The Islamic Foundation

The Islamic Foundation, established in 1973 in the city of Leicester, is a major centre for education, training, research and publication. The Foundation seeks to build bridges between Muslims and others, while promoting the highest standards of academic research and publications”. [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1548786,00.html Radical links of UK's 'moderate' Muslim group | UK News | The Observer ] ]

The organisation was founded by Khurshid Ahmad, a senior figure in Jamaat-i-Islami.

The Islamic Foundation's website states, "Islam doesn’t need liberalising. Continuous renewal is central to Islamic jurisprudence. Those who say that Islam should reform itself have misunderstood it," says Mohammad Siddique Seddon who is a Research Fellow at the Islamic Foundation. "Muslims are often asked why their faith does not get modern or undergo liberalisation. Such a question shows a misunderstanding of Islam and its relationship to modernity. As a phenomenon essentially of the Christian world, modernity has not affected the Muslim world to the same extent. The impact of the Enlightenment in Europe culminated in a separation between faith and reason. Secularisation publicly elevated the profane and relegated religion to the realm of the private." [http://www.islamic-foundation.org.uk/articles/IslamDoesNotNeedLiberalising.htm Islam Does Not Need Liberalising ] ]

The Islamic Foundation runs and operates the The New Muslim Project. [http://www.newmuslimsproject.net/ index ] ] under White British convert, Batool Al-Toma.

The Islamic Foundation is an affiliate of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). [http://www.mcb.org.uk/affiliates.php MCB ] ]

The Islamic Foundation, through its online bookstore [ [http://www.mcb.org.uk/affiliates.php MCB] ] , promotes the works of Islamist fundamentalists Sayyid Abul ALa Mawdudi and Sayyid Qutb.

The book, The Islamist, by Ed Husain is described as an Islamist organisation with extremist ties. [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,2099538,00.html 'They threatened my life. But I will still speak out' | Focus | The Observer ] ]

Trustees

A list of the trustees as of February 2006;MR O MEGERISI, PROFESSOR KHURSHID AHMAD, DR A O NASEEF, MR A MAJID, A R SIDDIQUI, MR M H FARUQI, MR Y J AL-HIJJI, RAO MOHD AKHTAR, DR A AHMAD, DR K HELBAWI, MR K RAHMAN, MR Z PARVEZ, MR S F AHMAD. [ [http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showtrustees.asp?Chy=263371&Reg=263371&Type=Main+Charity&Name=THE+ISLAMIC+FOUNDATION&SubID= Extract from the Central Register of Charities maintained by the Charity Commission for England and Wales ] ] [ [http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/ScannedAccounts%5CEnds71%5C0000263371_ac_20041231_001_01_e_c.pdf] Dead link|date=March 2008]

Notes and references

ee also

*Islam in the United Kingdom
*Muslim Council of Britain
*Muslim Educational Trust

External links

* [http://www.islamic-foundation.org.uk/ Official site]
* [http://www.mcb.org.uk/affiliates.php MCB affiliates list]
* [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1548786,00.html Observer investigation]
* [http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/investigations/inquiryreports/if.asp Charity Commission Inquiry Report]
* [http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?regno=263371&submit=Run+Search Extract from the Central Register of Charities]