Laura Jones – Radio Programme on Fasting

Posted on 11 February 2021 by Michael Munnik

Fasting has been a significant practice amongst Muslims since Islam’s inception and remains a common observance today, even amongst Muslims who may not adhere to other practices such as daily prayers. Fasting is most prominent during the month of Ramadan, when healthy, adult Muslims are required to fast from food and drink from sunrise to
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Muslim Doctors Cymru and Covid Vaccine Questions

Posted on 9 February 2021 by Michael Munnik

Recent polls show that there is a hesitancy amongst the BAME community about taking the Covid-19 vaccine. There are primarily two reasons for this: (1) Infodemic: the sheer amount of misinformation found on social media about the vaccine perpetuated by anti-vaxxers; (2) coupled with a genuine distrust of the government and how the government has
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Abdul-Azim Ahmed – The Untapped Potential of British Mosques: Part 1

Posted on 14 December 2020 by Michael Munnik

Moments of crisis often reveal hidden strengths, and this applies to individuals as well as communities. During national emergencies and local disasters in the United Kingdom, we have seen the valuable contributions of British mosques. The mosque is a “House of God”, a place for the faithful to gather in religious devotion. This social dimension
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Michael Munnik – IPSO: press regulator’s ‘guidance’ for reporting on Muslims is not fit for purpose

Posted on 26 November 2020 by Michael Munnik

It shouldn’t be controversial to say journalists have failed in reporting on Muslims and Islam in the UK. Inaccurate use of terms and frequently negative constructions can make the religion seem strange, dangerous, or simply not British. Scholars have shown how journalists frequently associate Islam with terrorism and extremism. Though the news is often “bad”,
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Sophie Gilliat-Ray – In Memoriam: Ataullah Siddiqui – A Personal Reflection

Posted on 9 November 2020 by Michael Munnik

On 8 November 2020, the world of British Muslim Studies lost one of its most thoughtful founding scholars. Ataullah Siddiqui worked at the Islamic Foundation in Leicester and its sister institution, Markfield Institute of Higher Education, for some 40 years. He touched the lives of thousands. He was highly regarded in many spheres of academic life, but
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Riyaz Timol – Understanding British Imams: Project Update

Posted on 31 July 2020 by Michael Munnik

For many of us, 2020 will have been the most disruptive year in living memory. While the ‘new normal’ we have been obliged to navigate has, by now, considerably aged, much uncertainty still lingers in the air due to the Covid-19 global pandemic. In June, staff and students of Cardiff University’s Islam-UK Centre held our
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Belal Ghafoor – From one capital to another: (I would go) 400 miles

Posted on 2 July 2019 by Michael Munnik

I write this in the glorious summer sunshine of South Wales deliberating over the past nine months at the Islam-UK Centre. As a Jameel scholar privileged to undertake the MA Islam in Contemporary Britain, I have had an extremely fruitful year. I was aware of the Islam-UK Centre for many years, but after coming (perhaps
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Yasmin Begum – Mixed race and Cymraes: Stori Yasmin

Posted on 16 May 2019 by Michael Munnik

At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of 20th century, one of the largest linguistic groups in Butetown were Welsh people. Welsh was spoken everyday and by a whole range of people from different areas. Cardiff is a port city with a huge proportion of mixed race people.  Despite this, conversations on Islam, ethnic
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James Hegarty – A new insight on the Islam-UK Centre

Posted on 19 March 2019 by Michael Munnik

I have just taken over as Head of the School of History, Archaeology and Religion. One of my new duties has been to take on the role of the Chair of the Islam-UK Centre’s Management Committee. I was not sure what this would involve, but I knew that I was excited to see ‘under the
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Michael Munnik – Salman Rushdie and the ‘sudden visibilisation’ of British Muslims

Posted on 13 February 2019 by Michael Munnik

14 February marks the thirtieth anniversary of the fatwa pronounced by the Iranian religious and political leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini advocating the murder of Indian-British novelist Salman Rushdie. Some Valentine. The day was already due to be a dark one for Rushdie, with the memorial service for his friend, the writer Bruce Chatwin. That death
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