British Muslim Forum is an organisation of Sunni Muslims which has emerged as the representative body for 500 Mosques across the UK. The BMF was relaunched after the "42-day detention" debate caused a split in the existing BMF leadership and led to two years of reform. Shaykh Ahmad Nisar Beg Qadri of Manchester was elected as Chairman of the BMF on 30 October 2010 and assumed leadership on 1 January 2011. He is currently co-ordinating the restructure of the organisation to be more representative of its members and more inclusive of community leaders who are passionate about their work. Allamah Nisar Ahmed Begg played a pivotal role to involve young professional in the running of the BMF, however following pressure from various key players in the BMF Allamah Nisar Begg resigned as Chair of the British Muslim Forum on the 23rd September 2011, less than 1 year after his election.
The resignation of Allamah Nisar Begg put the BMF in a new low, and many of the young professionals formerly involved have vowed to leave the organisation after the hijacking of the organisation by different factions.
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"The BMF is a non profit organisation which works as an umbrella organisation towards the protection of rights and interests of mainstream Muslims living in the UK. Our goal is to represent Muslims in their true light as a community that encourages integration and works against extremism and radicalisation"
Mr Muhammad Imdad Hussain Pirzada, Mr Ahmad Nisar Beg, Mr Muhammad Bostan, Mr Khalil Ahmed Haqani, Mr Mahroof Hussain, Mr Mohammad Masood Alam Khan, Mr Mohammad Habib-Ur-Rehman Sahibzada, Mr Riaz Ahmad Samdani, and Moulana Mohammad Shahid Raza
To give mainstream Sunni Muslims, who make up the silent majority in the UK, a voice in the Media and in Government.
To work with other Muslim organisations and encourage cooperation in policy and public relations.
To work to improve relations between Muslims and non-Muslims.
To equip members with tools to educate the Muslim youth.
To work towards a better understanding of Islam and Muslims living in the West.
To encourage cohesion and social harmony in the UK and to dispel the negative image of Muslims being portrayed in the media.
On behalf of over 500 clerics, scholars and Imams the British Muslim Forum issues the following religious decree:
Islam strictly, strongly and severely condemns the use of violence and the destruction of innocent lives. There is neither place nor justification in Islam for extremism, fanaticism or terrorism. Suicide bombings, which killed and injured innocent people in London, are haram - vehemently prohibited in Islam - and those who committed these barbaric acts in London are criminals not martyrs. We pray for the defeat of extremism and terrorism in the world. We pray for peace, security and harmony to triumph in multicultural Great Britain.[1]
In 2011 the British Muslim Forum, announced that Eid ul Fitr will be observed in the UK on Wednesday 31 August 2011 insha allah. This announcement was made as a result of the moon not having been sighted anywhere in Africa, the Middle East, Asia or Europe. The majority of Mosques in the North and Midlands support the BMF announcement, this was an effective campaign led by Alamah Nisar Begg. Weeks laters scholar in Saudi noticed errors had been made and that Eid was not on Tuesday but Wednesday.