24 January 2023

Ramadan

The month of Ramadan is not far now and the practices of Muslims during this time can be intriguing to many non-Muslims who are unfamiliar with the Holy Month. During this time our faith becomes more visible to our friends and colleagues as we fast, spend more time in prayer or quiet reflection, and politely […]

Voting: not only is it halal, it may be fard!

A general election is probably not far away and it seems like a tiresome debate that even today, some (albeit very few) people argue that it is haram to vote (at all), or vote in a ‘non-Muslim system of governance’. There is no doubt that the vast majority of Muslims and the ulama regard voting as an […]

Reformation or reform?

Many have called for a Reformation within Islam. But what does this mean? Is it a meeker, milder and cuddlier brand of Islam – and will we get that through a Reformation? In Europe it led to a tremendous amount of bloodshed and upheaval – the 30 years war for example – and a long-standing […]

21 December 2022

British Islam

When I was writing and speaking about Muslim identity in the 90s, the term ‘British Muslim’ (as distinct from ‘British Islam’ which was seen to go much further in engaging not just the believers, but also the religion with British culture) was challenging enough for many. It was heavily contested back then and few people […]