Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board

The Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) was launched in 2006 to promote best practice in the British mosques. It is an independent self-regulatory body to supervise mosques and train imams. The new body seeks to ensure mosque personnel have a better understanding of British Muslims' needs and address their concerns more effectively.

It will also advise the government on the suitability of overseas preachers who want to enter Britain and help governing bodies counter infiltration by radicals.

"MINAB" originated from a proposal by the "Preventing Extremism Together" working-group, a forum including all main Islamic British organisations which was set up by the Home Office soon after the London bombings.

The body has been praised by some, like Communities Secretary Hazel Blears. Other have questioned its apparent links with the government. Inayat Bunglawala said: "If MINAB is to stand any chance of gaining legitimacy and making actual progress then it will need to prove that it is free from governmental interference." [ [http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/inayat_bunglawala/2007/11/stepping_forward_on_a_fine_line.html Stepping forward on a fine line | Comment is free ] ]

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5120338.stm "Watchdog for UK mosques launches" ] "BBC News"
* [http://www.mcb.org.uk/article_detail.php?article=announcement-567 MINAB launch ] "MCB"
* [http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/faisal_bodi/2006/06/tainted_at_birth.html "Reforms tainted at birth"] "Faisal Bodi,Commentisfree"
* [http://www.mcb.org.uk/uploads/MINABStandards.pdf] MINAB standards document

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