Shining symbols of leadership in the Muslim community

By Yasmin Abaas

Now more than ever, it seems, the Muslim community in Britain is facing an alarming shortage of ‘meaningful’ community leaders and thinkers. We are facing no shortage at all of the ‘usual suspects’ found in almost every town and city where Muslims dwell, who’s own concerns seem to lie more in getting their right side photographed for the front page, or quashing the latest up rise of demands for a fair election on the Mosque committee. These symptoms of ignorance and corruption are an inevitable outcome of a network of organisations that have remained un-regulated until now. However there is something positive that is emerging with the same inevitability as the negative in our communities and that is a growing number of Muslims who are indeed making their mark on British society as people who really are more concerned with improving the state of the Muslim community in Britain, than improving the state of their own public image. These are individuals who have clearly understood the critical need for positive representation of the Muslim Community in Britain. Yasmin Abaas looked at a few individuals whose voices are being heard with great interest in all parts of British Society.

Khurshid Ahmed

Recently appointed Deputy Chairman of the CRE (Commission for Racial Equality) and also recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Birmingham University, Khurshid Ahmed, and his message of peace and unity between all communities in Great Britain, has been responsible for much of the progress made in shaping the Governments perspective on issues such as ‘Tackling violent extremism’ and capacity building within British Mosques. A non-executive director of Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust, Khurshid Ahmed was previously Assistant Chief Executive and Head of the Race Relations and Equal Opportunities Unit at Birmingham City Council. He has also served on the official enquiry into the Danall disturbances in Sheffield in 1995/6. He also chairs the National Association of British Pakistanis, the Dudley Race Equality Council and the Dudley Community (Strategic) Partnership. Khurshid is Chair of the Dudley North constituency Labour Party and is also now the Chairman of the British Muslim Forum.

Dr Tahir Abbas

Well-known academic Dr Abbas is Reader in Sociology and Director of Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Culture, University of Birmingham. He has made numerous key contributions towards the study of the Muslim Community in Britain. He has written article journals, books and conducted research with such titles as ‘The radicalisation of young British Muslims’, ‘Educating South Asian Muslim ethnic minorities’, and ‘The State We’re In: Identity, Terror and the Law of Jihad to name but a few. He has most recently returned form Poland as part of

the commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day and has commented on the British Muslim communities partial indifference to this tragic event saying “And yet, we sit aside and avoid an official recognition. An important spiritual, cultural and politically strategic opportunity is being sadly missed, and it does not bode well for British Muslims if the official voice of British Islam continues to refuse to attend this austere occasion.’

Asghar Bukhari

Chairman of MPAKUK (Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK), Mr Bukhari is fast emerging as a household name and face in the mainstream British Media. His un-compromising, and some have branded ‘controversial’ style of comment and debate on the issues surrounding the Muslim community and MPAK’s very prominent stance against the Israeli treatment of Palestinians is creating ripples of throughout community and government. He however maintains his stance against anti Semitism and is currently involved in the development and capacity building of British Mosques.

Ruhana Ali

Recently elected as Sabbatical Education and Welfare Officer at the LSE (London School of Economics), She is the first Muslim woman to be elected for this position at the LSE. Still a student herself at the age of twenty, she has already made extra-ordinary pace in establishing herself as a prominent and very popular figure on the University scene. In her new position, Ruhana is responsible for representing over 8000 students at the LSE, (half of which are Post-Grads.) Her role involves, amongst other things, representing students who find themselves accused of plagiarism.

Ruhana has already been Vice-Chair of the Student Union General meetings, she has spent a year as the head of Journalism for a filmmaking Society, she co-hosts a radio show and currently presents a children’s show on a Bengali TV channel.