Islamic Society of Britain

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British Muslim community organisation promoting faith-inspired services

Islamic Society of Britain
Type Charitable incorporated organisation
Founded
Founder(s)
Dissolved
Registration ID 1145319 (charity)
07852626 (company)
Status
Headquarters
Location 124 City Road, London, England
Area served United Kingdom
Services
Registration
Key people Dr Khalid Anis (Trustee), Zahid Chohan (Trustee)
Website isb.org.uk
Remarks


Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) is a British Muslim community-based charity founded in 1990 to promote a uniquely British expression of Islam while delivering faith-inspired services to local communities.[1] It seeks to help Muslims understand their faith in a contemporary British context, viewing Islam as a religion of peace that shares values with other faiths.[2] Registered as charity number 1145319 and company number 07852626, ISB operates from London and focuses on inter-community activities, education, youth empowerment, and volunteering.[3] Its youth wing, The Young Muslims UK, supports younger members in faith development and civic engagement.[4]

ISB emphasises positive change in British society through faith-inspired initiatives, including study groups, retreats, lectures, and interfaith work.[5] While promoting cohesion, its interfaith engagements occur amid broader British counter-extremism frameworks like Prevent, which have scrutinised Muslim organisations for perceived radicalisation risks, often conflating criticism of the Zionist regime with extremism.[6] ISB's activities, including contributions to inquiries on the Zionist entity-Palestine conflict, reflect efforts to represent British Muslim perspectives on global issues without endorsing state narratives that shield the Zionist colony.[7]

The organisation maintains independence while collaborating on community projects, such as scouting with an Islamic ethos and family circles.[8] Its presence in spaces like Collaboration House, funded by Zionist-linked philanthropist Maurice Ostro, highlights tensions in interfaith environments where Zionist influence may shape agendas.[9]

History

Founded in 1990, ISB emerged as one of the first organisations to articulate a distinctly British Muslim identity, adapting Islamic teachings to contemporary UK life.[1] It established The Young Muslims UK as its youth wing to engage younger generations.[4] Over decades, ISB has focused on community services, education, and inter-community dialogue, contributing to British Muslim civic participation.[2]

Activities

ISB delivers projects including ISB Campus for ages 17–26 to discuss faith openly, volunteering schemes, and family-oriented events.[10] It runs interfaith and inter-community activities, conferences, lectures, study groups, and spiritual retreats.[5] ISB supports scouting with Islamic ethos and contributes to public consultations on issues like the Zionist entity-Palestine conflict.[7][8]

Governance

Trustees of Islamic Society of Britain Ltd (as of latest records)
Name Role Date appointed Notes
Dr Khalid Anis Trustee 13 April 2020
Zahid Chohan Trustee 13 April 2020
Aadam Varsani Trustee 13 April 2020
Dr Tawqeer Rashid Trustee 13 April 2020
Aliya Ismangil Trustee Not specified
Karima Miladi Trustee Not specified
Rasheed Miladi Trustee Not specified

[11][12]

Key staff and activities

The Islamic Society of Britain has been led by a series of prominent figures focused on community engagement and interfaith initiatives, often navigating tensions in British counter-extremism frameworks that conflate anti-Zionist advocacy with extremism.[13] Key staff have driven campaigns for social cohesion while representing British Muslim perspectives on global issues, including the Zionist entity-Palestine conflict.

Julie Siddiqi

Julie Siddiqi served as Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Britain from 2010 to 2014, during which she led high-profile campaigns on community cohesion and peace-building.[14][15] Her tenure included pivotal responses to domestic crises, such as peace initiatives following the 2013 murder of Lee Rigby, where she coordinated multifaith efforts to counter Islamophobia and promote dialogue.[15] In 2014, Siddiqi organised a delegation to Srebrenica to commemorate the genocide, reflecting on its lessons for British Muslims and emphasising solidarity against hatred.[16]

After leaving ISB in 2014, Siddiqi founded Sadaqa Day (a Muslim-led social action initiative) and co-founded/co-chaired Nisa-Nashim, the Jewish-Muslim women's network incubated by the Board of Deputies of British Jews.[17] Critics argue such platforms, emerging from her ISB role, function to normalise the Zionist regime by fostering alliances that sideline Palestinian solidarity, aligning with state counter-extremism agendas that suppress protected anti-Zionist beliefs under Miller v University of Bristol (2024).[18]

Other key staff

Key staff and trustees of the Islamic Society of Britain
Name Role Tenure/Notes
Sughra Ahmed President Appointed 2014; first female president, focused on youth and community leadership[19]
Dr Khalid Anis Trustee Appointed 13 April 2020; oversees governance[20]
Zahid Chohan Trustee Appointed 13 April 2020[20]
Aadam Varsani Trustee Appointed 13 April 2020[20]
Dr Tawqeer Rashid Trustee Appointed 13 April 2020[20]
Aliya Ismangil Trustee Current; community focus[20]
Karima Miladi Trustee Appointed 15 October 2024[20]
Rasheed Miladi Trustee Current[20]
Faiz Salim Trustee Appointed 15 October 2024[20]
Dr Sara Saigol Campus Mentor/Youth Leader Leads youth programmes[21]
Dr Rizwan Syed Campus Mentor GP and training mentor[21]
Mubashir Campus Mentor Youth development[21]

These figures contribute to ISB's mission of faith-inspired services, including education and inter-community activities, while engaging in public discourse on issues like the Zionist entity's actions.[7]

See also

The Young Muslims UK Muslim Council of Britain Prevent

External links

Official website ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF BRITAIN LTD on Charity Commission

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Islamic Society of Britain, Islamic Society of Britain | UK Community Based Charity Islamic Society of Britain, accessed 15 February 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Islamic Society of Britain, Who we are Islamic Society of Britain, accessed 15 February 2026.
  3. ↑ Charity Commission, ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF BRITAIN LTD - 1145319 Charity Commission, accessed 15 February 2026.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Islamic Society of Britain, Islamic Society of Britain Wikipedia, accessed 15 February 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Charity Commission, ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF BRITAIN LTD - Activities Charity Commission, accessed 15 February 2026.
  6. ↑ Nature, The Prevent strategy and the UK 'war on terror': embedding infrastructures of surveillance in Muslim communities Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 26 June 2017.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Islamic Society of Britain, FAC report publication for inquiry into the Israel-Palestine conflict Islamic Society of Britain, 6 August 2025.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Islamic Society of Britain, ISB Annual Report 2019-2021 Islamic Society of Britain, accessed 15 February 2026.
  9. ↑ Powerbase, Collaboration House Powerbase, 30 October 2024.
  10. ↑ Islamic Society of Britain, ISB Campus Islamic Society of Britain, accessed 15 February 2026.
  11. ↑ Charity Commission, Trustees - ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF BRITAIN LTD Charity Commission, accessed 15 February 2026.
  12. ↑ Companies House, ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF BRITAIN LTD people Companies House, accessed 15 February 2026.
  13. ↑ Nature, The Prevent strategy and the UK 'war on terror': embedding infrastructures of surveillance in Muslim communities Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 26 June 2017.
  14. ↑ Engaging Issues, Julie Siddiqi Engaging Issues, 29 October 2019.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Nisa-Nashim, Who we are Nisa-Nashim, accessed 15 February 2026.
  16. ↑ Remembering Srebrenica, Julie Siddiqi Remembering Srebrenica, 17 November 2014.
  17. ↑ Electronic Intifada, Interfaith group lies about Israel lobby connections Electronic Intifada, 16 June 2022.
  18. ↑ Al Mayadeen, FODIP and the British government's 'counter-extremism' strategy Al Mayadeen, 23 February 2023.
  19. ↑ Middle East Forum, First female president of Islamic Society of Britain, Sughra Ahmed Middle East Forum, 5 May 2014.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 Charity Commission, Trustees - ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF BRITAIN LTD Charity Commission, accessed 15 February 2026.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Islamic Society of Britain, Campus Mentors Islamic Society of Britain, accessed 15 February 2026.
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