the 'Shura' - consisting of representatives from all the major sections of the organisation. The president and Shura are elected every two years by the membership. Annual Members Meetings provide a formal setting for members to feedback to the leadership, exchange views and opinions and help shape the organisation (although informally this is occurring all the time). ISB is an organic body of Muslims with no hierarchical structure other than individual participation. Membership is open to all Muslims irrespective of gender, age or background.

Activities

The activities of ISB are held at local, regional and national levels. They encompass a range of events, which contribute to fulfilling ISB's aims and vision. These include: * Islam Awareness Week Launched in 1994 by ISB, Islam Awareness Week aims to combat stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding Islam and Muslims. Most notably, the campaign was featured on the social media platform

Snapchat Snapchat is an American multimedia instant messaging app and service developed by Snap Inc., originally Snapchat Inc. One of the principal features of Snapchat is that pictures and messages are usually only available for a short time before t ...

with a filter that was captioned ‘Young, Muslim and British’ in March 2017. The filter allowed users of the platform to share messages about the role Islam plays in their lives. * Radio broadcasting * Exhibitions * Conferences * Seminars * Weekend spiritual development retreats * Regional and national camps * Lecture programs * Study circles * Dinners and social gatherings * Jumu`ah (Friday prayer) provision at schools * Sports tournaments ISB also produces: * Information leaflets * Booklets * Magazines * Audio and video material They run many national projects including: * The Young Muslims UK * Islamic Scouts of Britain * Living Islam * Islam Awareness Week * Knowledgeseekers * Weekend4Women * Nasheed Extravaganza The Islamic Society of Britain was an affiliate body of the

Muslim Council of Britain The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is a national umbrella body with over 500 mosques and educational and charitable associations affiliated to it. It includes national, regional, local, and specialist Muslim organisations and institutions fro ...

until February 2016, when it disaffiliated.

Controversies

Screening of ''The Message''

In 2015, on behalf of the ISB, The Grosvenor, a cinema in

Glasgow, Scotland Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, was due to screen '' The Message'', an Oscar-nominated film about the life of the prophet

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mono ...

. The screening was met with opposition by some groups, claiming that the film was disrespectful and offensive to Muslims, and following threats the screening was cancelled. In response to the cancellation, the ISB said:

“These protestors demonstrate the worst elements of our community, as they are imposing their beliefs on others.”

They also expressed “deep regret” that a decision had been made based on what it viewed as a “small number of objections.”

Poppy hijabs

Joining Remembrance traditions to remember those fallen in war, the ISB launched a version of the customary

poppy A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, ''Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug opi ...

in the form of a ‘poppy hijab’, a headscarf designed with printed poppies for Muslim women as a way for them to support the campaign. The hijab was created in collaboration with think-tank, British Future and also aimed to remember the Muslim soldiers who had also fought in World War I. The president of ISB, Sughra Ahmed said:

“It’s a way for ordinary Muslim citizens to take some attention away from extremists who seem to grab the headlines. This symbol of quiet remembrance is the face of everyday British Islam – not the angry minority who spout hatred and offend everyone.”

The move was met with opposition by some British Muslims who viewed it as a ‘test’ for British Muslims who had to prove their loyalty to Britain and to show that they were not ‘extremists’. Further objections also included that the hijab, which many treat as a sign of religiosity and devotion to God, should not be used as a political tool.

Notes and references

External links

Islamic Society of Britain
{{DEFAULTSORT:Islamic Society Of Britain Islamic organisations based in the United Kingdom Islamist groups 1990 establishments in the United Kingdom Islamic organizations established in 1990