Inaugural speech of Dr Wajid Akhter
Elected Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Saturday 25 January 2025
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Introduction
Asalaam Alaikum.
There is a famous Hadith, “He who does not thank the people, does not thank Allah.”
Thanks
I want to thank you all for placing your trust in me, even though we all know that many others are better qualified for this role—but I guess they were smart enough not to step forward!
I extend my gratitude to Dr. Adrees for running a dignified campaign that focused on the issues rather than personalities. His continued work with the Muslim Council of Scotland will remain vital.
A heartfelt thanks to the election commissioners — Khalid Sofi, Dr. Jamil — and the current office bearers for delivering a robust and reliable election process that should serve as a model for Muslim organisations nationwide.
We owe a debt of gratitude to those who built this organisation through good times and bad — our distinguished list of former Secretary-Generals since 1997. Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Youssef Bhailock, Dr. Abdul Bari, Br. Farooq Murad, Dr. Shuja Shafi, Br. Harun Khan, and so many more whose names deserve recognition.
Finally, I thank Sister Zara Mohammed for being a trailblazer for female leadership in our communities, inspiring generations of young women and men. I pray she is the first of many visionary women leading our organisation.
A Vision for Our Community
I want to talk to you about a community.
A special community.
A dynamic community.
A community that is THE most trailblazing in this country.
It is a community that has a unity of purpose not a uniformity of views.
A community excelling in education and vital careers.
They are not just participating in the AI revolution but leading it and making the British Isles the home of the next Silicon Valley.
A community that is not just using the NHS, but reforming and revitalising it – championing physical and mental health for all.
A community transforming civic and political engagement to uphold the values that make Britain stronger and more just at home and abroad.
A community confident in its faith, seamlessly integrating into wider society while remaining true to its traditions and values.
The success of this community makes our cities more vibrant and our streets safer, our economy more dynamic, and our country more resilient.
Who is this community I speak of?
This magical community that you do not recognise?
It is the British Muslim community in 2050…
and this is what I am calling Vision 2050.
Facing Today’s Challenges
But Vision 2050 must feel a lot more than 25 years away… possibly lightyears away when we consider the challenges we face today:
- A community targeted by violence on the streets and relentlessly stereotyped online
- A community that has often borne the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis, housing shortages, and the NHS’s struggles
- A community that witnesses the horrors in Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, and beyond, while feeling powerless to change things
- A community misrepresented as having a propensity to grooming. Let me make it crystal clear. One groomer is one too many. Muslim or not. We must act to protect all children from this evil. But using the heinous acts of an evil few to misrepresent an entire faith and an ethnicity is also unacceptable. We will act against both injustices.
- A community that has its loyalty questioned on a regular basis. as Dr Adrees and I discovered recently. I was born here, my children were born here, i give my days to the NHS and my nights to voluntary work so to have my loyalty question isn’t just distressing… it’s un-British.
Becoming Serious About Change
So I ask, how do we get from where we are to Vision 2050 – where we want to be?
We get there by becoming serious about change:
Dramatic change.
Systemic change.
Radical change.
And if it sounds difficult, it is because it will be.
BUT if we are serious about change, we will find a way. If we are not, we will find an excuse.
No more excuses.
No more ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’.
No more changing the captain on the Titanic and hoping for a different outcome. It is time we change course.
We have to admit there are many issues which can’t be dressed up with cosmetics, but it needs Open Heart Surgery!
As Allah says in the Quran: “Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”
It is time for change
The change we need is not just in policies but crucially in mindset.
We must shift from seeing ourselves as powerless victims to becoming the powerful, inspirational authors of our own stories.
We must side-step the culture wars that forces us into a corner and label everyone who criticises us as racist or Islamophobic. We must be willing to engage in good faith with even our most ardent critics. Build bridges, not barriers.
Since the MCB was founded in 1997, our community has changed, our country has changed and our challenges and opportunities have changed – as an organisation we must change as well.
If there is one message I want you all to take away from what I have said it is this – CHANGE IS COMING. GET READY FOR IT.
Unite, Empower, Serve
So how will we bring about this change?
With three words: Unite, Empower, Serve.
Unite:
A house divided against itself cannot stand.
Unity is the bedrock upon which this house is built, and unity requires trust.
That is why my first act as Secretary General will be to build trust from the ground up
by launching a root and branch review of the MCB and an unprecedented consultation with communities nationwide
– reaching out and listening to every corner of our community, listening to every voice, bridging every divide.
We will launch a root-and-branch review of the MCB, an unprecedented consultation with communities nationwide aimed at examining what needs to change for MCB to better relate to ordinary Muslims and forge greater collective action – to make MCB an organisation that is modern and can be equipped to take on the matters of the idea, make no mistake, MCB needs reforming
From a young Somali girl in Liverpool to an elderly Bengali man in East London, from Scotland to Wales to Northern Ireland—every voice matters. This organisation must reflect the diversity of British Muslims because we are them and they are us.
Empower
The MCB has often lacked resources, but we must remember that the most vital resource is people—the dedicated, talented, and passionate individuals who drive real change.
Recognising this, we are committed to building a professional operational backbone—a dream team that embodies expertise, dedication, and shared purpose.
This team will not only strengthen our support for affiliates and the wider community but also enhance our ability to serve the needs of the country at large.
Our vision is to move away from a reliance on saviours—those extraordinary individuals who bear the weight of the organisation alone—and instead, establish systems that ensure resilience and sustainability.
This means embedding professionalism and excellence into our very fabric, creating a structure where continuity and progress are not dependent on who is at the helm but are rooted in a shared commitment to our mission.
This transition will empower us to respond to challenges with agility, address the needs of our community with precision, and collaborate with others to advance our collective aspirations. It is not just about building an organisation; it is about creating a legacy of lasting impact which will make change – but we need to empower each other and understand that there are many ways to create change”
Serve
Ultimately, our purpose is service — to our grassroots and beyond.
Whether addressing Gaza or housing, Islamophobia or knife crime, Health inequalities, or AI-driven industries, we will focus on relevant issues most impactful to our communities.
We will work across divides, forging partnerships that make the MCB indispensable to the British Muslim community and the nation.
Never again will any question why we exist or what we do.
Vision 2050
Unite, Empower, Serve—three words, one destination and one destiny: Vision 2050.
Skeptics will doubt, and many will dismiss this as unrealistic.
They’ve seen and heard it all before.
And that is fine.
But a crucial few will hear this vision and instead of asking “How will it fail” ask, “How can I help?”
I know you are out there and you are listening.
You are in every community, home, business and mosque across the country.
You have more talent in your little finger than the rest of us have in our entire beings… and you just wish there was a way to use your talent, skill, passion… in the service of something greater than yourself.
Well this is it.
This is it.
There’s an Arabic phrase – Ahlan Wasahlan.
It is used to welcome people – but literally it means “Your family, your home.”
Conclusion
To those who believe it is time to open the doors wide to a new generation at every level and every way,
To those who believe that no matter how big the challenge, we are equal to it,
To all those who believe in a better brighter future for our community and our country:
I say do not fear failure but fear never trying.
I say let us do what we can and trust Allah to do what we cannot.
I say Ahlan Wasahlan – this is your family and this is your home.
… And To those who say to you that these are just words, this is hot air, that you cannot change everything
I say – we’ve already started.
ENDS