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This page gives an overview of the entire site. It is divided into the sections listed in the table below. The table is clickable to allow you to go directly to that section.
If you just want to see the title of each page, grouped by storage folder, there is a computer generated site map.
In the interests of transparency, I have provided readers with a detailed account about myself.
Personal profile
Some organisations I am involved with
Islamic finance credentials
A short personal history
Radio interview with Mike Shaft, BBC Radio Manchester
Why friends call me Amin
Inclusion in published listings
Organisations I support without getting personally involved
The About me page also contains some other links:
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About this site
The legal aspects page contains details of the site ownership, terms of use and legal disclaimers. The disclaimers are also at the foot of each page.
The design philosophy page explains the site's goals and the thinking behind its visual appearance.
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There are various ways of contacting me:
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Politics
Plato said: "Good men who refuse to take part in politics are condemned to be governed by those less worthy than themselves."
- TV discussion on Britain and Christian values
- In a speech on the King James Bible, Prime Minister David Cameron explained his view of Britain as a Christian country and the importance of Christian values. The Islam Channel had a programme where I discussed this with Dr Jonathan Chaplin - Director of the Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics.
- The Conservative Party, racial equality and national identity
- My essay in the Demos publication "Are we there yet? A collection on race and Conservatism" edited by Max Wind-Cowie. I discuss the nature of race and the meaning of national identity, and how the Conservative Party has changed under David Cameron.
- Why the state should exit the marriage business
- Using the same word, "marriage" to describe a legal relationship and a relationship that is primarily religious causes confusion. The state should recognise only civil partnerships, leaving marriage to individuals depending on their beliefs.
- Winning Muslim votes for the Conservative Party
- A one-page article I wrote for "Reformer", the house magazine of the Tory Reform Group, on how the Party can win more Muslim votes.
- The proper boundary of "Political Islam"
- Political Islam causes concerns in many countries. When is it legitimate for a politician to be inspired by religion and when is it not?
- Why I will vote YES in the Alternative Vote referendum
- First past the post (FPTP) does not work properly once you have more than two credible candidates. The referendum is possibly the most important decision our country will make in a generation.
- The benefits and costs of joining a political party
- Every time I think about it I am surprised by how few British citizens are members of a political party. In this piece, I explain how much influence joining a party gives you, even if you don't have time to get actively involved.
- BNP video: "British Conservatives Support Hard-Line Islam"
- This video appears to have been posted on YouTube on 23 February 2010, but I only became aware of recently when a friend brought it to my attention. I was quite pleased to find the BNP attacking me by name, and regard it as a badge of honour.
- Is there a Muslim bloc vote and how do Muslims vote?
- With the General Election now only eight days away, I wrote a couple of comments on the Guardian's comment is free website. This page contains those comments, along with links to the main articles I was responding to.
- A review of the BNP's 2010 Election manifesto
- I decided to read the BNP's 2010 Election Manifesto, and to write a short review from a Muslim perspective.
- Powerful or powerless?
- I was asked to contribute a piece to the newly launched MCB Youth Committee blog. I chose to write about the critical importance of political participation, which I regard as essential to the future of the Muslim community in the UK.
- Why Muslims need to join the Conservative Muslim Forum
- I am a member of the Conservative Muslim Forum. In the summer of 2009, I helped to write the leaflet "Why Muslims need to join the Conservative Muslim Forum," the text of which was signed off by the Conservative Party's internal team as with all other Party materials.
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Islamic finance
Starting in 2005, I have become a regular writer and presenter on Islamic finance. Some of my works are listed below.
- When do cross-border Islamic finance payments suffer withholding tax?
- As tax law varies from country to country, there is no general answer to this question. However this article, first published in Islamic Finance News, explains how to think about the issues.
- The Royal Bank of Scotland disaster: its lessons for Islamic finance
- The Financial Services Authority has published a 452 page report "The failure of the Royal Bank of Scotland." Islamic banks are exposed to many of the risks that brought down RBS.
- The choice of applicable law for Islamic finance
- Students of Islamic finance often wonder why so much of it takes place under English law. An interview with Global Islamic Finance Magazine allowed me to give a brief explanation.
- Accounting and tax implications of sale and leaseback
- This article first published in Islamic Finance News looks at the accounting under IFRS and AAOIFI accounting standards. It also briefly considers the tax issues that can arise.
- Presentation on “Taxation of Islamic finance transactions” at ITIC MENA Tax Forum, Istanbul
- The slides and additional text explain why Islamic finance transactions often suffer a higher tax burden than equivalent conventional transactions. The coverage is not specific to any one country.
- Accounting for sukuk under IFRS and AAOIFI accounting standards
- My chapter from a new book which uses a hypothetical example to show how the two sets of accounting standards can give very different accounting results for the same transaction.
- Video presentation on "Would Islamic finance have prevented the global financial crisis?"
- In 2009, I spoke three times on this subject. The talk became a magazine article, but I have discovered that the video recording of the presentation given in Australia can be downloaded free from iTunes.
- Liquidity management at UK Islamic banks
- Islamic banks face greater liquidity management challenges than conventional banks. I cover the reasons and also review the liquidity management practices of the five UK Islamic banks.
- A simple introduction to Islamic mortgages
- There is much misunderstanding about Islamic mortgages. Accordingly, I have explained how they work in simple terms with diagrams and illustrative numbers.
- Leaked US ambassador's report on UK Islamic finance scene.
- The diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks is a fair status summary with occasional errors, and quotes many people including myself.
- What is AAOIFI’s Proper Accounting Standards Role?
- A review of GCC Islamic banks shows that AAOIFI's accounting standards are only followed in Bahrain and Qatar. I conclude that AAOIFI should cease issuing its own accounting standards and instead collaborate with the IASB.
- The tax treatment of Islamic finance in Western countries and Muslim majority countries
- This is my chapter of the book "Euromoney Encyclopedia of Islamic Finance" edited by Aly Korshid and published by Euromoney Books. My goal in writing it was to explain the different approaches to the taxation of Islamic finance taken by the UK and some Muslim majority countries.
- The role of the UK as an international centre for Islamic banking and finance
- This is my chapter of the book "Islamic Investment Banking: Emerging Trends, Developments and Opportunities" edited by Sohail Jaffer and published by Euromoney Books. My goal was to explain the factors that have made the UK the leading centre for international Islamic finance outside Muslim majority countries.
- Islamic financial products and their challenge to taxation systems
- This is my chapter of the book "The Chancellor Guide to the Legal and Shari'a Aspects of Islamic Finance" edited by Humayon Dar. It explains why the UK would tax Islamic finance transactions more heavily than conventional finance, and discusses how UK law has been revised with the goal of parity of tax treatment.
- The UK Islamic banking scene
- This short article looks at the figures on the five UK Islamic banks as at 31 December 2009. Only one of them is a retail bank, and I explain why retail Islamic banking has not taken off in the UK.
- Islamic finance in Australia
- Australia is an important regional financial centre, and I believe it has significant competitive advantages if it chooses to compete regionally in international Islamic finance.
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- Why has retail Islamic banking not taken off in the UK?
- I read a newspaper article which posed this question, and decided to set out my own thoughts.
- How conventional insurance and takaful differ numerically
- Many people who are new to Islamic finance often ask about the difference between takaful and conventional insurance. I have tried to explain this with the simplest possible example; two people who each have a house that is at risk from fire.
- British Government Policy on Islamic Finance
- I was asked to contribute an article on Islamic finance for the brochure being prepared by the Muslim Council of Britain's delegation to the World Islamic Economic Forum. As the audience at the WIEF would mostly come from Muslim majority countries, I decided to explain how the UK has been able to promote Islamic finance while maintaining a policy of religious neutrality.
- The United Kingdom’s approach to the regulation of Islamic finance
- The UK is globally recognised as the leading Western country for Islamic finance. However from time to time proponents of Islamic finance ask me why the UK does not allow Islamic banks to offer “true” profit and loss sharing investment accounts. This item is a long answer to that short question.
- Would Islamic finance have prevented the global financial crisis?
- I gave a presentation on this subject to the Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance in July 2009, and then wrote an article based on the presentation.
- Are Islamic banks Islamic enough?
- In one form or another, this question often crops up at conferences on Islamic finance. In my view, the answer depends upon the personal religious views of each Muslim, and I have therefore not sought to address it in any of my published writings on Islamic finance. However, the receipt by the Muslim Council of Britain of an open letter required me to address it when composing the response.
- Should Financial Reporting for Islamic Finance be different?-video
- This short video of 2 minutes and 17 seconds addresses the question of whether we need accounting standards for Islamic finance which are distinct from the accounting standards applicable to conventional finance. The short answer is no. The video is not very "bubbly"; apart from the subject being accounting, the other reason is that I was speaking without any notes or advance preparation, so I was literally making it up as I went along! It can be watched on the website of the Institute of Islamic Banking and Insurance.
- Taxation of Islamic finance - video
- The CFA Institute is a body engaged in financial training. I recorded for them a 25 minute video comprising a slide presentation with me talking on "Taxation of Islamic finance."
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Book reviews
Books are a cornerstone of our civilisation. They allow one person to speak to many, and they allow the dead to speak to the living. I review books that have made some kind of impression on me. The books are listed below in strict alphabetical order of their titles, with a clickable link to the actual review.
- "7/7:Muslim Perspectives" by Murtaza Shibli (editor)
- 25 Muslims write about what they were doing on 7 July 2005, how they were affected by this terrible crime, and how they feel about it five years later. I contributed so much to this book that I cannot review it. However, you can read the full text of my chapter, the book introduction and profiles of all the other contributors.
- “Among the Truthers: A Journey Through America's Growing Conspiracist Underground” by Jonathan Kay
- Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? The author spent three years researching the American "9/11 Truth" movement and provides some insightful answers.
- "Celsius 7/7" by Michael Gove
- A short and very readable book setting out Mr Gove's views regarding the threat posed by "Islamist terrorism." Opinions about the book are very polarised. I think the author is right to emphasise the importance of the terrorist ideology.
- "Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings" by Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
- The full English translation of Dr Qadri's meticulous fatwa. It systematically demolishes every Islamic argument the terrorists can put forward to justify their actions.
- "Free Capital: How 12 Private Investors Made Millions in the Stock Market" by Guy Thomas
- This book is based upon detailed interviews with 12 private investors. Two are identified, while the others use pseudonyms. The anonymity allows them to speak frankly about how they became full time investors. Everyone will learn something from this book, regardless of the extent of their previous involvement with investing.
- “Holy Terror” by Frank Miller
- Frank Miller is the author of such famous graphic novels as "300", "Sin City" and "Batman: Dark Knight Returns", all of which have been filmed. However this 120 page graphic novel has cardboard characters, is filled with anti-Muslim propaganda and is best ignored.
- "Islamic Banking and Finance: What It Is and What It Could Be" Editor Tarek El Diwany
- 1st Ethical put in significant effort to enable this book, which has 11 authors as well as the editor, to be published. It is aimed at professionals new to Islamic banking and finance, and at students at undergraduate level and above. I found it interesting to read, but conclude that it fails the objectives it set itself. As well as the review, there is a response from the Editor Tarek El Diwany.
- "Islamic Commercial Law: An Analysis of Futures and Options" by Mohammad Hashim Kamali
- This is my favourite book on Islamic finance and provides the reader with a sound grounding in the Quranic and Hadith sources before going on to analyse futures and options. It is the book I always recommend to people who are new to Islamic finance.
- "Jacob's Legacy: A Genetic View of Jewish History"
- The author is professor of molecular genetics and director of the Institute for Genome Science and Policy's Center for Population Genomics and Pharmacogenetics, Duke University, USA. He has written a short and gripping book which is accessible to everyone regardless of scientific or religious background.
- "Jesus, Prophet of Islam" by Muhammad Ata'ur-Rahim and Ahmad Thomson
- The early history of Christianity is not well known by most Muslims, or indeed by most Christians. This book explains who doctrines such as the Trinity and salvation by the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus on the cross entered the early Christian church. Most Christians are also unaware of how much coverage Jesus gets in the Quran.
- "Minority Verdict - The Conservative Party, the voters and the 2010 election" by Michael A. Ashcroft
- Lord Ashcroft was at the heart of Conservative campaign strategy from 2005 - 2010. He gives a fascinating, short and very readable insight into how the Conservative Party needed to change, and why it just failed to win an overall majority.
- “Muslim Civilisation: The Causes of Decline and the Need for Reform” by M. Umer Chapra
- The author is a leading economist and Islamic finance specialist. He attributes the decline to causes internal to the Muslim world, and places greatest emphasis on political illegitimacy.
- "Muslims on the Map: A National Survey of Social Trends in Britain" by Serena Hussain
- This book by an academic geographer contains some fascinating insights into Britain's Muslim population.
- “Old New Land (Altneuland)” by Theodor Herzl
- A novel by the founder of modern Zionism, setting out his utopian vision for the future of Palestine.
- “Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence” by Mohammad Hashim Kamali
- This book is probably the leading work on the subject in English. In 500 very readable pages, the author explains how Islamic law is developed from the original sources of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). It helps one to understand the diversity and depth of Islamic thought.
- “Qur’anic Concepts of the Ethics of Warfare: Challenging the Claims of Islamic Aggressiveness” by Joel Hayward
- In this short paper, Dr Hayward reviews what the Quran says about when Muslims are permitted to fight and the rules which apply. He shows that these rules are almost identical to the Christian "Just War" concept.
- "The Cambridge companion to the Quran" edited by Jane Dammen McAuliffe
- This book comprises 14 independent chapters written by academic experts on the Quran, both Muslim and non-Muslim. It is an excellent short introduction to the study of the Quran, and is very easy to read.
- "The Constitution of Liberty" by Friedrich Hayek
- This book has inspired an entire generation of people who believe in personal freedom and its relationship with free market capitalism.
- "The Israel lobby and US foreign policy" by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt
- In the USA this book was very controversial. I believe it provides a blueprint for British Muslims.
- "The Jewish State" by Theodor Herzl
- This short book was the founding text of modern Zionism. The seeds of the Middle East conflict can be found inside it.
- "The Monster Hunter's Handbook" by Ibrahim S. Amin
- This is my eldest son's first published book. It is both funny and informative.
- "The Myth of Digital Democracy" by Matthew Hindman
- The internet gives ordinary citizens the power to publish material that can be read by everyone in the world who has computer access. Many commentators have argued that this is democratising public discourse, since the old media such as newspapers and TV concentrated power in the hands of only a few publishers. The author demonstrates with detailed research that this view is incorrect because although it is easy to speak in cyberspace, it is very difficult to be heard.
- “The other Schindlers: Why some people chose to save Jews in the Holocaust" by Agnes Grunwald-Spier
- Hiding a Jew risked death for you and your family. Most people looked the other way, but some risked everything to help complete strangers. How do people make these choices? It is a fascinating short book, and very readable.
- “The Right Kind of History – Teaching the Past in Twentieth Century England” by David Cannadine, Jenny Keating and Nicola Sheldon
- The authors have written the first history of how History has been taught in English schools from 1900 to 2010. The book is very easy to read and helps one to think clearly about this vital issue. Afer all, we are our history.
- "The Road to Mecca" by Muhammad Asad
- Muhammad Asad was born as Leopold Weiss in Poland, but became one of the most famous Muslims of the twentieth century. This autobiography covers his first 32 years. It paints a vivid picture of his early life, recreates the Middle East of the 1920's, explains what brought him to Islam, and reflects upon the radical message of the Prophet (pbuh).
- "The Theory of Investment Value" by John Burr Williams
- This is one of the seminal works on investment valuation. Written in 1938, it is still worth reading today.
- "Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History" by David Aaronovitch
- Why are some people so ready to believe in conspiracy theories? The book covers a number of modern conspiracy theories in depth and then comes up with a theory about the types of people drawn to them.
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What you can do
- Be personally successful
- I meet many young people whose main goal is to work for a charity or an NGO. They underestimate how personal success enables you to do more good for others.
- Join a political party
- This will cost less than £40 per year, but will dramatically increase your political impact. The amount of time you spend is up to you, but even if you spend almost no time on party activities, you can still make a difference as I explain on the linked page.
- Write to the media and politicians
- In Britain, we have the right to free speech, and should make our voice heard. I have explained why we should write letters and website comments, and set out how to maximise your effectiveness.
- An illustrative political complaint letter
- I have written to the Superintendent of West Point objecting to a proposed speaker. The email is reproduced with an explanation of my thought process.
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Over the last 50 years, Britain has changed significantly and is a much richer and more diverse country. Muslims living in Britain have more freedom to practice their religion than almost anywhere else in the world.
- To save one life is like saving all mankind
- This quotation appears in the Quran and in the Talmud.Two years ago meet a kindertransport child made this quotation vividly real for me. Accordingly I based my second "Thought for the week" radio broadcast around it.
- A perspective on shechita and halal slaughter
- Animal welfare campaigners regularly allege that shechita and halal slaughter are cruel. I briefly review scientific evidence which contradicts the cruelty claim, and discuss the religious freedom issues.
- A Curriculum for Cohesion
- Muslim children perform worse in school than any other religious group. Many young non-Muslim Britons grow up hostile towards Islam. I am supporting an appeal for a project which can address both issues.
- Shariah is more than a set of legal rules
- Many people use the term "Shariah" as if it were interchangeable with "Islamic law." However Shariah which means "the path to salvation" is much more than that. It encapsulates all of the doctrines of Islam.
- Reflections on the death of Svetlana Alliluyeva
- Svetlana always bore the burden of being Stalin's daughter. While we are commonly judgemental about the children of "bad" parents, God never judges us except by our own actions and inactions.
- Reflections on 9/11
- It is hard to believe that 10 years have gone by. As well as reminiscing, I assess Al Qaeda's goals and conclude that it has failed and that its time has passed.
- Reflections on the killings in Norway
- Anders Breivik's mass murder defies understanding. However I have found reading his manifesto helpful.
- BBC Radio Manchester interview about the London Bombings
- I was interviewed for seven minutes alongside Dr Joel Hayward, Dean of the Royal Air Force Academy.
- Preventing people becoming terrorists
- Preventing people becoming terrorists is as important as arresting terrorists. While Muslim organisations have been queing up to criticise the revised Prevent strategy announced by the Government on 7 June 2011, I believe they are wrong to do so.
- Why are Muslim majority countries more corrupt?
- When you itemise OIC members states on the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions index, they cluster towards the bottom. I have been thinking about the reasons.
- BBC Radio Manchester discussion about the death of Osama Bin Laden
- I took part in a half hour discussion along with a rabbi and two Christian reverends. The BBC have given me the sound files and permitted me to post them on the internet.
- The difference between "multiculturalism" and "state multiculturalism"
- David Cameron has criticises "state multiculturalism" on at least two occasions. Unfortunately many misunderstand that as criticism of multiculturalism. I have tried to explain the difference.
- We all need to prevent violent extremism – nobody can stand idly by
- The Prime Minister's speech in Munich on 5 February 2011 and Baroness Neville-Jones's speech in Washington DC on 1 April 2011 outline the Government's new approach to preventing violent extremism. This page summarises the speeches and outlines what individual British Muslims can do to help.
- Reflections on visiting Yad Vashem
- Yad Vashem is the most important centre documenting and commemorating the Jews who died during the Holocaust. I visited it at the beginning of 2010, and found it very moving.
- Statement regarding death threats made against Dr Usama Hasan
- Usama Hasan has been threatened with death for sharing his views about evolution and whether hair covering is mandatory for Muslim women. Such threats seek to close down freedom of thought and discussion, and must be resisted by all right-thinking Muslims.
- Why I wear a Union Jack lapel pin
- It changes the way strangers see me, by silently asserting my patriotism.
- A brief introduction to Islam for non-Muslims
- For many years non-Muslims have asked my wife and me for a simple and short introduction to Islam. Unable to find anything quite suitable for them, I eventually decided to write it myself.
- The Muslim Council of Britain’s Need for Constitutional Reform
- The MCB has announced that it is reviewing its constitution. I have made a written submission to the review committee which I am sharing on this website.
- Review of a report on Muslim converts in the UK
- At the end of 2010, Faith Matters published a 40 page report "A Minority within a Minority: a report on converts to Islam in the United Kingdom". I consider it well worth reading.
- Is the correct usage Koran, Qur’an or Quran?
- I explain why "Qur'an" is the most correct form, even though I choose to use "Quran". I have also noticed that obsolete usage such as "Koran" and "Moslem" is often associated with anti-Muslim views.
- Conference address on the Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester
- I spoke about why and how the Forum was set up and what it has achieved.
- Is Israel criticised unfairly?
- Israelis often complain that their country is criticised while other countries which behave much worse are not, and that this is unfair.
- The European Union threat to halal and kosher food
- Muslims, Jews and their friends need to act now to get rid of proposed EU legislation which will make halal and kosher food more expensive, and which could eventually lead to it being banned.
- Playing Russian roulette with my baby's health
- Marrying your first cousin increases the risk of your children having a serious genetic disorder. As well as discussing the risks, I link a number of scientific papers, so that readers are not left in any doubt regarding the facts.
- Reading the Quran
- If you want to understand the Quran and don't speak Arabic, you need a translation, but where do you start? There are three translations that I generally recommend.
- A response to Rabbi Shmuley Boteach regarding suicide bombers and hell
- Muslims believe that only God decides who goes to heaven or to hell. However, this can easily be misinterpreted as moral ambivalence, which Rabbi Boteach has done.
- Triangulating the Abrahamic faiths
- How do you measure the relative closeness of Judaism, Christianity and Islam?
- Anti-Semitism amongst Muslims – a personal view
- I feel strongly about anti-Semitism, but it grieves me most when find it amongst fellow Muslims because I believe that we should be "the best of people."
- Suicide by samosa? Stopping the Asian diet from killing us
- I feel very angry about the ill health that plagues Britons of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin.
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- Letter to Israeli ambassador about the Gaza flotilla and blockade
- There were been demonstrations in London about Israel's attack on 31 May 2010 on the flotilla carrying supplies to Gaza. I have never been on a demonstration, and prefer to work by other means. In that regard, I wrote an open letter to the Israeli ambassador in London
- 'I'd invite Melanie Phillips to dinner'
- The journalist Chaminda Jayanetti who interviewed me for the Samosa website was clearly taken by my approach as he used it for the title of his wide ranging interview.
- Why we need to stop using the word “Islamism”
- I originally wrote about this on my Telegraph blog as listed below. I decided to write about it again on the Pickled Politics website, as a point often has to be made repeatedly before it gets accepted.
- Tortured by algebra? Who can you blame?
- Not many people are aware that it was Muslims who are to blame for inventing algebra. While for some this just brings back painful memories of school, algebra is of course indispensible in the modern world.
- The university and modern civilisation
- I can think of no institution that is more central to modern civilisation than a unversity. Most people, Muslims and non-Muslims, don't know that universities were invented by Muslims. Accordingly, I have written a short history tracing back to the oldest university in the world.
- Time to retire Islamism?
- For some time, I have believed that the word "Islamism" has ceased to mean anything useful. Worse still, most Muslims see and hear only the first five letters, and see an attack on "Islamism" as an attack on Islam. This was originally published on my Telegraph blog.
- Powerful or powerless?
- I was asked to contribute a piece to the newly launched MCB Youth Committee blog. I chose to write about the critical importance of political participation, which I regard as essential to the future of the Muslim community in the UK.
- Another charge of reds (sorry, Islamists) under the bed!
- Andrew Gilligan’s Channel 4 Dispatches programme “Britain’s Islamic Republic” on 1 March 2010 caused significant concerns amongst the Muslim community. It reminded me very much of the anti-communist witch hunts led by Senator Joe McCarthy.
- A poor article comprising mainly innuendo
- I was annoyed by a Sunday Telegraph article “Sir Ian Blair’s deal with Islamic radical” which implied that Sir Ian Blair had cooked up some kind of secret deal with Azad Ali, when the reality was a formal cooperation agreement between the Metropolitan Police and the Muslim Safety Forum. Repeating my approach of "taking the fight to the enemy" I began a blog on the My Telegraph website.
- Dammed if you do and dammed if you don't!
- After regularly complaining about the MCB's absence from the Holocaust Memorial Day commemoration, after the 2010 event the Jewish Chronicle complained that the MCB representative was not important enough. My annoyance is evident from the title.
- Board [of Deputies of British Jews]: Muslim Council of Britain must be boycotted until reform
- Like most Muslims, I was very annoyed by the submission that the Board of Deputies made recommending this. I decided to "take the fight to the enemy" by creating a blog on the website of the Jewish Chronicle.
- Are Islamic banks Islamic enough?
- In one form or another, this question often crops up at conferences on Islamic finance. In my view, the answer depends upon the personal religious views of each Muslim, and I have therefore not sought to address it in any of my published writings on Islamic finance. However, the receipt by the MCB of an open letter required me to address it when composing the response.
- No Muslim should deny Holocaust
- Holocaust denial amongst Muslims makes me very angry. Accordingly, when the editor of the Jewish Chronicle asked if he could convert my City Circle blog about visiting Auschwitz into a newspaper article and change the title, I agreed readily. It was my first piece in the Jewish Chronicle.
- Reflections on visiting Auschwitz
- I regard the Holocaust as the ultimate in human depravity. In 2009 with some other Muslims and Jews I visited Auschwitz, and wrote this afterwards to share how I felt about it.
- "The Israel lobby and US foreign policy" - a blueprint for British Muslims
- British Muslims often complain about the influence of the Israel lobby in the USA and the UK. However, for me the key message is that instead of complaining, we need to learn from their commitment to political engagement.
- Gaza and the need for peace now
- This was written the day after Israel started bombing Gaza at the end of 2008, before the ground invasion in January 2009. I was outraged, but decided to focus on the future and the urgent need for a permanent peace.
- Why engage in interfaith dialogue?
- I was asked to set down my thoughts on interfaith dialogue and how it should be conducted, if at all. Having done so, I thought it might be worth sharing with a wider audience and published them on the City Circle website.
- Seek extremism and you will find it
- The Centre for Social Cohesion published a report alleging high levels of extremism within student Islamic societies. After reading the report closely, I concluded that its methodology was fundamentall flawed.
- Muslims misguided enough to abandon Islam are free to do so
- Apostasy is a controversial subject, and this item generated more comments than any other blog I have written on the City Circle website.
- Terrorist + Muslim = "Muslim terrorist"?
- This piece tackled another controversial subject. What should we call people who themselves proclaim that their terrorist activities are inspired by Islam?
- Better words mean better thinking
- This was sparked by a speech David Cameron made. I suddenly realised how using better words results in clearer thinking. As an example, once "forced marriage" entered common usage, I no longer needed to explain that having an "arranged marriage" involved free choice.
- Rowan Williams and people's unwillingness to read
- The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams managed to create a firestorm of protest about the supposed introduction of Shariah law into Britain. In reality, people were simply not reading his speech properly. However, they had some excuse from the complexity of his writing, which I analysed.
- Look back and learn
- Muslims regularly look back to the "golden age" when the Islamic civilisation created by the Arabs was the leading civilisation in the world. However, I believe that many fail to understand what made that civilisation successful.
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Film reviews
Film was the most important new art form of the 20th century, possibly the most important since the invention of the book. Films can be mere entertainment to pass the time but they can also educate and inspire us. Many of the films that we have seen become an integral part of our lives.
Like books, films take us out of the greyness of our mundane everyday existence into a world of magical possibility. For example, I was aged in single figures when I watched the immensity of ancient Egypt and was inspired by "The Ten Commandments" and have never forgotten it.
- Field of Dreams - 1989
- This film has a magical quality and I would describe it as almost perfect.
- My name is Khan - 2010
- This film made me laugh and cry. It is great entertainment with some powerful messages.
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The Middle East Dispute
The dispute over Palestine has had a central role in global politics since the 1940's.
- Advocating Israel to Muslims
- “How should supporters of Israel get its message across to Muslims?” I had to think about that question when speaking at an Israel advocacy event.
- An Israel for all Israelis
- Does Israel exist for all of its citizens, or only for the 80% who are Jewish? The Israeli national anthem is problematical for its non-Jewish citizens as is the new requirement that the Palestinians recognise Israel as a Jewish state in any peace agreement.
- Interview given to Children of Peace
- I have been a friend of this charity for over a year. I recently gave them an interview which summarises my thoughts on the Middle East dispute.
- "The Road to Mecca" by Muhammad Asad
- Muhammad Asad was born as Leopold Weiss in Poland, but became one of the most famous Muslims of the twentieth century. This autobiography covers his first 32 years. It paints a vivid picture of his early life, recreates the Middle East of the 1920's, explains what brought him to Islam, and reflects upon the radical message of the Prophet (pbuh).
- “Old New Land (Altneuland)” by Theodor Herzl
- A novel by the founder of modern Zionism, setting out his utopian vision for the future of Palestine.
- Is Israel criticised unfairly?
- Israelis often complain that their country is criticised while other countries which behave much worse are not, and that this is unfair.
- Anti-Semitism amongst Muslims – a personal view
- I feel strongly about anti-Semitism, but it grieves me most when find it amongst fellow Muslims because I believe that we should be "the best of people."
- Letter to Israeli ambassador about the Gaza flotilla and blockade
- There were been demonstrations in London about Israel's attack on 31 May 2010 on the flotilla carrying supplies to Gaza. I have never been on a demonstration, and prefer to work by other means. In that regard, I wrote an open letter to the Israeli ambassador in London
- "The Israel lobby and US foreign policy" - a blueprint for British Muslims
- British Muslims often complain about the influence of the Israel lobby in the USA and the UK. However, for me the key message is that instead of complaining, we need to learn from their commitment to political engagement.
- Gaza and the need for peace now
- This was written the day after Israel started bombing Gaza at the end of 2008, before the ground invasion in January 2009. I was outraged, but decided to focus on the future and the urgent need for a permanent peace.
- "The Jewish State" by Theodor Herzl
- This short book was the founding text of modern Zionism. The seeds of the Middle East conflict can be found inside it.
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Success tips
One of the advantages of a long career is that you learn things along the way. Eventually they become obvious to you, but they are not always obvious to other people, so on this page I have decided to share success tips from time to time as they occur to me. Nothing is guaranteed to work 100% of the time, but the tips are shorter to write if I don't hedge them around with "ifs" and "buts."
Most are quite short; occasionally some may be links to another page, and you can tell by looking to see if the title of the tip is a hyperlink or not. The tips are listed in reverse date order of creation, so that the newest ones are always at the top. There is no other order; they appear as I thought about writing them down.
- Read "The Economist"
- To rise to a senior position, it is not enough to be good at your technical specialism. You also need to understand current political and commercial affairs.
- Use business cards effectively
- There are some good habits which become second nature when you develop them. However I am always surprised by the number of people who fail to make the best use of their own and other people's business cards.
- Speak proper English
- You are more likely to succeed in life if your spoken English is outstandingly good. I give some simple advice on how you can improve it.
- Use a good quality head and shoulders photograph
- Many of us have entries on sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. If you are there, it is because you want people to interact with you; on a serious site such as LinkedIn this could extend to seeking to hire you. People are far more likely to contact you if you have a good quality photograph. You don’t need to go to the expense of a professional photo, but at the very least find a friend who is a keen photographer and who has the right camera, lenses and other equipment such as lighting, reflectors etc. Expect to take about 50 pictures from which you are happy with one. Once you have a good photo you are happy with, you will find yourself using it again and again.
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Muslim Council of Britain Elections
On 20 June 2010 the MCB was required to elect a new Secretary General as well as electing the other office bearers. Accordingly, on 25 March 2010, I announced that I was offering myself for that role, by writing a piece on the Guardian "Comment is free" website.
The election took place on 20 June 2010. Due to block voting, I was not elected onto the Central Working Committee, which precluded my standing for Secretary General later that afternoon.
- Announcement of candidacy on Guardian "Comment is Free" website
- Apart from my reasons for running, this is worth reading for the range of reader comments, some of which I felt needed a response.
- My full 14 page election manifesto
- I set out my vision for the MCB, some of the steps I thought it should take, along with a detailed personal background for the benefit of voters who did not know me already.
- Endorsement from Ali Akbar Mohammed
- Ali Akbar Mohammed (no relation!) has known me for 30 years.
- Endorsement from Nasar Mahmood
- Nasar Mahmood has known me for 40 years.
- Endorsement from Bernardo Vizcaino
- Bernardo Vizcaino knows me through both of us being involved with Islamic Finance.
- Endorsement from Yassar Iqbal
- Yassar Iqbal is someone I got to know a few years ago when he approached me out of the blue for guidance.
- Interview on "The Samosa" website
- On 1 June 2010 the Samosa news website published a wide ranging interview about my vision for the MCB and how I would handle some difficult questions.
- Madeleine Bunting article in "The Guardian"
- Madeleine Bunting wrote an article in the Guardian on 18 June 2010 "The MCB's Wonderland Election" correctly predicting the election results. It attracted 141 comments including some from me if you scroll a long way down the readers' comment. You will spot mine because they have my photo against them.
- Inayat Bunglawala's blog "Mohammed Amin resigns from the MCB"
- Inayat's blog attracted a number of readers comments, including one reader who was using three different pseudonyms!
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