The Young Muslims UK

Last updated
The Young Muslims UK
AbbreviationYMUK
Formation1984;40 years ago (1984)
Founder Khurram Murad
Founded at Leicester [1]
Headquarters Markfield (Leicestershire) [2]
Locations
Main organ
Trends
Parent organization
 Islamic Society of Britain
Affiliations Muslim Council of Britain
The Islamic Foundation
UK Islamic Mission

The Young Muslims UK (YMUK) was established in Leeds in 1984 [3] [4] and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2009. It became the youth wing of the Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) in 1990 with an aim to "provide a vehicle for committed young British Muslims to combine their knowledge, skills and efforts for the benefit of one another and British society as a whole." [5]

Contents

History

The Young Muslims UK (YMUK) was set up as a youth organisation by two British Pakistani organisations, The Islamic Foundation and the UK Islamic Mission (UKIM), both linked to Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. [lower-alpha 1] The first director of The Islamic Foundation, Khurram Murad, had the vision to realise that British-born Muslims would need their own organisation and started YMUK. [7] [1] Under his guidance, 27 young Muslims representing various local youth groups met in Leeds in 1984, and decided to form an organisation. [8] The headquarters of the organisation was in the Islamic Foundation in Leicester and its branches initially operated out of the mosques run by UKIM. [8] [7] The general secretary of UKIM, Zahid Parvez, served on its first governing council. Many of the initial members were youth brought up in families subscribing to the Jamaat-e-Islami ideology and were associated with UKIM. [7] [9]

Even though the YMUK was established by the Islamic Foundation in association with UKIM, it was intended to become autonomous, catering to the English-speaking Muslim youth. Its activities are run in English with a mix of religious teaching and social events such as football matches. It runs an annual summer camp. In the 1980s, it had printed t-shirts with the slogan, "putting the fun back into fundamentalism". As the organisation grew and newcomers joined, they were less deferential to the UKIM, and sought English-speaking preachers such as the African-American convert Siraj Wahaj and classically trained American Islamic scholar Sheikh Hamza Yusuf. Arab Muslim Brotherhood exiles living in the UK and Islamist politicians from Malaysia were also strong influences. [7]

The activities of the new generation of YMUK activists in the 1980s were regarded as "cutting edge". They promoted modern types of Islamic music, set up Muslim community radio stations, and published a current affairs magazine called Trends. The magazine covered Islamic politics rather than spirituality, with such topics as foreign mujahideen during the war in Bosnia, visits to Afghan training camps by British Muslims, interview of a Hamas spokesperson, interview of the Tunisian Islamist leader Rached Ghannouchi etc. In an article entitled "Jihad: Offensive or Defensive?", the liberation of lands such as Eritrea, Philippines, Tashkent, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and parts of China from non-Muslim rule was described as an obligation of the worldwide Muslim community. The organisation conducted foreign expeditions, such as a seventy-five member delegation to meet Muslim Brotherhood activists in Egypt, a summer vacation trip to Sudan, and a trip to Pakistan. [10] At regional meetings and annual camps, speakers discuss worldwide Islamic struggles such as in Afghanistan and Kashmir. The Islamic mission of dawah (proselytisation) is presented as an all-encompassing alternative to western materialism. [11]

In 1988, the Young Muslims UK, along with its two parent organisations, played a critical role in driving the campaign against Salman Rushdie for the book Satanic Verses . [12] Protests swept the entire South Asian Muslim community in Britain and enhanced the stature of the organisations. [13]

The older members that outgrew YMUK established a new organisation in 1990 called Islamic Society of Britain (ISB). It has been run by the former members of YMUK since then. In 1994, ISB became the parent organisation of YMUK. The two organisations include women in their leadership, contrary to the ideology of the original parent organisations, and attract members beyond the British Pakistani community. [14]

The Young Muslims UK is an affiliate body of the Muslim Council of Britain. [15]

In the 1990s, YMUK and ISB developed links with the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt and their breakaway group among the Sudanese. The Sudanese Islamist Hassan al-Turabi, said to be the ideological power behind president Omar al-Bashir, met YMUK members on his visits to London and hosted a delegation of theirs in Sudan. [16] The Muslim Brotherhood exiles living in Britain provided further nurturing to YMUK and ISB, running study circles for them and providing a syllabus inspired by Hasan al-Banna, the original founder of Muslim Brotherhood. Some YMUK members spent time at a Muslim Brotherhood-run college in France. [16]

In 1995, the organisation participated in the Euro-Islam conference in Stockholm, Sweden, organised on a directive from the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The youth section of this conference was dominated by participants with connections to the Muslim Brotherhood and similar forms of ideology, for instance the Jamat-i Islami, according to French islamologist Gilles Kepel. [17] This conference resulted in the founding of the Forum of European Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO). [17]

Reception

YMUK has been praised for its forward thinking and ability to make Islam relevant to British society: "The establishment of organisations such as Young Muslims UK is a step in the right direction, offering as they do resources for Muslims seeking to make Islam relevant to their own hybrid condition." [18] [19]

A key feature that distinguishes YMUK from other Islamic organisations is its lack of discrimination to different Islamic schools of thought: "Some organisations, such as Young Muslims UK, have decided that one's choice of Madh'hab or school of jurisprudence should be a personal choice. Where the organisation needs to take a public position on some issue, however, this is decided by a process of Shura (consultation) in which the views of various madhahhib are considered." [20]

Notable members

These individuals were part of the organisation at some point in its history:

Notable Recent Projects/Events

Notes

  1. ↑ The organisations deny that they are linked to Jamaat-e-Islami, but there are clear links according to scholars. [1] [6]

Related Research Articles

Islamism refers to a broad set of religious and political ideological movements. The advocates of Islamism, also known as "al-Islamiyyun", are dedicated to realizing their ideological interpretation of Islam within the context of the state or society. The majority of them are affiliated with Islamic institutions or social mobilization movements, often designated as "al-harakat al-Islamiyyah." Islamists emphasize the implementation of sharia, pan-Islamic political unity, the creation of Islamic states, and rejection of non-Muslim influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hezbi Islami</span> 1975–1979 primarily Pashtun Islamist political party in Afghanistan

Hezb-e-Islami, lit. Islamic Party, was an Islamist organization that was commonly known for fighting the Communist Government of Afghanistan and their close ally the Soviet Union. Founded and led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, it was established in Afghanistan in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaat-e-Islami (Pakistan)</span> Political party in Pakistan

Jamaat-e-Islami, or Jamaat as it is commonly known, is an Islamist political party based in Pakistan and founded by Abul Ala Maududi. It is the Pakistani successor to Jamaat-e-Islami, which was founded in colonial India in 1941. Its objective is the transformation of Pakistan into an Islamic state, governed by Sharia law, through a gradual legal and political process. JI strongly opposes capitalism, communism, liberalism, and secularism as well as economic practices such as offering bank interest. JI is a 'vanguard party', whose members are intended to be leaders spreading party beliefs and influence. Supporters not thought qualified to be members may become 'affiliates', and beneath them are 'sympathizers'. The party leader is called an 'ameer'. Although it does not have a large popular following, the party is quite influential and considered one of the major Islamic movements in Pakistan, along with Deobandi and Barelvi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pan-Islamism</span> Movement advocating all Muslims under one Islamic state

Pan-Islamism is a political movement which advocates the unity of Muslims under one Islamic country or state – often a caliphate – or an international organization with Islamic principles. Historically, after Ottomanism, which aimed at the unity of all Ottoman citizens, Pan-Islamism was promoted in the Ottoman Empire during the last quarter of the 19th century by Sultan Abdul Hamid II for the purpose of preventing secession movements of the Muslim peoples in the empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamiat-e Islami</span> Primarily Tajik political party in Afghanistan

Jamayat-E-Islami, sometimes shortened to Jamiat, is a predominantly Tajik political party and former paramilitary organisation in Afghanistan. It is the oldest and largest functioning political party in Afghanistan, and was originally formed as a student political society at Kabul University. It has a communitarian ideology based on Islamic law. During the Soviet–Afghan War and the following Afghan Civil War against the communist government, Jamiat-e Islami was one of the most powerful of the Afghan mujahideen groups. Burhanuddin Rabbani led the party from 1968 to 2011, and served as President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 to 2001, in exile from 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tehreek-e-Jafaria (Pakistan)</span> Political party in Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Jafaria Pakistan, formerly Tehreek Nifaz Fiqah-e-Jafaria Arif Hussaini/Sajid Naqvi Group was the Shia political party in Pakistan from 1979 to 2000. Belonging to the Ja'fari school of Islamic jurisprudence, TNFJ was founded in 1979 by Syed Arif Hussain Al Hussaini supported by Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussain Najafi Dhaku. Its creation coincided with the enforcement of controversial Islamic laws by then President of Pakistan, General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq. At the same time, 1979 Iranian Revolution in Shi'a Iran added extra confidence and comfort in the movement.

The Islamic Foundation is Jamaat-e-Islami's research and publishing house in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1973 by two high-ranking Pakistani activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, Khurshid Ahmad and Khurram Murad. Its objectives are to research into the implementation of Islam in the modern world, to project the image of Islam in Britain and Europe, and to meet the educational needs of Muslims.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motiur Rahman Nizami</span> Bangladeshi politician

Motiur Rahman Nizami was a politician, former Minister of Bangladesh, Islamic scholar, writer, and the former leader of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He is noted for leading the terror squad Al-Badr during the Bangladesh Liberation War. On 29 October 2014, he was convicted of masterminding the Demra massacre by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh. Nizami was the Member of Parliament for the Pabna-1 constituency from 1991 to 1996 and again from 2001 to 2006. He also served as the Bangladeshi Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islamic Society of Britain</span> Islamic organization based in London, England, United Kingdom

The Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) was set up in 1990 for British Muslims to promote Islamic values. Its youth wing is The Young Muslims UK (YMUK).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir</span> Cadre-based socio-religio-political organisation in Jammu and Kashmir

The Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir or Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir (JIJK) is an Islamic political party based in the city of Srinagar in the Indian administered territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is distinct from the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. The organisation's stated position on the Kashmir conflict is that Kashmir is a disputed territory and the issue must be sorted as per UN or through tripartite talks between India, Pakistan and representatives of Kashmir.

Islamic revival refers to a revival of the Islamic religion, usually centered around enforcing sharia. A leader of a revival is known in Islam as a mujaddid.

<i>The Islamist</i> 2007 book

The Islamist: Why I Joined Radical Islam in Britain, What I Saw Inside and Why I Left is a 2007 book about Ed Husain's five years as an Islamist. The book has been described as "as much a memoir of personal struggle and inner growth as it is a report on a new type of extremism." Husain describes his book as explaining "the appeal of extremist thought, how fanatics penetrate Muslim communities and the truth behind their agenda of subverting the West and moderate Islam."

The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) was founded by the Muslim Brotherhood in 1989. FIOE subsequently created the European Council for Fatwa and Research, a pan European Muslim Brotherhood organisation which provides guidance to Muslims in Europe. According to its website, it has "hundreds of member organizations spread across 28 European States, all subscribing to a common belief in a methodology based on moderation and balance, which represents the tolerance of Islam" The FIOE has a headquarters office in Brussels and has had some success in positioning itself as a dialog partner for the EU and other important institutions. Funding for the FIOE is derived largely from Gulf sources, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation and the Waqf Ministry in Kuwait. In February 2014, the FIOE elected Abdallah Ben Mansour as its new President replacing Chakib Ben Makhlouf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami</span> Bangladeshi Islamist political party (founded 1975)

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, previously known as Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, is the largest Islamist political party in Bangladesh.

Jamaat-e-Islami is an Islamist fundamentalist movement founded in 1941 in British India by the Islamist author, theorist, and socio-political philosopher, Syed Abul Ala Maududi, who was inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood. It is considered one of the most influential Islamist organisations, and was the first to develop an ideology based on the modern revolutionary conception of Islam. Its founding branch in Pakistan is the nation's largest fundamentalist party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UK Islamic Mission</span> Islamic organization based in the United Kingdom

UK Islamic Mission (UKIM) is a registered charity and Islamic organization based in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1963 to organise a network of study circles and mosques. The members of the Jamaat-e-Islami movement are said to be active in the organisation.

Islamism has existed in the United Kingdom since the 1970s, and has become widely visible and a topic of political discourse since the beginning of the 21st century.

The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) is a British Sunni Muslim organisation founded in 1997. MAB has been well known for its participation in the protests opposing the Iraq War. More recently, it has been known for promoting Muslim participation in Britain.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lewis, Being Muslim and Being British (1994), p. 74.
  2. ↑ Geaves, Sectarian influences within Islam in Britain (1996), pp. 202–203.
  3. ↑ The Young Muslims UK Archived February 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine . Last accessed April 15, 2008.
  4. ↑ "From scholarship, sailors and sects to the mills and the mosques", The Guardian, Guardian News and Media Limited, 2002-06-18, retrieved 2008-04-22
  5. ↑ The Young Muslims UK. Last accessed April 15, 2008.
  6. ↑ Vidino, Aims and Methods of Europe's Muslim Brotherhood (2021), pp. 138, 139: "The level of coordination between the Mission and Jamaate-Islami is very high, though Mission officers in Leicester have publicly denied that the two organizations are formally linked.".
  7. 1 2 3 4 Bowen, Inside British Islam (2014), p. 86.
  8. 1 2 Geaves, Sectarian influences within Islam in Britain (1996), p. 206.
  9. ↑ Geaves, Sectarian influences within Islam in Britain (1996), pp. 206–207.
  10. ↑ Bowen, Inside British Islam (2014), pp. 86–87.
  11. ↑ Lewis, Being Muslim and Being British (1994), p. 75.
  12. ↑ Trevor Phillips; John Jenkins; Martyn Frampton (2019), On Islamophobia (PDF), Policy Exchange, p. 18, ISBN   978-1-910812-70-9
  13. ↑ Vidino, Aims and Methods of Europe's Muslim Brotherhood (2021), pp. 141–142.
  14. ↑ Bowen, Inside British Islam (2014), p. 87.
  15. ↑ Muslim Council of Britain Archived June 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . Last accessed April 15, 2008.
  16. 1 2 Bowen, Inside British Islam (2014), p. 107.
  17. 1 2 Carlbom, Aje (March 2018). Islamisk aktivism i en mångkulturell kontext – ideologisk kontinuitet eller förändring? / MSB1188 (PDF). Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency & Malmö University. p. 25. ISBN   9789173838108. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 March 2018.
  18. ↑ Mandaville, Peter G. (2002). Transnational Muslim Politics: Reimagining the Umma. Taylor & Francis. p. 124. ISBN   978-0-203-45315-5.
  19. ↑ Mandaville, Peter; Williams, Andrew (2004). Meaning and International Relations. Taylor & Francis. p. 133. ISBN   978-0-203-16755-7.
  20. ↑ Allievi, Stefano; Nielsen, Jørgen S. (2003). Muslim Networks and Transnational Communities in and Across Europe. BRILL. ISBN   978-90-04-12858-3.
  21. ↑ Ajmal4London
  22. ↑ Comment is Free Profile

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.