To support UK mosques with reopening safely in line with public health regulations, MCB has issued a 9-step guidance pack. The guide was produced after feedback webinars with over 30 regional and national Muslim associations and Council of Mosques during early June as well as an earlier online consultation in May which received over 350 responses.
In early June, the MCB hosted several regional feedback webinars on how we can help mosques, madrasas and community centres re-open inline with COVID-19 secure guidelines from as early as 4th July.
Panellists from a range of regional associations/ Council of Mosques shared their updates Fromm North, Midlands, and South. Additionally, we held webinars for London mosques, and on training for mosque safety officers, committee members and marshals.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland regional planning are progressing separately due to regional variations, email [email protected] for more information. Click here to read more.
Other highlights this month
#VisitMyMosque Goes Virtual
During the weekend 19-21 June, thousands of Britons took part in virtual mosque tours across the UK as part of the Visit My Mosque campaign, which this year was held in partnership with the Great Get Together campaign.
Mosques taking part included Cambridge Central Mosque, Europe’s first eco-mosque, which has also delivered more than 1,000 food packages to staff at the local Royal Papworth Hospital during lockdown, as well as Inverness Masjid in North Scotland, one of the UK's most northerly mosques.
This is a statement of solidarity and a declaration of intent.
We stand in solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters in the United States, UK and beyond, wherever anti-Black racism manifests. We recognise that anti-Black racism must be stamped out wherever it may manifest, for a failure to do so will continue to result in the taking and ruining of precious life.
We commit to playing our part in tackling anti-Black racism within the UK, supporting the individuals and organisations doing vital work in this space, whilst focusing on addressing anti-Black racism within Muslim communities.
COVID-19: Submission to PHE on disproportionate deaths in the BAME community
On Tuesday 2nd June, Public Health England published its report into the disparities in risks and outcomes of COVID-19, having previously announced it would conduct a review into the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on BAME people. The Muslim Council of Britain was one of over a thousand community stakeholders which submitted evidence to this review.
This announcement was met by reports that this had been censored and a key section of the relative risk of COVID-19 to specific groups was removed. Read our full statement here.
MCB Calls for the Stopping of Further Land Grab of West Bank
The MCB calls on our government to take firmer action in stopping the State of Israel from taking further land away from the Palestinian people.
Plans to annex nearly 30% of West Bank territory not only contravene international law, they render the very possibility of the establishing of a viable, independent Palestinian state impossible. Given such breaches of international law by the State of Israel aren’t unprecedented, condemnation alone will not suffice – concrete action must be taken to prevent what would amount to the effective dismantling of the two-state solution itself.
We call upon the UK Government and opposition parties to stand united against such extremism and the prospect of the annexation of West Bank territories in clear defiance of international law. Our approach to foreign policy must always be underpinned by the upholding of human rights.
On 30 June, following a complaint by the MCB's Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM), The Sun acknowledged its error and made substantial changes to its article (here) that falsely claimed ‘Half of UK imported coronavirus cases ‘originate from Pakistan’, based on a The Telegraph exclusive on 26 June 2020 (here). The The Mail Online (here) corrected shortly after. But The Telegraph has still not corrected it's piece yet at the time of writing.
Following the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj & Umrah announcing on 22 June that the numbers performing Hajj will be “very limited” this year, Harun Khan, MCB Secretary General, said: “Whilst physically unable to be present, the symbolic messages of Hajj – in particular that of the equality of man regardless of race, colour or creed, made especially relevant in light of recent global events – must continue to reverberate within British Muslim communities and guide our efforts to work towards a fairer and more just society for all.”
A new Jummah Grants fund has been launched providing support grants of between £250 and £1,000 for small mosques based in the UK with an annual turnover of under £250,000.
Small mosques can register for the Jummah Grants programme online and benefit from free webinars and 1-to-1 fundraising advice and support at SupportOurMosques.com/JummahGrants.
Those who say, when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return” (2:156) | Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
It is with great sorrow that the Muslim Council of Britain has received the news of the demise of our friend and colleague, Munawer Rattansey. We have lost a wise, dedicated and unassuming community leader. Throughout these years he participated in the work of the MCB, as Council of European Jamaats (CoEJ) delegate at annual general meetings. In 2016 he was elected to the MCB’s National Council and served as the zonal representative for South London and Southern England.
The MCB offers its condolences to the family of the late Professor Muhammad Anwar, who passed away in London on 11 June 2020 after a period of ill-health. He will be remembered with affection as a most warm and helpful scholar, ready to offer his expertise and advice when called on by community organisations.
Summary of MCB's media activities, interviews and appearances this month:
Mosque Re-opening Guidelines:
The Telegraph - Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), said the announcement was "positive" but added it "lacks clarity" for mosque leaders on how to implement the regulations for their congregations. He said: "Mosques are provisioned primarily for congregational worship, so there is currently significant uncertainty and concern from mosque leaders on how the new regulations can actually be implemented.
Sky News - The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) sent a 15-page document with their own recommendations on what should be done to tackle the issue and help protect lives in the future. Miqdaad Versi, of MCB, said: "It's very disappointing when many organisations, including the Muslim Council of Britain, put significant effort into trying to support the government in finding the best solutions and recommendations that can help our country tackle these problems of structural inequality that are there in our society, and that's entirely disregarded."
Middle East Eye - Highest Rate of COVID Muslim Deaths in the UK among Muslim Men. Harun Khan, the secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said, "Today's ONS figures confirm what Muslim communities, academics and health-care professionals have been saying for months: that we are dying of Covid at disproportionate rates, and that the root cause of this must be addressed in order to prevent the further unnecessary loss of life," Khan said in a statement. Yet, the UK Government continues to obfuscate the problem, denying the role institutional racism plays in creating health inequalities, failing to tailor the public policy to the needs of different communities and overseeing the excess deaths of British Muslims.”
And The Times (Athiests less likely to die from COVID than believers), Independent (Black men suffer highest coronavirus death rate in UK, government figures show) and Metro (Highest UK COVID deaths among black men)
#BlackLivesMatter - BBC Radio 4 Sunday - MCB Assistant Secretary General Rashidat Hassan speaking on tackling anti-Black attitudes within Muslim communities (from 22:11)
Tory Islamophobia - iNews (Conservatives need to be held accountable for their Islamophobia) and Newsweek (Muslim Council of Britain Fears Anti-Muslim Prejudice Won't Be Addressed in Racism Commission)
Leadership Activities
Snapshot of MCB's leadership activities this month:
Convened roundtable with London's deputy mayor for policing and representatives from Muslim organisations across London to discuss the impact of COVID-19 (Public Affairs Manager Zainab Gulamali and Secretary General Harun Khan)
Attended APPG on British Muslims meeting to highlight the work of MCB members throughout the pandemic (Zainab Gulamali)
Attended Met Police Faith Leaders meeting (Zainab Gulamali)
Attended London's Faith Advisory Panel and London Belief Forum meetings (Zainab Gulamali)
Attended the Interfaith Network Faith Communities Forum meeting, as well as individual meetings with several Christian, Jewish, Sikh and Buddhist representatives discussing reopening of places of worship. (Deputy Secretary General, Hassan Joudi)
Delivered presentations at numerous regional briefing webinars and training sessions on mosque reopening organised by regional and national MCB affiliates.
Meeting with Marsha de Cordova, Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary (Zainab Gulamali, Head of Public Affairs MiqdaadVersi and HarunKhan)
Attended the 15th Year Incorporation Celebration Event of the Muslim-Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester (Hassan Joudi)
Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM) Director Rizwana Hamid took part in a Media Democracy Festival panel discussion on Race & Religion, Silencing & Scapegoating
Gave oral evidence at the APPG Religion in the Media Inquiry into Religious Literacy (RizwanaHamid)
Consultation Submissions
Recent consultations submissions:
MCB response to Home Office's Places of Worship Security Consultation
MCB's Centre for Media Monitoring response to IPSO Editors Code Review
MCB's Centre for Media Monitoring Submission of Evidence to the Lords Select Committee on the Future of Journalism
MCB's Centre for Media Monitoring Submission of Written Evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Religion in the Media for their Inquiry into Religious Literacy
Ramadan Tent Project (RTP) - a community institution developing the understanding and experience of Ramadan and fasting for all, and the thinkers and makers behind the My Open Iftar. RTP's vision is “to become the leading institution of Ramadan in Britain, empowering individuals from all backgrounds to develop their understanding, knowledge and experience of Ramadan and fasting.”
Shamsiya Trust, was established in May 2017 as a community serving and reaching minorities around the Coventry area, and contributes to helping community and society by providing religious, ethical education and development programs which will install values to future generations living in Coventry UK and surrounding areas.
The MCB is an independent, cross-sectarian and democratic membership-based organisation and our mission is empowering Muslim communities to achieving a just, cohesive and successful British society. The MCB leadership team above are democratically elected, serve for 2-year terms and perform their duties in a voluntary capacity.
