National Consultation on the
Mosques Imams National Advisory Body (MINAB) 2006

The British Government set up a Muslim Taskforce following the events of 7 July 2005, to look into proposals for the Government and Muslim civic organisations to take forward and to consider how the Government and Muslim communities could work in partnership to help prevent extremism. The working groups, comprising the Taskforce were set up on an informal basis with members being invited because of their expertise and experience rather than as representatives of their organisations.

The groups were expected to:

Manage any additional consultation with other stakeholder as part of the process;

*      Generate and develop the analysis and reach agreement on which proposals to make to the Home Secretary;
*      Negotiate agreements with relevant civic organisation proposals which could be announced in late September.

The Working Group on Imams and Mosques made four recommendations:

1. A new national advisory body/council of mosques and imams. This body would be inclusive and representative of the many traditions practiced in the UK, independent and lead by the institutions it serves.

2. The setting up a National Resource Unit, (NRU), for the development of curricula in madrasah/mosques and Islamic centres. The NRU will also develop programmes and guidelines for the teaching of staff that function within these institutions. The programmes and guidelines will be developed with respect and in compliance with the diversity and school of thought in the Muslim community overall.

3. The establishment of continuous professional development programmes for the ‘up skilling’ of current imams and mosque officials in the UK. Theological training to be provided only by specialist Muslim seminaries, Islamic scholars skilled in training imams in the UK and elsewhere for those seeking to pursue further development.

4. Design a publication that highlights and promotes good practice from amongst mosques, Islamic centres and imams in the UK. Lord Ahmed was the Convenor of this working group and following the publication of the report in November 2005 felt it incumbent upon himself to take the recommendations forward. In January 2006 Faith Associates were appointed as consultants to provide administrative support to Lord Ahmad as he pursued these recommendations and subsequently an Advisory Body was set up comprising representatives from British Muslim Forum, the Muslim Council of Britain, Al-Khoei Foundation and Muslim Association of Britain.

Summary of Major Findings

1202 Questionnaires were sent out throughout the UK. The consultation process organised 11 public meetings in major strategic locations around the country and these were attended by 424 people representing local, regional and national mosques, Islamic centres and all schools of thought and was felt to be a strong representation of the community involved in the management of the religious places of worship for Muslims in the UK.

There was huge concern amongst the imams and the members of the Muslim community that there was unjustified blame and persecution of mosques, imams and Muslims in general due to the case of Imam Abu Hamza and Finsbury Park Mosque, London. The Authors were advised by delegates, during the consultation process that this attitude must change if the Government is serious about tackling extremism together. The community must be made part of British society and not be alienated dueto its beliefs.

92% of the Responses to the Questionnaire supported the creation of MINAB and the feedback at the public meetings held again provided overwhelming support for MINAB. 61% of the Respondents said that MINAB should be an advisory body.

31% said that MINAB should be funded by both Government grants and membership fees and 76% said that it should include representation from all the schools of thought, scholars of Islam, youth, women, professionals and imams.

9% of the Respondents said that MINAB should have regulatory powers to enforce its recommendations if it is to be effective. It was strongly emphasised that MINAB must be recognised by the Government and all the mosques in the UK to be effective. Many felt that the structure of MINAB should have three levels; national, regional and local levels to be effective and for everyone to feel that they belonged and had a say in the direction of the organisation.

72% of the mosques/Islamic centres that responded have charitable/trust status and 49% are run by members of executive committees elected by the local community on different periodic basis. 33% of the Respondents had Imams who held PhD, MA or BA qualifications, and 27% had qualifications from Darul Aloom.

32% of the Respondents said that their imams had an excellent grasp of English, 47% said that the imams had a basic grasp of English and 13% indicating that the imams had no grasp of the English language at all or did not complete this element of the question.

27% of the Respondents use other languages as well as English for the Friday Sermon. In the great majority of these cases the other language is Urdu, Arabic, Bengali and Somali.

68% of the Respondents use other languages apart from English to deliver the message.

43% of the Respondents said no training was being provided to either the imams or members of the executive committees and there are many areas where it was indicated that training would be both useful and welcomed. All the mosques provided prayer facilities; in addition

47% of the mosques were providing basic services such as Qur’an classes and mother tongue language classes.

34% of the mosques were providing these basic services and additionally other language classes, homework clubs, IT clubs, funeral and wedding services and fundraising for charitable causes.

70 % of these mosques were providing these services for nominal fees or voluntarily.

19% of the responding mosques/Islamic centres were providing a variety of both religious and community based services and facilities, that had secured funding from various bodies, had proper fee charging mechanisms in place and that could be established as centres of excellence or beacon centres for others to learn and benefit from.
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