AGM January 2025: Candidate Manifestos

Assalamu ‘Alaikum, Honourable Brothers and Sisters,

I am Dr Muhammad Adrees, working as a Consultant Physician in the NHS for more than 15 years, and have worked from Swansea to Shetland and Coleraine to Hull in a number of health trusts. My UK-wide exposure has provided me deep insight into the needs of UK citizens in general and the Muslim community in particular.

I have the vision and passion to deliver through hard work. With the wealth of knowledge, experience, and dedication, I believe I can take the Muslim Council of Britain to a higher level and achieve the best for Muslims of the United Kingdom. I have no doubt that Muslims do matter, and no one can stop us from standing out so that our contributions in the United Kingdom are well recognised and respected. Our children deserve to have a better environment to achieve their best potential and play a positive role in a progressive and prosperous United Kingdom. It is our duty to make society and government institutions realise that we are a highly valuable asset, not a liability.

Our sisters and brothers are the backbone of every walk of life. Our elders gave their lives for the UK during wartime, hugely to the development of modern United Kingdom. We can achieve much more than we think by standing together and playing our leadership role.

I was elected as the Convenor of the Muslim Council of Scotland (MCS, https://mcscotland.org) from 2016 to 2018, re-elected from 2021 to 2023, and for the third time in November 2023. MCS works with all political parties, including the party in power, to secure amendments in Scottish Government consultations based on the beliefs and social needs of the Muslim community. Following several meetings with politicians, we managed to establish a cross-party group on Islamophobia in the Scottish Parliament. Our Eids with Parliamentarians events have been well attended by all political party leaders and MSPs. The Secretary of State for Scotland, whether from the Labour or Conservative Party, has held a few meetings with MCS to work in partnership. . Our interfaith activities led to improved community cohesiveness, and later, an MCS representative was elected as the Chair of Interfaith Scotland. During my five years of convenorship, the MCS has become the only organisation widely respected by government institutions and political parties.

Since October 2023, we organised and played a central role in protests and rallies for FREE Palestine. We raised funds, collected medicines for the oppressed and occupied Palestinians, and organised an event in the Scottish Parliament to raise awareness about an independent and free Palestine.

I always feel proud to stand strong for the respect of the Holy Quran and the dignity and finality of our beloved Holy Prophet PBUH.

If elected as Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, I will deliver on the aims and objectives of MCB as I have done as Convenor of the Muslim Council of Scotland. Insha Allah.

Asalaam alaikum, 

During the Covid pandemic, I was liaising with Muslim groups in other countries to share best practice, and a message was repeated time after time, “If only we had an organisation like the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) in our country.”  

They didn’t know anything about the MCB, the lack of funding, depleted resources, and the fact that the Government did not speak to us. They only knew the vision of unity and working for the common good, that the MCB represented and that was enough to make them envy us.  

1. Rearticulate and inspire new generation with the vision 

The MCB was created in 1998 to serve the British Muslim community and beyond. It has had many successes in that time, but to inspire a new generation, we need to return to our roots and become a vision-centric movement again. 

2. Transform the structure, strategy, funding and culture 

For the MCB to remain relevant in a society that has changed, for our community that has changed and for our challenges that have changed – we too must change. Our organisation needs to undergo an evolution and transformation in structure and strategy to funding and culture. It is an evolution not a revolution, because we don’t want to erase the past but to build on the good foundations. 

3. Build a team that will be the vehicle of transformation 

One person cannot enact this evolution by themselves. It will require a diverse team who have a myriad of backgrounds, skills, and experiences but are united by a single vision – to build the infrastructure that is needed to help the MCB achieve its potential. 

My personal experience is in building vision focused teams, from one of the world’s largest Muslim youth projects (Charity Week operating in 9 countries raising Millions of pounds every year) to the largest international Muslim healthcare campaign (FIMA Lifesavers teaching CPR in over 20 countries annually.) Building a team of quality and quantity would be a key step towards making the evolution into a reality. 

4. Work in true partnership for and with our affiliates & grassroots communities 

During the pandemic, we saw how a strong MCB was able to amplify the great work of the affiliates whilst providing clear leadership to our communities experiencing an unprecedented crisis. The genocide in Gaza and the rise of the far right at home are also huge crises affecting our community, but we are no less able to tackle them when we work in true partnership with our affiliates and others.  

The Muslim community does not suffer from a lack of talent, wealth, desire or intelligence. It suffers from a lack of a unifying force that will bring these together for the common good. The MCB will be that force inshaAllah. Let us do what we can and Allah will do what we cannot. May Allah guide us to that which is best for our ummah in this world and the next. 

I am standing for Deputy Secretary General position for the MCB. I have been involved as a volunteer with the MCB since its inauguration back in November 1997. I have provided media coverage of important events and more formally as a National Council Member since 2013 contributing to policy and decision making. I have been involved with Islamic organisations since my youth and held senior leadership positions in several organisations. I have served as the chair of Education Affairs Committee. I am currently serving as Assistant Secretary General and have previously also served in the same role.  

The Muslim community rightly have ever higher expectations from their community leaders. The political climate in UK and particularly in Europe is becoming more and more Islamophobic, scapegoating Islam and Muslims. What is needed is a balanced, mature and strategic response from the Muslim community to foster better understanding and community cohesion.  

I am the CEO of Inspireamillion. I work as an independent (International) social worker and leadership consultant. Professionally, I have been in the field of social work for over 35 years. serving over 17 years in leadership positions in local government, and the third sector. I have extensive experience of working with local government and in the wider community.  

My work was featured in the government’s Green Paper, ‘Every Child Matters’. I have won outstanding award as a team leader in local government, and in community work won the Community Leadership Award. I have been a member of the Behaviour and Educational Support Team (BEST) Steering Committee in Central Government (UK). I am involved with various community and charitable organisations locally, nationally and internationally. I am a broadcaster on cultural, religious and socio-political issues and have participated on various radio and television programs.  

MCB WORK  

Through the MCB in my most recent role, as Assistant Secretary General, I have helped and supported the MCB leadership team to provide a balanced but strong response to represent Islam and Muslims both in the media and in the political space.  

As a volunteer Imam – I raise issues with large audiences and provide a balanced representation of Islam and Muslims in the Muslim community.  

The Education committee I was chairing has worked in responding to government consultations and provided evidence to inquiries relating to Muslim community. I have contributed to BBC learning and other educational platforms representing a voice for Islam and Muslims.  

 I have represented MCB at local and national platforms such as Stand Up To Racism rally following the New Zealand massacre of Muslims and other events since.  

I have represented the MCB at international events including most recently at the Islamic Development Bank’s general meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia addressing global economic challenges.  

MY MANIFESTO FOR MCB  

Affiliates First – we need to have closer communication and engagement with our affiliates through better and regular communication.  

Set up Youth Leadership Committee – We need to invest in supporting and guiding the youth to provide future leadership in all sections of the community and be of service to humanity. I believe our youth are the backbone of our society. Set up  

Children and Families Committee – Our families are facing serious problems. How they cope now will affect what image the Muslim community has in the future in Britain. This has to be through strengthening work done by Muslim specialists in this space.  

Strengthen diversity of MCB – Meaningful engagement with diverse Muslim community organisations in Britain is needed.  

Muslim Media – Whilst maintaining the media monitoring work that MCB is doing, we also need to strengthen our engagement with ethnic media outlets. MCB needs to proactively produce material on Islam and Muslims in partnership with community organisations for a fair representation of Islam and Muslims.  

Stronger leadership internally and externally – I believe in teamwork. I believe in nurturing leadership and creating a supportive environment where the players of the team feel that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Unity is very important to me as Allah says in Quran (3:103) “And hold firmly to the rope of Allah and do not be divided.”  

I am fully committed to serving the MCB working in close collaboration with the incoming Secretary General and other office bearers, national council members and committees providing continuity of the good work done in the past and much needed support to build a strong future for MCB that continues to work for the common good despite many challenges facing the Muslim community. 

Asalam alykoum,

I have been involved with Islamic activities since my childhood, reciting Qur’an at the opening of ceremonies and events. At university, I was the president of ISOC for two years campaigning for the right of Muslim students at the London Metropolitan University. I also worked voluntarily for Student Action for Refugees helping Muslim refugees to settle and sign posting them in colleges and university around London and West Midland. I am also the deputy imam of my local mosque in Peckham where I teach the Tafsir al Qur’an every Saturday after magrib since 2009. I have extensive experience in interfaith works at London borough of Southwark and also represented MCB at the interfaith discussions and events.

Being the treasurer, I had many great challenges with which to deal with and Alhamdulillah, I turned the organisation financial struggles into success.

I’ve also been fortunate to have worked with the Community Response Group helping affiliates and Muslim organisations manage their finances and resources and importantly it was a great opportunity for me to apply my finance and management experience in reducing the organisation’s expenses while securing more incomes, resulting in making MCB more independent and a sustainable organisation financially.

Among the achievements is the recent Data cleansing exercise of our affiliates which consisted of ensuring that our affiliates’ information is correct and up-to-date. This action has resulted in invoicing affiliation fees correctly and reducing the bad debts significantly.

My ambition is to ensure the positive continuity of the works of the MCB internally and externally prioritising:

Total engagement with Affiliates

I pledge to improve our relationship with the affiliates by

• developing a strong strategy to effectively engage with them
• actively seeking new affiliates to expand our membership base
• Making regular phone calls from the MCB office bearers to affiliates
• setting up one stop shops in every major cities
• extending engagement to all Muslim-based organisations in the UK to build bridges and to achieve unity of purpose.

Addressing current challenges for Muslims in the UK

There are a lot of challenges facing Muslims in Britain today, from islamophobia to Far-right extremism, from economic challenges to social mobility and the threat to civil liberties, it is clear that a structured and national approach to addressing them is much needed.

I will ensure that MCB influence policy making in the UK by campaigning for

• the government engagement with the MCB in the way that is beneficial to the muslim community.
• the anti-Islamophobia laws like any other forms of hate crime, and the enforcement of law to protect muslims everywhere in the UK

• the fair representation of all muslims communities regardless of their origins or ethnicity

I will also works for the

• fair representation in the media and the society of the diversity of our affiliates in particular and Muslim community in general

and lastly

• encourage the Muslim communities to engage with Local and Central Government.
• encouraging the new generation of youth to seek good education, employment and healthy living.

The North and south issues,

The MCB is viewed by many Muslim communities in the North as a mainly London-centric organisation with little relevance or understanding of the issues facing their communities.

To fix this issue, I am ready to work with the Secretary General and the executive team to provide a tangible presence for the MCB in the North by

• organising more events at a regional level major cities.
• engaging face-to-face meetings with members to bridge a strong relationship and eliminate the current North-South misrepresentation
• reach out to Muslim organisations and underrepresented communities and
• strengthening interaction with the diverse affiliates, blacks, whites Asians, Arabs and all walk of life, making them feel an integral part of the MCB’s works to ensure ethnic, gender, socio-economic and theological diversity are listened to.
• fight for diversity and inclusion in mosque and community

Conclusion

I stand ready to support the Secretary General deliver pledges while ensuring that the three priorities above works well in parallel. I will ensure that there is effective communication and team work to provide a stronger community and deliver the needs of British Muslims and achieve the MCB’s vision of “Empowering Muslim communities to achieve a just, cohesive and successful British society”. Insha’Allah (God Willing)