New Secretary General, COVID-19 Third Wave, Mosque Survey and more.

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The Muslim Council of Britain | Providing a voice for British Muslims
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Monthly Briefing
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January 2021 & Election Update
Issue 77

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In this edition:
** New Secretary General (#AGM)
| ** COVID-19 Third Wave (#covid)
| ** Community News (#MCBinMedia)
| ** Media (#MCBinMedia)

** ()
New Secretary General Zara Mohammed Elected
** ([link removed])

On 31st January, the 23rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the MCB took place virtually for the first time. This follows the ** online hustings ([link removed])
between the two Secretary General candidates, Ajmal Masroor and Zara Mohammed, the week before.

The new Secretary General (SG) as announced by the Election Commissioner Khalid Sofi, is Zara Mohammed.

Upon her election, Zara Mohammed, said: “My vision is to continue to build a truly inclusive, diverse and representative body; one which is driven by the needs of British Muslims for the common good. Being elected as the first female Secretary General is quite an honour and I hope it will inspire more women and young people to come forward to take on leadership roles. They are the future of this organisation and our society.”

Hassan Joudi has also been re-elected as Deputy Secretary General.

Outgoing Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Harun Khan, said: “It has been a privilege and honour to serve our communities over the past four and a half years as Secretary-General of this great national institution. There have been some amazing achievements during my tenure which stand testament to the dedication of volunteers, staff and our members. I wish the very best of success to Ms. Zara Mohammed – may she continue to lead this organisation to greater heights for the betterment of our communities across the country.”

** Click here to read the full new Secretary General press release ([link removed])

Click here to download the ** MCB Annual Report for 2019-20 (PDF) ([link removed])
** ()
COVID-19 Third Wave Update

** ([link removed])

Lockdown and Vaccination Misinformation

Following the announcement of a new “Stay At Home” lockdown and a 'Major Incident' declared in London as an estimated 1 in 30 Londoners had COVID-19, the MCB issued a press release and updated guidance.

Click ** here to read full press release ([link removed])
** ([link removed])

As the national COVID19 vaccination programme accelerates, the MCB is supporting the British Islamic Medical Association's (BIMA) comprehensive set of infographics addressing common misconceptions and myths.

** Click here to view and share nearly 40 myth buster graphics. ([link removed])

For latest COVID-19 guidance for Muslim communities, visit ** www.mcb.org.uk/coronavirus ([link removed])

You can also receive MCB COVID19 updates via ** Whatsapp ([link removed])
or ** Telegram ([link removed])
.

** ([link removed])

Survey - Impact of COVID Restrictions on Mosques in Britain

Are you worried about your mosque's finances or attendance levels?

Complete this short survey and help get some of your challenges heard by government, funders, media and the wider Muslim community.

** Click here to complete the short survey ([link removed])
** ()
Uighurs: Genocide Amendment to Trade Bill
** ([link removed])

A 'Genocide Amendment' to the UK Trade Bill was passed in the House of Lords this month, aiming to promote a UK trade policy that challenges trade partners such as China who are accused of genocide.

The MCB issued a detailed briefing to MPs ** (click here to read briefing) ([link removed])
** ([link removed])
however the bill was narrowly voted down by 11 votes on 19th January. A revised bill is being drafted to go through Parliament again shortly, to keep up pressure on the UK Government to take stronger action against China for the ongoing persecution of Uighur Muslims.

Meeting with Irish Muslim Representatives

** ([link removed])

On 27th January, MCB leadership and affiliates, including Belfast Islamic Centre, met with representatives of the** Irish Muslim Peace & Integration Council (IMPIC) ([link removed])
including Chairperson Shaykh Umar Al-Qadri.

Discussions included building stronger Ireland-UK Muslim community ties and in Europe more widely, the ongoing impact of COVID19, convert care, and tackling increasing Islamophobia & hate crime such as the recent ** Belfast Multi-Cultural Association ([link removed])
arson attack.
Donate to Stop Forced Cremations in Sri Lanka
** ([link removed])

The MCB is supporting efforts to submit a complaint to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) to reverse the Sri Lankan Government's current flawed policy of 'forced cremation' of COVID-19 deceased persons.

A task force consisting of UK-based Sri Lankan representative bodies, lawyers and medical experts is driving forward this work. You can help by donating to aid this campaign ** here ([link removed])
.

To follow the campaign to end forced cremations in Sri Lanka, please click ** here ([link removed])
.

** ()
Upcoming Events
Understanding Islamophobia

Islamophobia is a pervasive societal challenge that the MCB remains committed to tackling however and wherever it may manifest.

February will see a series of interventions aimed at fostering a greater understanding of what Islamophobia is and tackling Islamophobia across society. Watch this space for more details.


Racial Justice E-Modules
Islam & Racial Justice Online Conference, Oct 2020

A series of short e-Learning modules for community members on Islam and racial justice are planned in early 2021.

The modules will build on the ** Proudly Muslim & Black ([link removed])
campaign that the MCB is facilitating together with several partners. Watch this space for more details! For further information or to get involved, email ** [email protected] (mailto:[email protected] )


** ()
Community News

** ([link removed])

Inspirited Minds - Free Mental Health Training for Imams & Community Leaders

Inspirited Minds is offering free mental health and wellbeing training on 14th February to equip Imams and Community Leaders to support your community better!

Click ** here ([link removed])
to sign up now as spaces are limited! If you have any issues registering, register directly at ** inspiritedminds.eventbrite.com ([link removed])

For queries, email: ** [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
** ([link removed])

National Zakat Foundation - Imam Development Fund, apply by 5th February
The ** Imam Development Fund ([link removed])
has been set up to provide grants to existing and aspiring Imams and Scholars to upskill and gain qualifications which will help them to better serve their communities and congregations in the UK.

The National Zakat Foundation has allocated £100,000 from the Education Fund to build this crucial capacity in Muslim communities across the UK. If you are an aspiring or existing Imam, ** click ([link removed])
** here ([link removed])
** to register. ([link removed])

Deadline to apply: 5 Feb 2021

** ([link removed])

National Huffadh Association - Publication of a study on Qur'an memorisation
Does learning the Qur’an improve memory capacity?

This study supported by the National Huffadh Association UK explores this and related issues and identifies ways in which memorisation of the Qur'an might be improved based on the latest evidence from memory science. Click ** here ([link removed])
to access the publication abstract and full text.
** ([link removed])

Race Equality and Civil Rights Through Football
MCB Assistant Secretary General Rashidat Hassan will be speaking at a live webinar organised by the Black and Asian Coaches Association to celebrate Rosa Parks Day on Thursday 4th February, 3-5pm. ** Book via eventbrite here ([link removed])
.

Donate to Support More of this Work

** ([link removed])

Your Zakat helps the MCB in creating a better environment for British Muslims across the board. Did you know that the MCB has a number of Zakat eligible projects actively running?

Donate as little as £5/month towards MCB's various campaigns and projects.

Click ** here ([link removed])
to donate.

** ()
MCB in the Media this Month


Uighur Muslims: UK Trade Bill Amendment
* ** F ([link removed])
** inancial Times ([link removed])
: Tory rebels seek to block trade deal with China over Uighurs. "It (the amendment to the trade deal) is backed by all the opposition parties as well as the Muslim Council of Britain and the Board of Deputies of British Jews."
* Also in ** The Guardian ([link removed])
The Guardian view on Xinjiang and crimes against humanity: speaking and acting and ** The Independent ([link removed])
Boris Johnson facing China trade deal Tory rebellion with ‘genocide amendment’

Prevent and William Shawcross appointment
* ** T ([link removed])
** he Guardian ([link removed])
: A spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Britain said Shawcross’s appointment was a “Trumpian” move. They said: “Once again, the government is making it clear it has no interest in truly reviewing the policy. William Shawcross is singularly unfit to be a neutral and fair assessor of this government policy, which has been criticised for unfairly targeting British Muslims, given his frightening views about Islam and Muslims. “It is ironic that a policy supposedly charged with preventing extremism is to be scrutinised by a person who holds hostile views on Islam and Muslims, who has links to people with extreme views on us, and who defends the worst excesses of the so-called ‘war on terror’.”
* ** The Guardian ([link removed])
: A spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “These latest figures and the example of the four-year-old Muslim boy reaffirm our view that Prevent is a flawed policy, presenting fundamental issues that must be subjected to a robust and truly independent review."
* ** Daily Mail ([link removed])
: Harun Khan, the organisation's (MCB) secretary-general, said: "For far too long, the Prevent strategy has affected the lives of innocent families, been criticised for mainstreaming discrimination and lost the trust of communities around the UK."

COVID19 Lockdown and Vaccination Myths
* ** B ([link removed])
** BC News ([link removed])
: The Muslim Council of Britain urges "strong caution for mosques wishing to continue remaining open to the public for worship... and for tremendous care to be exercised".
* ** The Guardian ([link removed])
: Harun Khan, said some mosques in England had voluntarily suspended communal activities in recent weeks “out of precaution” and many Muslims had taken individual decisions regarding the risks of going their mosque to pray. Mosques should take “tremendous care in choosing to remain open to the public" and on ** vaccinations ([link removed])
, The Muslim Council of Britain has also circulated ** BIMA’s position statement ([link removed])
on the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines, which states they contain no animal products or human embryo cells.
* ** SW Londoner ([link removed])
: Hassan Joudi, the Mosque Affairs Coordinator at the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “A lot of mosques are really feeling the impact.” Joudi highlighted the reduction in donations provoked many Mosques to “think about financial stability and technology” including the introduction of contactless payment in places of worship.

Islamophobia
* ** Foreign Policy ([link removed])
: In 2020, the Muslim Council of Britain sent a ** dossier of 300 allegations of Islamophobia ([link removed])
against Prime Minister Boris Johnson and members of the Conservative Party to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission.

Sri Lanka Forced Cremations
* ** The Muslim News: ([link removed])
“We welcome the expert panel’s revised guidance which allows for burials and is in line with the World Health Organization recommendation. This is a positive step, and we urge the Sri Lankan Government to reverse the policy of compulsory cremation,” said MCB Secretary-General, Harun Khan.

Media coverage of the new Secretary General will be covered in next month's newsletter.

Vacancies

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We are regularly recruiting for a range of voluntary and paid roles at the MCB. These currently include:

1. ** Youth and North Region Manager ([link removed])
*New - Apply by 14 February*
2. ** Social Media Assistant ([link removed])

3. ** Grant Writing Assistant ([link removed])

4. ** Speculative application ([link removed])

Visit ** www.mcb.org.uk/careers ([link removed])
for more information and how to apply!

Is your organisation not already an MCB affiliate? Join: ** www.mcb.org.uk/join-mcb ([link removed])

Outgoing MCB Leadership Team 2018-20

** ([link removed])

All MCB Office Bearers perform their duties in a voluntary capacity. For further information, please visit: ** www.mcb.org.uk/about/ (www.mcb.org.uk/about/people)
** people (www.mcb.org.uk/about/people)

Have a question for one of our Office Bearers? Don't hesitate to get in touch at ** [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
Keep in touch!

We always welcome feedback on this monthly update by email to to ** [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

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