British Muslims for Secular Democracy
| Founded | 2006[1] |
|---|---|
| Founder | Nasreen Rehman and Yasmin Alibhai-Brown |
| Website | http://www.bmsd.org.uk/ |
British Muslims for Secular Democracy is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting secularism in the United Kingdom.[2] It was founded in 2006 by Nasreen Rehman and Yasmin Alibhai-Brown.[3] The group believes the diversity of views among British Muslims is not adequately represented to wider British society and that their image is distorted.[4][5] The organization is one of the growing number of feminist and progressive Muslim organizations.[6]
The organisation says it aims to:
- Challenge those who have a vested interest in promoting the 'clash of civilizations' narrative. They claim that these include some Muslim leaders and prominent white commentators.
- Highlight the rights of Muslims who are marginalised because of their inability to cope with or succeed within the system.
- Encourage British Muslim men and women to recognise the contributions they have made to Britain.[7]
- Examine the role of political parties that pander to "community leaders"
- Enable Muslims to become more aware of their autonomous rights and question Muslim leaders who set themselves up as 'representatives' or ‘experts’.
- Work with other global progressive Muslims opposing Saudi influenced Salafism and its offshoots.
- Challenge the ill-informed and politicised nature of the state's intervention in the organisation of religious life in this country and the influence faith based groups now have on public policies.
- Object to government policies that curtail civil liberties using the prevailing sense of fear of terrorism.
- Work with young Muslims and try to win over their hearts and minds, so they espouse the quiet and compassionate Islam practised by Muslims through generations.
Trustees
- Nasreen Rehman (Chair)
- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown[8]
- Mona Bauwens (Vice Chair)
- Shaaz Mahboob
- Andy Gregg
Staff
- Tehmina Kazi, Director (since May 2009)
- Hanif Abdulmuhit, Head of Operations (since January 2014)
References
- ↑ "What I now have in common with Jemima". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ↑ "Muslims launch new organisation to challenge perceptions". Asians in Media Magxine. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ↑ Ahmad, Imran (2008-05-01). "Representing ourselves better". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ↑ "British Muslims for Secular Democracy asks for pro-bono support". PR Week. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ↑ Whitaker, Brian (2008-05-01). "Scratching secularism's surface". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ↑ Nancy Graham Holm (2 February 2013). "Lonely Progressive Muslims: Trapped in the Crossfire Between Islamophobes and Intra-Muslim Hatred". Huffington Post.
- ↑ "Muslims launch new organisation to challenge perceptions". Asians in Media Magazine. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- ↑ "Yasmin Alibhai-Brown: The closed minds that deny a civilisation's glories". Independent (London). 15 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-15.