“To Allah we belong and to Him we return.” (Qur’an 2:156)
At the MCB Annual General Meeting on 29th January 2022, deep condolences were expressed on the passing of Mohammad Hashir Faruqi on 11th January 2022.
Faruqi came to the UK from India as a student in the 1960s. Throughout the decades he made Britain is home, as well as sharing his intellectual expertise and pioneering journalistic passion with British Muslim communities, he tirelessly supported dozens of existing and new community organisations develop and better serve their communities. These include FOSIS, Islamic Foundation, UKACIA, UKIM and the Islamic Society of Britain to name but a few.
His journalistic career is defined by the founding of the longest-running British Muslim publication, Impact International, in 1971 as an independent current affairs publication that subsequently ran for 35 years, with a readership at its peak of over 100,000 and attracting writers from across the world.
Between 1994-97, he played an instrumental role in the three-year nationwide consultation under the working name NICMU (National Interim Committee for Muslim Unity) which led to the founding of the Muslim Council of Britain in November 1997. Faruqi never sought any position or status in the MCB, but was consulted as an advisor to subsequent MCB Secretary Generals in the early years.
Faruqi’s decades of selfless contribution to British Muslim communities has inspired countless community members to gain & share knowledge, play an active role in serving their local communities and/or get involved in public life.
As the MCB marks its 25th year anniversary this year, reflecting on the legacy of pioneers such as Mohammad Hashir Faruqi will be essential to strengthening and developing the communities’ capacity, voice and engagement for the coming years and decades.
Photo credit: salaam.co.uk