MCB’s Purpose

As a body representing our affiliates, the Muslim Council of Britain will therefore seek to engage with government, public bodies, civil society and any body that affect the lives of British Muslims. We seek positive engagement and will put forward our considered position without fear or favour. We seek constructive relations in the interest of our communities and nation.

The Muslim Council of Britain’s approach to dealing with public affairs is one of participation not agitation. The MCB views its dealings with government and policymakers as a matter of constructive engagement. This means that the MCB strives to understand and deal with problems and influence policies and outcomes through principled and effective participation. The MCB is a non-partisan, cross-sectarian, democratic and independent umbrella organisation that seeks constructive partnerships with all other entities interested in our common well being as citizens of the UK.

Muslims in Britain are British citizens with an Islamic heritage and the MCB encourages British Muslims to make full use of their rights and responsibilities to further and advance equality for all communities, tolerance of differences and a staunch defence of our liberal democratic traditions and enviable civil liberties. The MCB does not seek special rights or privileges for British Muslims. Rather, the MCB seeks to mainstream British Muslims by removing barriers to integration, whether these be obstacles encountered within the community or without; such as in policy making or in our public discourse on Islam and Muslims. See here the MCB’s “Our Shared British Future” report published in March 2018 for further information aswell as our submission to the Independent Commission on Community & Cohesion.

The Muslim Council of Britain has never claimed to speak for or represent all Muslims in Britain. The MCB only ever claims to speak on behalf of its members, who by virtue of being members, grant MCB the legitimacy to represent their concerns and interests. The MCB tries its utmost to ensure that it’s members, through their number, diversity and geographic spread across the UK, represent a large cross section of British Muslim communities.

The MCB is built on grassroots connection. Our members include mosques, charities, and community organisations across the UK, and our leadership is elected from this diverse base. Through them — and with them — we:

• Unite British Muslims by building common purpose across diverse communities, encouraging inclusive collaboration, and strengthening a shared voice on issues that matter.
• Empower individuals by creating platforms to lead, volunteer, and contribute — and by supporting our affiliates, forging partnerships, and uplifting underrepresented voices.
• Serve by delivering projects, events and training that benefit both British Muslims and wider society, and by using our collective voice and resources to advocate for justice and equity at home and abroad.

Whether you’re part of an organisation or not, you can still get involved — as a volunteer, as a contributor to one of our teams, or by becoming a Friend of MCB.