Difference between revisions of "New Horizons in British Islam"
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| − | New Horizons | + | {{short description|British Muslim think tank with documented ties to Home Office counter-extremism propaganda unit RICU}} |
| + | {{Infobox organization | ||
| + | | name = New Horizons in British Islam | ||
| + | | abbreviation = NHiBI | ||
| + | | formation = 2013 | ||
| + | | type = Think tank / advocacy organisation | ||
| + | | headquarters = London, United Kingdom | ||
| + | | leader_title = Founder & Director | ||
| + | | leader_name = [[Dilwar Hussain]] | ||
| + | | website = [https://newhorizonsib.org New Horizons website] | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | [[File:Screenshot 2020-03-27 at 19.41.26.png|right|thumb|600px|Leaked document showing New Horizons relationship with [[Breakthrough Media]] and thus with [[RICU]]]] | ||
| + | '''New Horizons in British Islam''' ('''NHiBI''') is a British Muslim think tank founded in 2013 by [[Dilwar Hussain]] to promote theological and cultural reflection within British Muslim communities. The organisation describes itself as a platform for "reimagining British Muslim identity" through research, events, publications and policy engagement on topics including theology, identity, belonging and social cohesion.<ref name="NHiBIAbout">New Horizons in British Islam, [https://newhorizonsib.org/about About NHiBI] ''New Horizons in British Islam'', accessed 13 February 2026.</ref> Reports suggest NHiBI has maintained a documented but largely covert relationship with [[Breakthrough Media]] and, through it, the [[Research, Information and Communications Unit]] (RICU) of the [[Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism]] (OSCT) within the [[Home Office]] — one of the seven agencies and departments that form the UK Intelligence Community.<ref name="ISC2017">Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, [https://web.archive.org/web/20200311054459/https://isc.independent.gov.uk/how-the-committee-works/ How the Committee works] ''Intelligence and Security Committee'', archived 11 March 2020.</ref> As a result NHiBI has been described as an asset of British intelligence in the counter-extremism propaganda ecosystem.<ref name="PowerbaseNHiBI">Powerbase, [https://powerbase.info/index.php/New_Horizons_in_British_Islam New Horizons in British Islam] ''Powerbase'', accessed 13 February 2026.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Leaked documents from 2017–2018 revealed that Breakthrough Media — a communications contractor paid by RICU to produce ostensibly independent Muslim voices — coordinated closely with NHiBI on content production, event organisation and public messaging. This relationship allowed RICU to influence narratives reaching Muslim audiences while maintaining the appearance of independent community-led activity.<ref name="Spinwatch2019">Spinwatch, [https://www.spinwatch.org/2019/03/ricu-breakthrough-media-and-the-manufacture-of-muslim-opinion/ RICU, Breakthrough Media and the manufacture of Muslim opinion] ''Spinwatch'', March 2019.</ref> Critics argue that NHiBI's participation in this ecosystem has compromised its credibility as an authentic Muslim voice and contributed to the broader securitisation of British Muslim communities. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == History == | ||
| + | New Horizons in British Islam was established in 2013 by [[Dilwar Hussain]], a former head of the Policy Research Centre at the [[Islamic Foundation]] and a prominent figure in British Muslim think-tank circles. The organisation positioned itself as a progressive, reform-oriented platform seeking to reconcile Islamic theology with contemporary British life.<ref name="NHiBIAbout" /> | ||
| − | [[ | + | In 2017–2018 leaked documents exposed NHiBI's operational relationship with [[Breakthrough Media]], a contractor funded by RICU to produce content targeting Muslim audiences. Emails and planning documents showed Breakthrough coordinating messaging, events and publications with NHiBI staff, with RICU ultimately approving or directing much of the output.<ref name="Spinwatch2019" /> The revelations formed part of a wider exposé of RICU's covert influence operations within British Muslim civil society. |
| + | |||
| + | Despite the controversy, NHiBI continued operations, maintaining a public focus on theological reflection, interfaith dialogue and youth engagement while scaling back overt references to its earlier partnerships. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Activities == | ||
| + | NHiBI has organised public lectures, roundtables, youth workshops and publications on topics including Islamic theology, British Muslim identity, citizenship, gender, and responses to extremism. The organisation has positioned itself as a bridge between traditional Islamic scholarship and modern British contexts, often hosting events with progressive Muslim scholars.<ref name="NHiBIProjects">New Horizons in British Islam, [https://newhorizonsib.org/projects Projects] ''New Horizons in British Islam'', accessed 13 February 2026.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Critics argue that its public output has been shaped — directly or indirectly — by RICU priorities, particularly the promotion of "British values" and counter-narratives to Islamist ideologies. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Funding == | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | {| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
| + | |+ Reported funding sources of New Horizons in British Islam (2018 accounts) | ||
| + | ! Source !! Amount (£) !! Notes | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | Voluntary grants and donations || 3,674 || Unspecified private donations | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | [[Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust]] || 30,000 || Core / project support | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | [[Global Dialogue]] || 30,000 || Core / project support | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | [[Aziz Foundation]] || 9,975 || Project-specific grant | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | [[The Church Urban Fund]] || 5,000 || Project-specific grant | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | [[Google]] / [[Institute for Strategic Dialogue]] || 39,680 || Digital extremism / counter-narrative project | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | Total reported income in 2018 was approximately £118,329, with the above sources constituting the majority of identifiable grants. No comprehensive funding disclosure is provided on the organisation's website. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Governance == | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | = | + | {| class="wikitable sortable" |
| − | + | |+ Trustees of New Horizons in British Islam | |
| − | [[Dilwar Hussain]] | [[Rabiha Hannan]] | [[Naved Siddiqui]] | + | ! Name !! Role !! Notes |
| + | |- | ||
| + | | [[Dilwar Hussain]] || Founder / Trustee || Former head of Policy Research Centre at the [[Islamic Foundation]] | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | [[Rabiha Hannan]] || Trustee || Interfaith and community cohesion practitioner | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | [[Naved Siddiqui]] || Trustee || Business and community leader | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | == Controversies == | ||
| + | The 2017–2018 leak of RICU documents revealed NHiBI's close working relationship with [[Breakthrough Media]], including joint planning of events, content production and messaging. Critics argue this demonstrated that NHiBI functioned — at least during that period — as a vehicle for covert state influence within British Muslim civil society.<ref name="Spinwatch2019" /> | ||
| + | The organisation has been accused of promoting narratives that align with Home Office counter-extremism priorities while maintaining the appearance of independent community-led activity. Its receipt of funding from Google via the [[Institute for Strategic Dialogue]] (itself heavily funded by Western governments) has been cited as further evidence of alignment with securitised agendas targeting Muslim communities. | ||
| + | == See also == | ||
| + | [[Dilwar Hussain]] | ||
| + | [[Research, Information and Communications Unit]] | ||
| + | [[Breakthrough Media]] | ||
| + | == External links == | ||
| + | [https://newhorizonsib.org Official website] | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
| − | + | [[Category:British think tanks]] | |
| − | + | [[Category:Muslim organisations in the United Kingdom]] | |
| − | Category: | + | [[Category:Organisations accused of Islamophobia]] |
| + | [[Category:British intelligence assets]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Anti-Zionism]] | ||
Latest revision as of 00:00, 14 February 2026
British Muslim think tank with documented ties to Home Office counter-extremism propaganda unit RICU
| New Horizons in British Islam | |
|---|---|
| Type | Think tank / advocacy organisation |
| Logo | |
| Founded | |
| Founder(s) | |
| Dissolved | |
| Registration ID | |
| Status | |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Location | |
| Area served | |
| Services | |
| Registration | |
| Key people | |
| Website | New Horizons website |
| Remarks | |
New Horizons in British Islam (NHiBI) is a British Muslim think tank founded in 2013 by Dilwar Hussain to promote theological and cultural reflection within British Muslim communities. The organisation describes itself as a platform for "reimagining British Muslim identity" through research, events, publications and policy engagement on topics including theology, identity, belonging and social cohesion.[1] Reports suggest NHiBI has maintained a documented but largely covert relationship with Breakthrough Media and, through it, the Research, Information and Communications Unit (RICU) of the Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism (OSCT) within the Home Office — one of the seven agencies and departments that form the UK Intelligence Community.[2] As a result NHiBI has been described as an asset of British intelligence in the counter-extremism propaganda ecosystem.[3]
Leaked documents from 2017–2018 revealed that Breakthrough Media — a communications contractor paid by RICU to produce ostensibly independent Muslim voices — coordinated closely with NHiBI on content production, event organisation and public messaging. This relationship allowed RICU to influence narratives reaching Muslim audiences while maintaining the appearance of independent community-led activity.[4] Critics argue that NHiBI's participation in this ecosystem has compromised its credibility as an authentic Muslim voice and contributed to the broader securitisation of British Muslim communities.
History
New Horizons in British Islam was established in 2013 by Dilwar Hussain, a former head of the Policy Research Centre at the Islamic Foundation and a prominent figure in British Muslim think-tank circles. The organisation positioned itself as a progressive, reform-oriented platform seeking to reconcile Islamic theology with contemporary British life.[1]
In 2017–2018 leaked documents exposed NHiBI's operational relationship with Breakthrough Media, a contractor funded by RICU to produce content targeting Muslim audiences. Emails and planning documents showed Breakthrough coordinating messaging, events and publications with NHiBI staff, with RICU ultimately approving or directing much of the output.[4] The revelations formed part of a wider exposé of RICU's covert influence operations within British Muslim civil society.
Despite the controversy, NHiBI continued operations, maintaining a public focus on theological reflection, interfaith dialogue and youth engagement while scaling back overt references to its earlier partnerships.
Activities
NHiBI has organised public lectures, roundtables, youth workshops and publications on topics including Islamic theology, British Muslim identity, citizenship, gender, and responses to extremism. The organisation has positioned itself as a bridge between traditional Islamic scholarship and modern British contexts, often hosting events with progressive Muslim scholars.[5]
Critics argue that its public output has been shaped — directly or indirectly — by RICU priorities, particularly the promotion of "British values" and counter-narratives to Islamist ideologies.
Funding
| Source | Amount (£) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Voluntary grants and donations | 3,674 | Unspecified private donations |
| Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust | 30,000 | Core / project support |
| Global Dialogue | 30,000 | Core / project support |
| Aziz Foundation | 9,975 | Project-specific grant |
| The Church Urban Fund | 5,000 | Project-specific grant |
| Google / Institute for Strategic Dialogue | 39,680 | Digital extremism / counter-narrative project |
Total reported income in 2018 was approximately £118,329, with the above sources constituting the majority of identifiable grants. No comprehensive funding disclosure is provided on the organisation's website.
Governance
| Name | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dilwar Hussain | Founder / Trustee | Former head of Policy Research Centre at the Islamic Foundation |
| Rabiha Hannan | Trustee | Interfaith and community cohesion practitioner |
| Naved Siddiqui | Trustee | Business and community leader |
Controversies
The 2017–2018 leak of RICU documents revealed NHiBI's close working relationship with Breakthrough Media, including joint planning of events, content production and messaging. Critics argue this demonstrated that NHiBI functioned — at least during that period — as a vehicle for covert state influence within British Muslim civil society.[4] The organisation has been accused of promoting narratives that align with Home Office counter-extremism priorities while maintaining the appearance of independent community-led activity. Its receipt of funding from Google via the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (itself heavily funded by Western governments) has been cited as further evidence of alignment with securitised agendas targeting Muslim communities.
See also
Dilwar Hussain Research, Information and Communications Unit Breakthrough Media
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 New Horizons in British Islam, About NHiBI New Horizons in British Islam, accessed 13 February 2026.
- ↑ Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, How the Committee works Intelligence and Security Committee, archived 11 March 2020.
- ↑ Powerbase, New Horizons in British Islam Powerbase, accessed 13 February 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Spinwatch, RICU, Breakthrough Media and the manufacture of Muslim opinion Spinwatch, March 2019.
- ↑ New Horizons in British Islam, Projects New Horizons in British Islam, accessed 13 February 2026.