The need for support to bring change:
Mosques traditionally have been a positive symbol of Islamic Civilisation. Today, the image projected of the lives of British Muslims particularly of their Mosques by the media is often very grim. Fuelling misrepresentation, with a constant focus on the negative characteristics of Muslim communities. However the fact remains British Muslims are playing an active part in all walks of British life to contribute to the prosperity to enrich the diversity of this land, their country.
The BMF reiterates that the responsibility to act positively lies within the community, but also with the Government and others. The community cannot do it alone. American Academic John Esposito states, ' To equate Islam and Islamic fundamentalism uncritically with extremism is to judge Islam only by those who wreak havoc--a standard not applied to Judaism and Christianity...'
Muslim Academics, the Government and many voices from the Muslim communities clearly point out that currently there is a problem in the role and function of the Mosques. Dr Tahir Abbas from Birmingham University opines, 'Our Mosques and Imams are woefully inadequate, and again this is about lack of resources but also openness, too. Mosques are traditionally in the control of tight localised groups who do not always welcome new people or their ideas into central management systems. Furthermore, imams reproduce the interests and expectations of earlier generations.' This may seem a bleak view but we need to look beyond the fact that our respected community elders acquired many of the Mosques buildings and land after sincerely struggling for the benefit of their communities. But the degree of management, the level of educational and communal services provided is now outdated and falling short of connecting all pockets of the community.
As a British born Muslim and a young Imam I became very disillusioned with the contribution of Mosques to our communities a sentiment I felt was wrong. Upon seeking counsel with an elder of the Muslim community I was reminded that the many migrant Muslims from the subcontinent who came after the World War II to a greater degree lost their religious identity in pursuit of their self prosperity and economic contribution to this country. Due to lack of Mosques, Muslim media and effective overseas communications with their countries of origin many working class Muslims would only find out about Eid days after a letter of greetings arrived from their family, realising they had even missed the month of Ramadhan; Friday Prayers were not performed; seeking Halal food was a challenge, the need for socialising and companionship gave way to other vices; and many Muslims that died were buried without Funeral Prayers. The community elder was thankful to the British Government for granting timely visas to their spouses and Imams which resulted in the formation of British Muslim communities creating availability and access to Mosques and Imams for inspiration. It was this identity need that motivated our elders but the needs of today's techno-generation are very different both within a local and global context. However, the common factor remains to maintain and build a confident faith identity.
In this vain for the need to change, BMF is fully involved in the The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) four strand approach to 'win hearts and minds' including capacity building Mosques and youth engagement. The DCLG four strands include to promote shared values; supporting strong community and national leadership, strengthening the role of faith institutions & leaders; and supporting local solutions. The PET report and MINAB good practice guidelines too highlight that Mosques have to be transformed to meet the current demands of the community and to re-connect with young people in a holistic and engaging manner serving their religious and practical needs meaningfully.
Mosques capacity building programme
In February 2007 BMF launched first of its Mosque Capacity Building Programme funded by Capacity Builders. The pilot initiative has engaged Mosques across the West Midlands in partnership with the leadership of Sunni Confederation of Mosques Midlands.
The new DCLG guidelines printed for the launch of the Pathfinder Fund for the prevention of violent extremism in March 2007 have posed new challenges for Mosques, madrassahs and supplementary schools, to include for the first time working with the DFES and Muslim communities, that curriculum's should teach Islamic values are consistent with core British values and culture including the responsibilities of active citizenship. This requires BMF and other national organisations to develop a Citizenship curriculum, producing high quality material and to provide the relevant training. Government is also expecting after April 2007 many Mosques and Muslim faith based organisations will register for charitable status to tap into 'substantial tax benefits' and to 'increase credibility with the public'. BMF is offering advice and support to all its member faith based organisations who choose to be registered with the Charity Commission.
A Hong Kong Mosques transformation model developed by MUIS is being looked at by BMF to be adapted for the development of the membership capacity building programme. BMF's commitment is to:
Develop a blueprint to transform mosques into specialised centres for Islamic learning, hubs for social development and more user welcoming with activities designed to make Mosques more youth, family and community ‘friendly’. Mosque leaders are encouraged to open up to the wider community and position the Mosques within the larger national landscape.
Develop mosques as centres for learning & social development by reshaping Mosque content for community engagement, so that Mosques take initial steps to become more 'youth-friendly' and 'women-friendly.' Become more engaging and practical for youth and women with meaningful programmes and activities to be tailored to attract youth & women from various cultural backgrounds. Recognising the importance of engaging the young and women so as to create Mosque Youth and Women’s wings; to develop, train and deliver accredited youth programmes; activities to be planned, coordinated, organised and led by the youth and women. Mosques need to develop provision and allocate more resources in terms of support from Mosque management and finances for youth and women’s outreach programmes to enrich the Mosque; to develop a succession planning strategy with management programmes for youth, women and others that may be eligible for taking on responsibilities for the future.
Link Mosques to a BMF National Framework of Enlightened Mosques by restructuring leadership to appointment a professional executive leadership team, which would include a Mosque executive chairman, an executive secretary and possibly a Manager trained in organisational management. Aligning Mosque in a wider national landscape to develop and maintain communications, share good practices, develop partnerships so that all Mosques work together in a common strategic endeavour. To continuously engage and update Mosques and management on current issues and challenges facing the community. Provide support to identify gaps in Mosque CPD programmes and services to address future challenges and to develop the necessary itinerary. To arrange field trips to different parts of the UK and World to learn about good practices in Mosque management, delivering learning programmes and better community participation. To develop affiliations to receive accreditation for courses or even arrange specialist support via exchange or sabbatical programmes. This type of work would form the basis of developing an enlightened mosque leadership making real effort to position mosques as important models of good practice in a national framework.
Reorganise systems by introducing a services and resources audit so as to evaluate and arrange for pooling of resources to maximise benefits through the formation of a shared services scheme, possibly starting with the shared financial services centre and specialist staff for partnership projects. Provide financial expertise to help reorganise Mosque financial statements ensuring Mosque accounts for the preceding year are audited by September of the same financial year. To share professional staff expertise to prevent unneeded duplication and reduce over heads.
Essential steps to transform Mosque into an effective organisation Introduce transparent reward systems based on attainment of results and demonstration of core competencies. Review pay structures in accordance with pay scales, to monitor strategic alignment to vision, mission and goals. Introduce and provide training in human resources management to support Mosques in attracting, retaining, and motivating quality talent. CPD needs to be ongoing alongside the necessary training to encourage Mosques to maintain and develop programmes nurturing its senior management with a stronger sense of resolve, commitment and involvement. Share ideas and best practices in the areas of service culture and innovation respectively. Institutionalising good quality management reflecting commitment towards becoming one of the role model Islamic organisations to be accredited a BMF quality standard for organisational excellence and working towards a public or voluntary sector standard quality mark. A service charter should be implemented outlining the service standards to be observed by staff when dealing with the public. Audits and customised training workshops to be conducted to reaffirm and monitor conformance to the quality of service message. To measure and further improve services to the public. Mosques to commission research to conduct a public survey of the organization compared to other Muslim organisations in terms of Image, quality of service efficiency and influence.
Re-position Mosques as centres for learning and community development via extensive consultative process with BMF member Mosques to produce a tool-kit to help guide the transformation of Mosques for Islamic learning and community development.
Reshape Content of Islamic Learning as we essentially need to develop a modern Mosques accredited curriculum and incorporate it into the wider mainstream education programme; provide homework support; introduce specific English based modules for teens or kids and in the area of public lectures; Mosques and members to use recommended lecture templates prepared by the office of the BMF Ulema Council.
Identifying Specialist centres of learning and guidance. Some Mosques will be identified for development into centres of specialised areas of Islamic learning and others for community guidance. Specialisation will be in Tajweed (Quran Reading), Seerah & Taarikh (Islamic civilisation), Sarf & Nahv (Classical Arabic language programme), Aqeedah (Theology), Islaami Afkaar (Islamic thought), Hadith (Prophetic Narrations) and Tafseer (Exegesis). Guidance in Citizenship (Shehriyyat), contemporary issues and Imam & Teacher training centre.
Currently the Mosque Capacity Building Programme is working with Faiz ul Qur'an Central Mosque – Lozells, Minhaj ul Qur'an-Walsall, Ghomkol Sharif Central Mosque – Small Heath, Dudley Central Mosque, Hazrat Sultan Bahu Trust (UK), Siddiquia Educational Institute -Winson Green, Raza Mosque -Aston, Qamar ul Islam Mosque - Yardley, Faizaan e Rasool – Washwood Heath, Kanz ul Huda – Sparkhill and Ameer Millat Centre. The Mosques Capacity Building Committee is working to develop a model of good practice by transforming and remodelling these Mosques to become beacons of good practice in the national framework for others to emulate. The task is immense but we know that all challenges can be overcome with an initial step which the BMF has readily taken.
Hafiz Ghulam-Rasool
11th May 2007
An introduction to the Faith and Social Cohesion Unit - Arabic 
