By Maira Butt
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is electing a new secretary-general tomorrow (25 January), to oversee Britain’s largest umbrella body of Muslim organisations. Maira Butt outlines the role, the organisation they will represent, the candidates that are seeking election, and the process they will have to undergo to get there
The MCB’s outgoing secretary-general, Zara Mohammed, has looked back on a “turbulent” four years in office, in which she became the organisation’s first female leader. In that time, she has seen it through a rise in hate crimes and Islamophobia, a tense general election, the Covid-19 pandemic and the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Ms Mohammed highlighted the importance, during a tense political climate, of getting the next leader right. “It feels like things are getting more challenging and more polarising,” she told the Religion Media Centre. “I think hate is something we really need to tackle as a country and as a society.”
Outlining her vision for the next ideal candidate, she added: “I would hope that the next candidate can continue to bring communities far and wide together, to offer strong leadership, but one that takes everybody with them. We can’t be insular. We can’t do it alone. These are not Muslim issues, they’re societal issues. We’ve got to tackle it together with the diversity of society of faith and no faith.”
What is the MCB?
Britain has about four million Muslims and the MCB says it is Britain’s largest umbrella body of Muslim organisations, with more than 500 affiliated groups and mosques, which include charities, mosques, schools, and professional networks.
It was set up in 1994 in response to a government request to have one body to contact for issues pertaining to Muslim communities.
The MCB describes its goals as threefold: “Locally, we support our affiliates to reach their goals; nationally, we offer a representative voice in external circles; and globally, we campaign for wider communities, including bringing focus to human rights issues.”
Some examples of its work include the Visit My Mosque initiative, which aims to “break barriers and build bridges” for the 90 per cent of people who report they have not visited a mosque, according to a 2018 YouGov poll.
The group is also involved in wider projects including the Centre for Media Monitoring, which scrutinises reporting of Muslims and Islam in the media.
What is the secretary-general’s role?
The job is voluntary and involves convening the general assembly (comprising all membership groups) at an annual meeting, directing the work of the national council in implementing the policies set by the assembly, presenting a report of activities, and being the MCB’s official spokesperson. All duties are outlined in the MCB’s constitution and governing document.
What is the MCB’s relationship with the government?
Although the MCB was set up in response to a need articulated by the British government, successive governments have, since 2009, chosen a policy of non-engagement.
In 2009, the deputy general secretary of MCB, Daud Abdullah, signed the “Istanbul declaration”, in opposition to Israel’s controversial Operation Cast Lead, which Hazel Blears MP interpreted as advocating for “attacks on Jewish communities all around the world”. He vehemently denied the claims made by Blears, saying he was “absolutely opposed to any attack or violence directed against innocent persons of any faith or no faith anywhere in the world.” The UK government asked Abdullah to step down, he declined, and the government suspended its formal relationship with the MCB.
The non-engagement policy, the MCB said, had “tragic consequences” throughout the pandemic, with channels of communication closed.
The council has been criticised as not sufficiently representative of British Muslims, but Ms Mohammed says: “We don’t claim to represent all British Muslims, but we do represent a really good cross section.”
Other controversies include contentious remarks made by individuals affiliated with the MCB ranging from issues pertaining to genocide, homosexuality, and extremism.
Who are the candidates?
The two candidates who are standing for the post of secretary-general are Dr Mohammed Wajid Akhter and Dr Muhammad Adrees.
Dr Akhter is a GP from Braintree in Essex, a member of the MCB’s national council and its former assistant secretary-general. He hopes to turn the role to one which is more outward-facing, telling the Religion Media Centre: “Here in Britain, we’re blessed to have one of the most diverse Muslim communities on earth. We need to celebrate that diversity while coming together on those points that bring us together as a faith community.
“This means that the MCB is not just about tackling the threats facing British Muslims such as Islamophobia — important though that is — it also means mobilising our community to make a positive contribution to British society, to put our best foot forward, and to give a perspective on broader issues, be that education, knife crime, and the impact of technology.”
In August last year, Dr Akhter claimed the British government had ignored communications from the MCB on the Southport riots and the ensuing disorder across the country.
“The lack of engagement has undoubtedly had serious consequences,” he said of the MCB’s relationship with the government. He added: “I don’t quite know why the government refuses to engage with the largest, most diverse, most democratic and most organised umbrella body of the largest faith minority in the UK.”
However, he said his focus would instead be on empowering communities. “My door will always be open to anyone for dialogue, but I won’t demand dialogue for the sake of it,” he said. “I’m not interested in having just tea and photo opportunities, I want to enfranchise our community and put forward our point of view. To do this, we need to carry out an introspective exercise to strengthen the MCB and Muslim civil society in general.
Echoing Ms Mohammed’s sentiments on leading through a pivotal juncture in society, Dr Akhter said: “We’re at a crucial inflection point at the moment as our community comes under greater attack with disinformation on social media and hostile political culture.”
Dr Adrees, a consultant physician, was elected the convenor of the Muslim Council of Scotland from 2016 to 2018. He was re-elected in 2021, and for a third time in November 2023.
During that time, he worked with all political parties and said he was able to influence political policy through building relationships, including writing a letter to each new prominent Scottish politician. For example, he gave the first minister, John Sweeney, a list of 14 points for Muslim community needs.
Dr Adrees has said that he hopes to work with the grass roots and to diversify the MCB’s membership beyond the South Asian community and men, appealing to a younger demographic.
He also believes that the elderly Muslim community is often neglected. “Our elderly population is not well cared for,” he said. “We need more work in that area. We talk about children and young people but there are those who are retired who give their life to this country and who need looking after now.”
If elected, he would focus on the challenges facing the Muslim community, which he believes are: a lack of unity, a lack of input in school curriculums, media coverage, and a gender imbalance in key institutions.
Election controversy
A report by Policy Exchange, the right-wing think tank, published historical quotes from the two candidates, saying Dr Akhter had advocated that British Muslims should identify primarily as Muslim rather than as British. He said the report misrepresented and distorted his views and his vision was to “foster unity among all Britons”.
In the report, Dr Adrees is accused of supporting Iran and saying mixed gender new year celebrations may be un-Islamic. He told us: “Visiting Iran is not a crime. However, I have no relationship with any government officials. It is a good gesture to study people. As a human being we have to build relationships with one another.”
When is the election?
The election will take place on Saturday 25 January, when delegates representing the MCB’s national, regional, and local affiliates will assemble in London for the 27th annual meeting.
During the AGM, delegates will vote for the positions of secretary-general, deputy secretary-general, and 40 members of the national council for 2025-27 (including 28 “national” members and 12 “zonal”).
