Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam Awards25th November 2012

Eastern Pearl Banqueting Hall, 250 Plymouth Grove, Longsight, Manchester M13 0BG

2012

“A Celebration of Engagement and Communication the Quilliam Way”

Background to Awards

Communication and Engagement Awards

Shortlist of Candidates

Abdullah Quilliam Timeline

www.abdullahquilliam.com www.facebook.com/AbdullahQuilliam @quilliamsociety contact@abdullahquilliam.com

Abdullah Quilliam Society

The First Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam Annual Awards Presentation and Dinner

Sunday 25th November 2012

Eastern Pearl Banqueting Hall250 Plymouth Grove, Longsight,

Manchester M13 0BG

6:00pm Arrival, Registration6:30pm Welcome

Jahangir Mohammed(AQ Heritage Centre)

6:35pm The work of AQSGalib Khan

(Chairman of AQS)6:50pm Professor Mehmet Seker,

(Head of Department of Islamic History and

Architecture at Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey)

Professor Seker will reveal his discovery in Ottoman

archives of the original appointment letter of

Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam as Sheikh-Ul-Islam of the

British Isles by Sultan Abdul Hamid ll.

7:30pm Legacy of Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam

Lord Nazir Ahmed7:50pm Presentation of Sheikh

Quilliam Engagement Award8:15pm Presentation of Sheikh

Quilliam Communication Award

8:40pm Future PlansJahangir Mohammed

9:00pm Thanks & Closing RemarksGalib Khan

9:15pm Dinner is served

Supporters

Liverpool City Council Bishop of Liverpool

Duchy of Lancaster Steve Biko Housing Association

Comtechsa Communica Consulting

BirthApril 10th, 1856

William Henry Quilliam was born at 22 Eliot Street in Liverpool. His parents were Wesleyan Methodists.

Victorian Liverpool

Conversion to Islam1887

Abdullah Quilliam became a Muslim when he visited Morocco. A more detailed account of his conversion can be found at the Cairo Speech, 1928. The Sheikh

Liverpool Muslim Institute (First Mosque in UK opens)

1889

Pall Mall Gazette: “The mosque at Liverpool is a place of worship for a comparatively large resident membership, as well as for thousands of Mahommedans, merchants, sailors…”

Interior of the Mosque

First publication of Faith of Islam1889

The first edition had 2000 copies and a further 3000 copies were published in 1890.

Inside cover of Faith of Islam

First edition of the Crescent1893

These unique documents are a historic record of the situation of Islam and a growing convert community in British colonial times. It was publicised internationally.

A front cover edition of The Crescent

First edition of the Islamic WorldJuly, 1893

A monthly journal published by Abdullah Quilliam that had world-wide circulation. A front cover edition of

The Islamic World

Sheikh of the British Isles July 1894

The Caliph of Islam, Sultan Abdul Hameed II officially appoints Quilliam Sheikh ul Islam for the British Isles.

Sultan Abdul Hameed II

Opens Muslim home for unwanted children1896

Opened at 12 Broughmam Terrace, called the Medina House and relocates to Shiel St. Orphan in Liverpool

Victorian England

Henri-de-Leon 1908

Abdullah Quilliam moves to Turkey and returns in 1914 as Henri Mustapha Leon or sometimes known as Haroun de Leon. Henri-de-Leon (Abdullah

Quilliam)

Abdullah Quilliam presides over Mohammad Ali Jauhar delegation 1920

A delegation led by Mohammad Ali Jauhar visits Woking Mosque to promote the Khilafat movement. The ‘Islamic Review’ states about the meeting: “It was presided by an English Muslim, Prof.H.M.Leon’.

Mohammad Ali Jauhar

Death of Abdullah Quilliam 23rd April 1932

On the 28th April, 1pm, Abdullah Quilliam was buried at Brookwood Cemetery, Woking. He was buried close to other famous Muslim personalities such as Lord Headley, and Marmaduke Picktall.Abdullah Quilliam had converted almost 600 people to Islam in his life-time.

Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam

Timeline of Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam Programme

The First Annual Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam Awards 2012

The Muslim presence in Britain and Europe has become controversial. Muslims and Islam face constant vilification in the media and prejudice and stereotyping in society. Islam is still portrayed as an alien religion of migrants, a threat, rather than an indigenous religion, and not fully accepted as part of British society. Muslims and their institutions are still subject to increasing verbal and physical attacks. Muslim loyalty and identity are under question due to their stance on wars overseas. As a result very few positive stories about Islam and Muslims appear in public.

Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam

For Muslims today these problems appear new for them to deal with. Yet in Victorian Britain, an Englishman embraced Islam (1887), and went on to convert 600 people to Islam, despite facing similar problems. He created the first mosque and Muslim community. He became the first and only legally appointed leader (Sheikh ul Islam) of British Muslims. And as a leader he tackled these problems head on and without compromising his faith.

All this happened in the City of Liverpool, a city with a rich history of diverse people and cultures. To add to its history Liverpool can now rightly claim it was the birthplace of the Islamic community in Britain.

Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam established methods for Muslims on how to engage with wider society, and utilised popular methods of communication of his time to promote Islam. With his writings, public lectures, visits, dealings with the media, officialdom and representatives of other faiths; he set precedents for Muslims which are relevant even today.

Remarkably, 80 years after Sheikh Quilliam passed away, the challenges he faced remain as relevant today as they were then. The challenges he faced were: -

1. To correct misconceptions about Islam and Muslims existing at the time and challenge negative prejudices and stereotypes, without compromising his beliefs.

2. To dialogue, engage, and create a better understanding of the faith of Islam amongst the public and in the media.

3. To ensure acceptance of the Islamic faith as part of British life.

4. To use his linguistic, legal, writing and speaking skills to fight against injustice in Britain and the rest of the world.

The Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam Awards

The Abdullah Quilliam Society, based in Liverpool not only seeks to refurbish the historic First Mosque of Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam and create a Heritage Centre; but we also want to revive the methods that Sheikh Quilliam and his followers used to engage with wider society and harness the skills they utilised to communicate and engage with others.

Therefore, to mark the 80th anniversary of his death we launched a Memorial Lecture and two Awards in his honour. These aim to recognise and encourage his methods of communication and engagement. The objectives of the Awards are very much the four challenges that Sheikh Quilliam faced. We believe that there are many people, Muslims and non-Muslims that are working away to promote engagement in the manner of Sheikh Quilliam, but this never makes the headlines. We want to recognise those individuals.

(L-R) Galib Khan, Bishop of Liverpool, M.Akbar Ali

Two Honorary Awards were given in April 2012. A Communication Award to Professor Ron Geaves the biographer of Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam, and an Engagement Award to Bishop James Jones a long time supporter of the Muslim community and the Abdullah Quilliam Society.

Professor Ron Geaves

Kindliness by Abdullah Quilliam

“Your smiling good-naturedly in your brother’s face is charity.” Muhammad.

As fair as the morning, And as full of grace, Is the bright friendly smile, On a good-natured face.

As firm as a mountain, Deny it who can, Is the grasp of the hand, Of the good-hearted man.

As welcome as sunshine, True warmth to impart, Is the sweet kindly word From a good-natured heart.

As pure as the dew-drop, So tender, so dear, Is the sympathy shown By the good-natured tear.

(Woodland Towers, Isle of Man, 22nd October 1906)

Background to the Awards

The two awards we launched in 2012 and presented in today’s ceremony are:-

1. The Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam Engagement Award

This Award is for an individual that has made a unique contribution to promoting engagement, dialogue and understanding between Muslims and Non-Muslims or the wider society. The work and person do not have to be high profile, however, they do need to have had a positive impact on relations between Muslims and non-Muslims and have either, created better understanding, been innovative or broken down prejudices and stereotypes. This Award is open to anyone in any part of the country and from any age group.

2. The Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam Communication Award

This Award will be for an individual who has either communicated Islam or Muslim life and issues in a positive or creative way to a non-Muslim audience. This can be in the form of writing, journalism, a speech or lecture, poetry, art, website or other form of modern communication. The award is open to anyone but we want over the years to have a particular focus on schools, to encourage skills an understanding at an early age.

The Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam Awards and Shortlist 2012

Award Categories Shortlist for Abdullah Quilliam Awards 2012

“The quintessence of knowledge is applying it when you have got it, or confessing your ignorance when you have no knowledge.”

(Passing Thought by Abdullah Quilliam)

Anjum Anwar Anjum Anwar as Dialogue Development Officer at Blackburn Cathedral has carried out ground breaking activities promoting Islam and engagement to different communities.

Victoria BrittainWriter and journalist Victoria Brittain’s innovate style of presenting the excesses of the War on Terror has been crucial in raising public awareness of the way national security policies are being prosecuted in the name of public safety.

2

Rahila BanoRahila Bano has been reporting on Muslim issues for the BBC in the North West for 12 years in a creative and sensitive manner that has created a better understanding of Islam.

3

Hifsa Haroon Iqbal

Hifsa Iqbal has been actively involved in inter faith and equality issues and promoting Islam in Staffordshire. She developed and delivered an innovative Explore Islam educational programme.

4

Rokhsana FiazRokhsana Fiaz of Co-Existence Trust has developed and delivered ground-breaking engagement activities in London between Muslims and Jewish communities.

5

Hamza Andreas Tzortzis

Hamza Andreas Tzortzis of iERA is an international public speaker on Islam. He regularly appears in the media explaining and demystifying Islam and providing unique perspectives on current affairs.

6

Mohamed Ali HarrathMohamed Ali Harrath is the brains behind ISLAM Channel, the UK’s first mainstream 24 hour Islamic Satellite Channel. He developed The Global Peace and Unity Event to bring together Muslims and non-Muslims from all walks of life.

7

Dr.Usman Hafeez Farooq

Dr.Usman Patel and his wife Dr.Charlie Sanders organised and arranged for the Muslim Community in Liverpool to feed the poor and homeless of Liverpool through their Big Issue project.

8

Dr.Tasleem ShakurDr.Tasleem Shakur of Huddersfield University specialise in Islamic Urbanism and has written and published extensively on Islam.

9

Councillor Alan DeanCouncillor Alan Dean of Liverpool is known for his support of the Muslim community, helping with extension of the Ar Rahma Mosque and Quilliam Mosque. He has got closer to his Muslim residents by fasting with them for the last four Ramadans. 10

Award Category: Engagement

Award Category: Communication

Award Category: Communication

Award Category: Engagement

Award Category: Engagement Award Category: Engagement

Award Category: Communication

Award Category: Engagement

Award Category: Communication

Award Category: Engagement1