T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
The Islamic Foundation and the
Markfield Institute of Higher Education
(MIHE) in conjunction with the Islamic
Development Bank and the Islamic
Research & Training Institute (IRTI),
Saudi Arabia held an Orientation
Workshop & Research Seminar
under the theme of “Asset-based and
Mortgage-based Financial Products
from an Islamic Perspective” on 10-
12 November 2008 in London. This
programme was in continuation of
the earlier training programmes that
were held in the 1990s and was revived
to address some of the key current
financial challenges that the world
was facing at the present time with
the primary objective of identifying
alternative solutions that Islamic finance
may be able to offer.
The programme comprised of a two-day
intensive training workshop and one
day Seminar which was opened out to a
wider invited audience. The workshop,
which was attended by academics,
scholars, practitioners and students
from the United Kingdom and a
number of countries around the world,
consisted of both academic lectures
and training sessions. A number of
research papers were presented by some
of the worlds leading academics and
practitioners in the field such as Dr
Umer Chapra, Dr Sami Al-Suwailem
and Dr Salman Ali from IRTI, Mr
Nathif Adam, CEO First Community
Bank, Kenya, Dr Andreas Jobst from
the IMF and Mr Mohammed Amin
from Pricewaterhouse Coopers amongst
others. The workshop which was held in
the Royal Foundation of St Katharine in
Limehouse, presented the opportunity
for participants to interact with the
lecturers and discuss the detailed well
researched papers that formed part of
the study material that was given to the
participants.
The workshop was followed by a Research
Seminar on 12 November 2008 and
held in the London Muslim Centre. In
addition to the workshop participants, the
Seminar was attended by a wider invited
audience comprising of practitioners
from the City, representatives of
community organisations, and interested
members of the public.
After a welcome and brief introduction
about the organisers by Dr Manazir
Ahsan, Director General Islamic
Foundation and Dr Sami Al-Suwailem,
Deputy Director IRTI respectively, the
Keynote address was delivered by Rt
Hon Stephen Timms MP, Financial
Secretary to HM Treasury. In his address
Mr Timms stressed the importance of
Islamic Finance in the current economic
climate and the vital role being played
by the Muslim community in actively
contributing to many areas of wider
society.
NewsletterOrientation Workshop and
Research Seminar on Islamic Finance
TheISLAMICFOUNDATION
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continue on page 2 »»»
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
This was followed by the Inaugural
address which was given by Mr Mark
Hoban MP, Shadow Financial Secretary
to HM Treasury. In his speech he said
that there is unanimity amongst all
major political opinions about the
importance of Islamic Finance to British
economy. Next was a speech by Sir Iqbal
Sacranie Chairman, Muslim Aid, who
spoke on the Islamic Finance Industry
in the UK, in which he highlighted the
strides that have been made so far in
the UK to accommodate the growth
of the Islamic Finance industry. He
suggested that more needs to be done
to ensure that the benefits of Islamic
Finance are not only enjoyed by the
Muslim community alone but the
society at large. The inaugural session
was concluded with an Address by Sir
Peter Soulsby MP for Leicester South. In
appreciation of their participation, all
the speakers were presented with a copy
of Dr Umer Chapra’s latest book entitled
“Muslim Civilization: The Causes of
Decline and the Need for Reform” by the
author on behalf of the organisers.
The next session was devoted to
presentations of key academic research
papers that addressed some of the
critical issues currently being faced in
the financial markets with a view to
paving the way for potential solutions to
the present crisis. The speakers included
Dr Noureddine Krichene from the IMF,
Prof Habib Ahmed from University
of Durham, Dr Seif El-din Tag El-din
from MIHE and Dr Sami Al-Suwailem
and Dr Salman Ali from IRTI. The
topics undertaken started by analysing
the causes for the present crisis and
the lessons that can be learned from
this and then went on to propose
some potential solutions such as social
housing and offering assistance to
homeowners.
The third session of the Seminar
consisted of presentations from
a range of organisations offering
Islamic financial products in the UK.
These included representatives of
HSBC Amanah, Al-Buraq, Salaam
Halal Insurance and 1st Ethical. This
session helped in creating awareness
about the active efforts being made by
various organisations in the industry
and provided an ideal opportunity
to further discuss some of practical
difficulties being encountered by the
practitioners in the field..
The concluding panel of the seminar
brought together a number of speakers
from the Workshop and Seminar
and included Dr Umer Chapra. The
panel was able to answer a final round
of questions that were put by the
audience and offered advice to students,
researchers and practitioners on the
future direction and developments
within the Islamic Finance sector
worldwide.
Orientation Workshop««« continue from page 1
In August 2008, the Directorate for Justice, Freedom
and Security and European Commission published
the report, ‘Studies in Violent Radicalisation: Beliefs,
Narratives and Ideologies’ by the London-based
consultancy, the Change Institute. Yahya Birt, then of
the Policy Research Unit at the Islamic Foundation,
was the lead researcher for the UK portion of the
study and also provided the Change Institute with
the analytic basis for the core ideological elements
involved in violent radicalization that were used in
the executive report. He was ably assisted by Sadek
Hamid of the University of Chester during the research
phase of the project in the summer of 2007, in which
key activists were interviewed. The executive report,
summarizing research findings from Britain, France,
Denmark and Germany, can be downloaded from the
Directorate’s website.
EU Report on Radicalization Published
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
On Tuesday 18 November 103 students graduated at the
Markfield Institute of Higher Education (MIHE). Following
the recital of the Qur’an, Dr. Manazir Ahsan welcomed
Professor Shirley Pearce, the Vice Chancellor and President of
Loughborough University, guests and students. In his address
Dr. Ahsan spoke of the vision for the Institute when it was
established in 2000 and of the contribution Loughborough
University over the past five years in helping the realization
of that vision. Sadly however, validation of our Degree
programmes has now ended and Dr. Ahsan expressed his
gratitude to the Vice Chancellor and Professor John Presley
for their support over the years and hoped that MIHE and
Loughborough University would continue to maintain links
and might work together in the future.
Dr. Ahsan then presented MIHE Certificates in The Training
of Muslim Chaplains, Islamic Counseling and Islamic Finance
and the Diploma in Islamic Finance and Professor Shirley
Pearce conferred Postgraduate Certificates, Diplomas and MA
Degrees on 47 students.
Professor Pearce then addressed the graduands. She
congratulated them on their achievements and on the
award of a Masters Degree in their particular discipline. She
acknowledged that this represented a great degree of sacrifice
and hard work on their part and wished them every success
in their chosen careers. She hoped that the future would
present opportunities for both institutions to work together
and wished The Markfield Institute of Higher Education
every success with its new partnership with the University of
Gloucestershire.
MIHE Graduation 2008
MIHE organised a
one day seminar on
Wednesday 29 October
2008 on the theme of
Justice and Suffering. The
aim of the seminar was
to discuss the issues of
“Justice and Sufferings”
that the participants may
have thought about, or
sufferers they had dealt
with or even experienced
over the years.
The attendance to the seminar was
limited to 45 participants, which
included a variety of thinkers from
the Jewish, Islamic, Christian and
secularist backgrounds, including
chaplains, clergy/Imams as well
as academics. The purpose of the
seminar was to promote greater
understanding of sufferings in
religious tradition. The first half of
the seminar consisted of four speeches
from a Christian, Muslim, Humanist
and Jewish perspective, delivered by
Professor Bernard Moss, Imam Shahid
Raza, Dr Allan Hayes and Rabbi Dr
Michael Hilton respectively. The
second half of the seminar involved
group discussions on subjects such as:
Natural Disasters, Crime and Cruelty,
Illness and Disease and Institutional
Injustice. Active debates ensued after
the speeches which showed a keen
interest in the subject matter. The
discussion groups in the afternoon
allowed participants to thoroughly
explore the relevant issues and put
forward their point of view.
This was a carefully planned event
which was rated excellent by
participants in terms of management,
organisation and the quality
of discussions. Participants
found the experience
enlightening, as they had
the opportunity to discuss
the issues related to Justice
and Suffering from different
perspectives and they
enjoyed meeting people
from various backgrounds.
Many of the participants
indicated their desire to
attend such events in the future.
Currently, a comprehensive report
on the seminar is being prepared and
will soon be published on our website
for wider circulation. MIHE plans to
organise similar seminars in future
to encourage discussions pertaining
to issues of mutual interest among
different faith groups.
This seminar was sponsored by
‘The Edith Murphy Foundation’
and accredited by the ‘Chaplaincy
Academic and Accreditation Board’
(CAAB).
A day seminar on ‘Justice and Sufferings’
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
University of Gloucestershire
Citation on 3 December 2008: The
University of Gloucestershire is
awarding an Honorary Doctorate of
Philosophy to Dr. Ataullah Siddiqui
for his outstanding contribution
to inter-faith understanding and
education. Dr. Siddiqui is a respected
scholar and is currently the Director
of the Markfield Institute of Higher
Education, a collaborative partner of
the University. Over the last twenty-
five years he has been involved in
a number of inter-faith initiatives,
especially Christian-Muslim relations.
He was the founder member of the
Leicester Council of Faiths, established
in 1986, and initiated Hindu-Muslim
and Sikh-Muslim dialogue groups
during 2003 – 2005 in Leicester. He led
the Inter-Faith project for twenty-two
years and headed the ‘Islam in Europe’
unit from 1996-2004 at the Islamic
Foundation. He was the convener
of the Christian-Muslim Dialogue
Group from 1985-1991 and a joint
convener from 2000-2006. He was
appointed a member of the Archbishop
of Canterbury’s ‘Listening Initiative
in Christian-Muslim
Relations’ (2001 – 2004)
by the former Archbishop,
Dr. George Carey. The
group produced its report
in June 2004. On the
recommendation of the
report, the Christian-
Muslim Forum was
established under the
patronage of current
Archbishop Dr. Rowan Williams, who
appointed Dr. Siddiqui the president
and vice-chairman of the Forum. He
has been a member, since 1998, of an
academic discussion group of Jews,
Christians and Muslims. He is also
involved internationally; from 2002
– 04 he was Advisor to the Programme
Task Force of the ‘Parliament of the
World’s Religions’ conference held in
Barcelona in 2004. He was involved
in a number of consultations with the
World Council of Churches in Geneva
and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for
Interreligious Dialogue, and was invited
to deliver the prestigious Bradley
Lecture on the 50th anniversary of
the Pontificio Istituto di Studi Arabi
e d’Islamistica
(PISIA) in Rome.
Dr. Siddiqui is also
one of the founder
members of the
World Council
of Muslims for
Interfaith Relations
(WCMIR). He is
also credited with
the introduction
of innovative modules within post-
graduate Islamic Studies programmes,
such as ‘Islam and Pluralism’ and
‘Inter-Faith Relations’, as well as the
introduction of the ‘Certificate in
Training of Muslim Chaplains’. In 2006
the Minister of Higher Education,
Bill Rammell MP, invited Dr. Siddiqui
to review the teaching of Islam in
universities in England. The report,
Islam at Universities in England:
Meeting the Needs and Investing in the
Future was published in 2007, and
was widely received and debated. In
December 2006 the Queen invited him
and his wife for a reception to Bucking-
University of Gloucestershire awards an
Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy to Dr. Siddiqui
Chancellor! Vice-Chancellor
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Thank you so much for this award
and recognition of my contribution
to inter-faith relations in Britain. The
thing that has motivated me over the
years, and persuaded me to participate
in inter-faith relations has been the
sincerity and commitment of people
of various faiths. It was their powerful
conviction that they could contribute
in a meaningful way towards building
a cohesive and just society which
attracted me. They draw upon their
spiritual resources for engagement in
public concerns.
They also affirm that a fruitful mutual
engagement cannot be strengthened
unless both convergence and
recognised divergence are held in a
creative relationship. In this process
I always emphasise that one has to
recognise and value the ‘otherness
of the other’. Many times, in my
experience, problems arose out of
mis-understanding simply because
we as individuals cast our image of
the ‘other’ and believe that this image
represents the other person as the
authentic image. One does not feel the
necessity to engage and explore what is
so different in others’ personality and
beliefs or way of life.
Ladies and Gentlemen!
I would like to add my congratulations
to all of you who have graduated from
this university today. Your hard work
and dedication has paid off. When I
graduated [that was only few decades
ago], I reflected on the people who had
elped me to get to that stage. First
and foremost were my family. While
I was full of gratitude to my parents,
they too felt that in my graduation they
had achieved their own aspirations.
Their emotional, loving, and caring
investment has not been wasted. Hence
my congratulations are also for your
families. Their sacrifices signify a
landmark event in their lives, too.
Dr. Siddiqui acceptance speech
continue on page 5 »»»
ham Palace in recognition of his except-
ional contribution to British society’.
h
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
As the graduates are entering into a
world of employment, occupation
and livelihood, the challenges they
will face will be multi-dimensional.
The problems that I have faced after
graduating and entering into the job-
market and the world at large have
been two-fold:
One, my relationship with human
beings, I have realised, is constantly
being tested at every level and at every
opportunity. I have been conditioned
by the environment in which I live
and the technology that I rely so much
on. Things are taken for granted, and
I have very little opportunity or even
means to decipher what I have been
given. I have to disseminate not only
information but also mis-information
and disinformation. This is a constant
battle one has to engage with. What is
important in this respect is to develop a
mental process to look beyond what has
been presented to us. This exercise of
going beyond comes with a requirement
for patience and endurance.
Two, religious wisdom taught me that
human beings are created weak. First,
they lack determination, and second,
they are forgetful beings. What this
meant to me was that I had to be
considerate and forgiving to others,
and hope that others would do the
same. It is not easy. There will be
occasions when you will be tested, as
I was, and I hope you will overcome
these challenging moments in life with
graciousness.
I am so delighted to attend this
ceremony and honoured to share such
a wonderful day with the students,
their families and staff. Every student
graduating today from this university
should be proud of their achievements,
and I wish them all the best for their
future.
Finally, I would like to share this award
with those who are committed to make
a difference for good in peoples’ lives.
I hope you will be able to swell the
numbers of such groups of people. In
my case, the people who shared my
forgetfulness, my lack of determination
and my absence from home are my wife
and my twin daughters. I am grateful
for their love and enduring support
over the years. Thank you
Dr. Siddiqui speech
At the back of the recent success
of short courses in 2008, MIHE
is once again offering a range of
short courses specifically focused
on providing the skills to help
meet these needs of the Muslim
Community. The courses range
from basic introductory level
to a postgraduate diploma
level which enable students to
progressively develop their skills.
An important development
for short courses in 2009 is the
allocation of credit points for
certain courses towards specific
postgraduate programmes.
For example, upon successful
completion of ‘Diploma in
Islamic Jurisprudence’ and
‘Diploma in Islamic Finance’
courses, students will be
awarded credit points which
can be carried forward to
the specified MA Degrees
awarded by the University of
Gloucestershire. The following
Short Courses will be delivered
in 2009:
• Introduction to Islamic Counselling • Certificate in Training of Muslim Chaplains • Certificate in Muslim Family Law
• Certificate in Islamic Finance • Diploma in Islamic Finance • Diploma in Islamic Jurisprudence
Information and application forms are available from our website www.mihe.org.uk. Alternatively you can contact
Asim Riaz on 01530 244 922 [ext 290] or email [email protected] with your questions regarding short courses.
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
In the Shade of the Qur’an
Fi Zilal al-Qur’an Vol. 16
Surah 48-61
ISBN 978-0-860374-07-7 PB
° Price 11.95
ISBN 978-0-860374-02-2 HB
° Price 17.95
Publication Date: December 2008
Aisha goes in search of colour
Lisa Jane Dhar
Bubblesville, is
the capital of
Nectarland, it is
known to be the
most colourful
place in the
whole world. It
is home to the
world’s most special and unusual
insects. Aisha is one of those special
and unusual insects. Aisha is two
and a half days old, (that’s 10 and
a half years in butterfly years), she
is three inches tall, has four wings,
two antenna, and she is the most
unusual butterfly Bubblesville has
ever seen…… Discover what makes
Aisha so special and unusual in a
mysterious and enchanting place.
How does Aisha learn to live
with being different and how will
others react to her being different?
Find out for yourself, in this well
known and humorous classic tale
amongst the insect world.
32pp.
ISBN 978-0-86037-472-5 HB
° Price 3.95
Publication Date: December 2008
The Way of the Prophet:
A Selection of Hadith
Shaykh ‘Abdul Ghaffar Hasan
of Delhi
Translation by Usama Hasan
Features: Full Arabic text of
each hadith with translation
and commentary The Way
of the Prophet is a translation
of a selection of 401 traditions of the
Prophet Muhammad and includes
a commentary to elucidate their
meanings. This comprehensive
selection covers faith, worship, morality
and character, ethics, society, law and
politics in Islam. It was originally
compiled in the 1950’s by Sheikh
‘Abd al-Ghaffar Hasan of Delhi at the
request of Sayyid Abu’l A‘la Mawdudi
and is mainly based on Mishkat al-
Masabih of al-Khatib al-Tabrizi and al-
Adab al-Mufrad of Imam Bukhari. This
work provides a comprehensive and
concise introduction to the teachings
of the Prophet.
256pp. ISBN 978-0-860374-57-2 PB
° Price £9.99
Publication Date: January 2009
Discovering the Ottomans
Ilber Ortayli
Translated by Jonathan Ross
What was the significance of
the Ottoman Empire? What
kind of lives did people
live? What lessons can be
learnt from the civilization
that the Ottomans created?
What does the Ottoman Empire mean
to us today? One of Turkey’s leading
historians, Ilber Ortayli, answers all
these questions in Discovering the
Ottomans, a brilliant set of learned and
engaging reflections on the everyday
life, legacy and enduring relevance of
the Ottomans. Ilber Ortayli, born in
Vienna in 1947, is a leading expert
in the Ottomans, who is known for
making history accessible to a wider
audience, and is Director of the
Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul.
Sold over 150,000 copies in the Turkish
language
192pp. ISBN 978-1-84774-008-3 PB
° Price 7.99
Publication Date: February 2009
Seven Steps to Moral Intelligence
Musharraf Hussain
How do we develop a good
understanding of right and wrong?
How do we change ourselves so that
we can live by the universal moral
values of Islam? This straightforward
guide tell us how to do this in seven
steps including self-motivation,
realising that we need to change and
that change is possible for us, self-
examination, self-control, how to
go about changing ourselves, and
monitoring our progress. Based on
the teachings of Imam al-Ghazali and
upon years of practical experience
in teaching young Muslims, Dr
Musharraf Hussain has given us a
contemporary and accessible way
to understand and apply Islamic
teachings to character building.
ISBN 978-1-84774-009-0 PB
Publication Date: March 2009
KUBE PUBLISHING FORTHCOMING TITLES
Haris Ahmad, Managing Director, Kube Publishing Ltd,
recently signed a distribution agreement with Consortium
Book Sales and Distribution, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
USA. From September 2009 Kube and Islamic Foundation
books will be distributed into the mainstream market,
libraries, academic sector as well as Amazon.com in the
USA and Canada. This distribution arrangement is part
of a major initiative by Kube management to boost sales
of its products in one of the largest retail markets in the
world.
In addition, the past few months have seen the
appointment of new distributors for Kube in Egypt and
Iran. The first shipment to Iran and Egypt is expected to
be despatched some time in the early part of the New Year.
Kube Publishing
www.kubepublishing.com
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
First Principles of Islamic Economics
Abu’l A‘la Mawdudi
First Principles
of Islamic
Economics
collects
together the
major writings
on Islamic
economics
by Abu’l A‘la
Mawdudi
(1903-79), one of the leading
Muslim intellectuals of the twentieth
century. Written between the 1930s
and the 1960s, Mawdudi laid down
the foundations of modern Islamic
economic philosophy. Drawing upon
the teachings of the Qur’an and
Sunnah, Mawdudi spelled out major
elements of a new paradigm for
economic analysis and policy, wherein
economic pursuits take place in the
context of moral values and directed
towards achievement of personal
and social objectives. The uniqueness
of this approach lies in making
efficiency and equity inseparable
and interdependent. In an Islamic
framework creation and distribution
of wealth become instrumental in
promoting individual and social
well being, enabling the economic
discipline to open up pathways
to economic development, social
justice and human welfare. Khurshid
Ahmad, who edited the Urdu original,
Ma’hshiyat-i Islam, has contributed a
new introduction to this authoritative
English translation by Shafaq Hashmi.
ISBN 978-0-86037-492-3 PB
° Price: £16.99
ISBN 978-0-86037-482-4 HB
° Price: £29.99
Publication Date: March 2009
The Perfect Gift
Julie Mair
Sarah is upset because she cannot find
an Eid gift for her mother. She decides
to take a walk along her secret path in
the woods, which always makes her
feel better. There, she not only finds
the perfect gift, but also learns to
appreciate nature and what it means
to live in submission to Allah (swt). A
‘Perfect Gift’ would only be suitable
for someone as special as a mother.
Take some excellent learning points
away as you read about the creativity
of a young girl and how with a little
imagination she finds a gift that is just
absolutely perfect!
22pp. ISBN 978-0-86037-403-9 HB
° Price £3.95
Publication Date: March 2009
KUBE PUBLISHING FORTHCOMING TITLES
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Al-Ghazali’s Revival of the religious
Sciences: An Abridgement by Salih Ahmad
Al-Shami
Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali
Translated by Mokrane Guezzou and
M.Manazir Ahsan
Ihya al-‘Ulum al-Din (The Revival of the
Religious Sciences) is the masterwork of
Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (1058–1111
CE), widely considered as one of the most
significant figures in Islamic intellectual
history. In the East, al-Ghazali was
generally thought to have been the renewer
(mujaddid) of the fifth century of the
Hijrah, while in the West, the works of
‘Algazel’ were translated into Latin as early
as the twelfth century CE. Al-Ghazali provided a synthesis
of Islamic orthodoxy that, in achieving a balance between
exaggerated literalism and excessive rationalism, has
exercised great influence down to the present day. Armed
with an impressive philosophical and religious erudition,
al-Ghazali wrote powerful refutations of the Ismailis and
the Muslim philosophers in defence of Islamic orthodoxy.
Al-Ghazali’s scholastic brilliance was shown by his works
in logic, philosophy, jurisprudence, legal
theory and mysticism, all acknowledged
as classics in their respective fields. The
widely-praised abridgement by the Syrian
scholar Salih Ahmad al-Shami preserves
the gist of each chapter without adding
anything to the original text, and has
retained only those Prophetic reports
(ahadith) regarded as authentic, relying
on the works of the hadith specialist al-
Hafiz al-Iraqi and Murtada al-Zabidi, the
famous commentator on the Revival. The
abridgement is accompanied by indexes of
Qur’anic verses, Prophetic reports and of
persons as well as a general subject index
to provide for full and easy referencing.
Presented conveniently in a single volume, this first
authoritative abridgement in English of al-Ghazali’s Revival
will be of broad interest to specialists in classical Islamic
thought as well as to general readers and students.
750 pp. ISBN 978-0-86037-452-7 HB
° Price £40.00
Publication Date: March 2009
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
Training
The Centre regularly delivers training
on Islamic issues for civil servants
and service providers, including
high security prisons, regional
government offices and central
government departments. A workshop
on extremism was delivered for the
Government Office of the North
West, also attended by a number of
senior police officers. A day course was
delivered to local government officers
and councillors in Crawley, where
a number of high profile raids took
place. Councillors struggling to engage
with community mosques welcomed
an insight into denominational
differences.
Policy Focus – briefing on new bills,
legislation and reports
A recent initiative developed by
the Policy Research Centre aims to
provide comments / briefings on key
bills, acts and reports. ‘Policy Focus’
began with briefings on the Forced
Marriage Protection Order – FMPO
(November) and the Queen’s Speech
(December). Both the briefings aimed
to provide a concise breakdown of the
topic, its contents and the potential
outcomes. Future briefings will take
the form of written documents as well
as contributions in the media through
local newspapers and BBC Radio
Leicester where discussions will be
held live on air each month.
The Policy Research Centre published
two contributions in the Leicester
Mercury (November) discussing
Children in Need and the Poppy
used to symbolise the sacrifice of
war veterans. The contributions were
welcomed by both the newspaper and
the local community; other pieces
include First Person columns in the
same newspaper.
Policy Matters – electronic journal
The Centre is in the process of
establishing an electronic journal
that will be composed of articles
commissioned to leading experts and
opinion formers. Through a series
of monthly comment articles, Policy
Matters – which be launched in early
2009 – will explore policy related
ideas and perspectives that will be of
interest to those working on issues
pertaining to British Muslims.
Seminar on Secularism
The PRC, MIHE and Kube Publishing
are holding a roundtable seminar
on British Muslims and the Secular
State. This seminar will be held on
Wednesday 21st January 2009 and will
bring together a group of prominent
intellectuals, experts and opinion
formers in the field. A short book will
be compiled from the proceedings.
NHS Project
On behalf of the NHS Heywood,
Middleton and Rochdale the PRC is
conducting research on educational
material designed to highlight the
dangers of tobacco consumption,
specifically aimed at Pakistani and
Bangladeshi communities.
Dilwar Hussain has been offered an
Honorary Fellowship at Goldsmiths
College, University of London (Faiths
and Civil Society Unit).
Policy Research Centre
Professor Zarka
visited the Islamic
Foundation
and Markfield
Institute of Higher
Education and
delivered 3 public
lectures on Islamic Economics and
Finance from 14-16 October 2008.
The following three broad themes
were explored:
a) The Sukuk Debate in Fiqh and
Economic Perspectives
b) Commercial Insurance, life
Assurance – The search for viable
Islamic alternatives
c) The debt earthquake in Islamic and
Sharia Perspective
Professor Zarka is a renowned scholar
and Islamic economist with a deep
insight into global financial affairs.
All the lectures were highly beneficial
and were thoroughly enjoyed by the
audience, which consisted of both
MIHE students and invited guests.
Professor Zarka was able to present the
complex financial ideas and theories in
a highly simplified manner, allowing
participants to relate to the subject
at hand. His friendly and accessible
manner kept the audience enthralled
and the sessions often extended
beyond the allocated time due to the
many questions from the participants.
Public Lectures by Professor Muhammad Anas Zarka
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
Dawud Wharsnby and Children
Islam Awareness Week was celebrated
all over UK with so many events and
activities on 17 – 23 November
2008. The Library, once again,
took active part in the Leicester
city celebration and ensured that
the small village Markfield was
fully represented. The theme for
IAW this year was “Celebrating the
best of Britain: promoting shared
values” and Dawud Wharnsby’s
music helped in conveying
perfectly the shared values we have
in common in multicultural Britain.
Mercenfeld Primary School joined the
music event with their music teacher
Karen Silverwood. The children enjoyed
singing and playing musical instruments
with Dawud, whilst learning about
other cultures and trying to understand
others without any pre-judgments. It
was a great day for children to learn,
think and enjoy. The event ended with
Mercenfeld school choir singing for
Dawud and showing their appreciation.
Many thanks to Karen and Dawud
for joining us and making the event
happen.
Celebrating Art
An art event was organized jointly
by Markfield village library and the
Foundation library to mark Islam
Awareness Week. Nargis Imran from
Leicester held a workshop on Islamic
calligraphy and introduced it to the
residents of Markfield village. The event
started with a general introduction
to Islamic calligraphy followed by
a practical session for everybody to
try and write their names in Arabic
alphabet. There was also a craft corner
to keep the children entertained whilst
their parents participated in the art
event. Participants were very
keen to develop their calligraphy
skills and promised to continue
to practice their skills. My thanks
go to Claire, Nargis and Sendra
for their help for organizing the
workshop.
External Membership Scheme
Since the external membership
scheme was introduced in 2005,
many researchers have enjoyed using the
library and benefit from its resources.
The scheme has proved very successful
over the years and has not only created
awareness about the library’s services
but has also managed to generate some
income to be re-invested in improving
the services further. If you would like
to know more information about
becoming a member, please download
an application from
www.iflibrary.org.uk
Islam Awareness Week at the Library
Ramadan commenced with a bumper
issue of Meeting Point full of useful
articles and information which was
dispatched to over 2500 individuals and
150 prisons. The newsletter has almost
doubled in size during the last year and
is now presented in a 20 page format.
Despite a dearth of funding the NMP
still managed to provide two of its
most popular Ramadan programmes
on a shoestring budget and is now
seeking new sponsors. The annual
Ramadan Retreat again proved to be
an outstanding success with over 60
participants from around the country
enjoying a weekend in the seclusion
of Markfield. The aim was to provide
an intensely spiritual experience with
the weekend falling during the last ten
nights of Ramadan. An interesting array
of speakers, presentations and prayers
were offered with the highlight being
an excellent and uplifting
talk by Luqman Ali entitled,
‘The Embodiment of
Dhikr.’ The Ramadan
Retreat remains an
important occasion on the
NMP calendar as it offers
the participants the chance
to strengthen their faith and
to meet with other converts in a friendly
and comfortable environment.
The following weekend New Muslims
from around the UK and their families
again joined together at Markfield to
celebrate Eid with an open day full
of enjoyable activities. For some New
Muslims this is their only opportunity
to celebrate Eid in a community setting,
as they often do not have extended
family networks or may not know of
groups of Muslims with whom they can
join in Eid activities.
Despite the inclement weather which
curtailed the outside activities an exotic
array of reptiles and animals kept the
children and their parents fascinated
and engaged inside. Chuckle Chops the
clown provided light entertainment.
Lunch was provided and refreshments
were available throughout the day.
The proceedings were rounded off
with renditions of humorous Turkish
dramatic sketches based on the life
of Sheikh Hoja Nasr ud-Din which
were followed by a melodic nasheeds
performance.
New Muslim Project
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
International Conference on Animal WelfareIn collaboration with leading
international Muslim and non-
Muslin NGOs, the Egyptian Society
of Animal Friends (ESAF) hosted
a two-day international conference
in Cairo, from 18th – 19th October
2008, on the subject of Animal
Welfare. The main theme of this
conference was “The Islamic
Principles on Animal Transport
and Slaughter” and was attended
by 120 delegates who came, not
only from Muslim countries, but
also from the UK, Australia and the
USA. Apart from many veterinary
experts, heads of NGOs, Ministers
and representatives of the Ashar
University, the highlight of the
conference was the attendance of
HRH Princess Alia al-Hussain of
Jordan. At the request and support
of Compassion in World Farming
(CIWF) and its Ambassador,
Joyce D’Silva, Dr Manazir Ahsan
represented the Islamic Foundation
and the Muslim community in the
UK at the conference, and chaired
its inaugural session. It is to be
noted that in collaboration with
Compassion in World Farming, the
Foundation has published the revised
edition of Hafiz al-Masri’s celebrated
book, Animal Welfare in Islam, and
organised a one-day seminar in the
Foundation on the issues of slaughter
(Dhabh) and stunning of animals
from faith perspectives.
The Islamic concept of humane
treatment of animals was reiterated
and highlighted by most of the
speakers at the conference and it
was felt that, despite the World
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
Code of Practice and Animal Welfare
Guidelines for the transportation of
animals, in many places animals are
still ill-treated during their transport
and slaughter. The conference
therefore adopted a number of new
recommendations to further alleviate
the suffering of animals and requested
the Sheikh al-Ashar and the Ashar
University to endorse these before
they are forwarded to all national and
international organisations in the
Muslim and non-Muslim world.
Dr Abdulhameed Al-Mazroo, Assistant
Secretary General for Offices and
International Relations, World Assembly of
Muslim Youth (WAMY), accompanied by
Mr Mohammad Abdulmughni Al-Babtain
from Saudi Arabia visited the Foundation
on 8 October 2008. Both visitors had an
opportunity to see first hand the activities of
the Foundation and its various departments
and were impressed by the strides that have
been made over the years. Dr Al-Mazroo
was keen to use the visit, to examine ways
in which WAMY could benefit from the
Foundations activities and work in the future.
WAMY official visits the Foundation
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
Dr Abdullah Sahin • In collaboration with colleagues
from the University of Warwick
and College of Basic Education in
Kuwait published a paper on attitudes
towards religion and morality among
young adults in Kuwait in the Journal
of Muslim Mental Health (3:9-
24,2008).
• In October 2008 contributed to
the panel discussion on “spiritual
care in religiously and culturally
diverse societies’ at the Spirituality
Conference at Launde Abbey
organised by the education
department of the Leicestershire and
Rutland Hospice (LOROS)
• In November 2008 gave a research
seminar at the University of
Birmingham (Department of
Theology and Religion) discussing
new developments in philosophy of
Islamic education.
Dr Abul Hassan Publications
• “Corporate Social Responsibility
Disclosure for Islamic Financial
Institutions”, Business Islamica
Magazine, Vol.2, September issue,
2008, pp. 66-72
• “Home Sweet Home: Islamic Housing
Financing in UK”, Business Islamica
Magazine, Vol.2, October issue, 2008,
pp. 48-54
• “Deep Roots: Islamic Finance
Education Thrives in UK”, Business
Islamica Magazine, Vol.2, November
issue, 2008, pp. 64-72
Lectures
• Delivered a lecture on the topic
“Shari‘ah Perspective of Islamic
Banking” organised by the Students
Islamic Society of Sheffield Hallam
University on October 22, 2008 held
at Sheffield.
Book Review
• 2008. Review of Khorshid, A(2004).
Islamic Insurance A modern approach
to Islamic banking, New York:
RoutledgeCurzon in Muslim World
Book Review.
Dr Ataullah Siddiqui• Was invited by the Intercultural
House, Stavanger Norwy on 11
September 2008. He gave a talk on
Theological roots of Islamophobia.
He also joined a panel discussion for
a question answer session on the same
issue.
• Was invited by the University of
Gloucestershire on 21 October 2008
to participate in a day-consultation
on Faith-based higher education
institutions and Universities. He spoke
on academic freedom and integrity in
the context of a belief system.
• Was invited by the Oslo Coalition
Norway on 25 November 2008 to
comment on the draft Codes of
Conduct document: ‘Missionary
Activities and Human Rights:
Proposing a Code of Conduct
regarding Missionary Activities.’ He
was also asked to give half an hour
presentation on ‘Missionary Activities
and Human Rights: Perceived
Problems’.
Dilwar Hussain Publications
• “Islam” in Zaki Cooper and Guy
Lodge (eds.), Faith in the Nation:
religion, identity and the public realm
in Britain today, IPPR, December
2008.
• “The Impact of 9/11 and 7/7
on British Muslims”, Open
University, http://learn.open.
ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.
php?id=171142§ion=17
• “Islamophobia: Old Wine in New
Bottles?”, in Islamophobia and the
Challenges of Pluralism in the 21st
Century, ACMCU Occasional Papers,
August 2008.
Seminars and Lectures
• Panel for the Open University on
Alternative Perspective on Islam,
Nottingham Castle, 20th September
2008.
• Discussion on Muslim Communities,
Policy Planners Network, Organised
by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue
at the Commonwealth Institute, 17th
October 2008.
• Presented at a Symposium on
Education, Faith and Citizenship,
Magdalen College, Oxford, 22nd
November 2008.
Naved Siddiqi• Attended a conference on The Politics
of New Belonging at Cumberland
Lodge, Windsor, 6th October
2008. The event marked the 40th
Anniversary of the Runnymede Trust.
Sughra Ahmed• Presentation on Muslim women
and mobilisation at the Inter Faith
Network UK AGM, 30th June 2008.
• Seminar on Social capital and
dimensions of equality, Carnegie
Trust UK, 31st July 2008.
Staff Activities
T H E I S L A M I C F O U N D A T I O N N E W S L E T T E R
w w w . i s l a m i c - f o u n d a t i o n . o r g . u k
The NEWSLETTER is published by the Islamic Foundation. For further copies or more information about its projects, publications and courses, contact:
THE ISLAMIC FOUNDATION, Markfield Conference Centre, Ratby Lane, Markfield, Leicestershire , UKTel () ⁄ Fax () E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
VisitorsA number of prominent national and
international visitors have graced the
Foundation during the last few months:
Sahibzada Sultan
Fiazul Hassan
Sarwari Qadri,
Patron and
Chief of Hazrat
Sultan Bahoo
Trust visited the
Foundation on
16 September 2008. Sahibzada Sultan
Faizul Hassan appreciated the range
and breadth of activity being done the
Foundation and congratulated it for
the positive contribution it is making to
British society in general and the Muslim
community in particular. The visit
provided an opportunity to identify areas
of mutual cooperation with a view to
organising joint programmes between the
Islamic Foundation and the Hazrat Sultan
Bahoo Trust. Further meetings were
planned to follow up on the discussions
that were held during the visit.
Siraj Mashoor and Dr Saiful Islam,
Chief Executive Officer and General
Secretary of Muslim Foundation
for Culture and Development, Sri
Lanka accompanied by Ash-Sheikh
M Abdullah, Secretary General
Organisation for Muslim Students’
Education and Development, Sri
Lanka visited the Foundation on 30
October 2008. Both these organisations
are working in the area of education
and social upliftment of the Muslim
community in Sri Lanka. The visitors
were keen to develop close ties with
the Foundation and were especially
interested in organising some courses
being provided in MIHE that they
found could be delivered in Sri Lanka.
Dr Rafiuddin Hashmi, Head of Urdu
Department, University of Punjab,
Pakistan visited the Foundation in
August 2008. Dr Hashmi, who is
associated with the Iqbal Academy,
Lahore, is regarded as a leading expert
on the great poet and thinker Sir
Muhammad Iqbal. He is the author of
over 35 books on various subjects.
The Islamic Foundation
and Markfield Institute of
Higher Education welcomed
Dr Khalid M Al-Mathkoor,
Chairman of the Higher
Consultative Committee
for the Finalization of
the Application of the
Provisions of the Islamic
Sharia, at the Diwan Amiri
of the State of Kuwait on 20 October
2008. Dr Mathkoor was accompanied,
during his visit, by Dr Ayoub Al-Ayoub,
Secretary General and Mr Yaqoub
Al-Kandri, Treasurer of the Higher
Consultative Committee.
Dr Mathkoor is one of the senior most
government officials in Kuwait and has
previously been chair of Department
of Sharia at Kuwait University. He is
also a member of the Higher Planning
Council of the Fatwa Committee at the
Ministry of Endowments and Islamic
Affairs in Kuwait and is a member
of Sharia Supervisroy Boards of a
number of leading Islamic financial
institutions in Kuwait. During the visit,
the delegation met with senior members
of staff from the Foundation and the
Markfield Institute and explored areas
of mutual cooperation and discussed
avenues where the Higher Consultative
Committee may be able to contribute
positively to the progress of the
Markfield Institue through student
recruitment and development of courses
and programmes that may be offered
jointly in the future.
The Markfield Institute availed the
opportunity of the visit by organising
a seminar under the theme of
“Implementation of Islamic Sharia in
Modern Society” which was delivered by
Dr Mathkoor in the afternoon.
In his address Dr Mathkoor
explained how his Committee
has been working hard over the
years, and said that one of the
first tasks it undertook was to
try to correct the misconception
that existed amongst both
Muslims and non-Muslims
alike, which narrowly equated
the implementation of Sharia to merely
carrying out Hudood punishments. He
said that Sharia relates to all aspects of
ones life and that his Committee has
overall responsibility in ensuring that
laws that are passed in parliament in
Kuwait conform to the teachings of the
Sharia. This he said, is not imposed but
is done systematically by preparing a
conducive environment within society
for its acceptance. The audience were
fortunate to hear an authority on the
subject and to benefit from his wealth
of experience in practically working
towards implementing Sharia at a
societal level in Kuwait.
Senior Delegation from Kuwait