Who We Are

OUR HISTORY

Following the establishment of the first British Muslim INGOs in the 1980s, the Muslim charity sector has continued to grow. In 2007, Muslim Charities Forum was born, developed to provide a voice and support for Muslim INGOs based in the UK. Five founding members contributed time, energy, expertise and considerable funding to help MCF establish and develop.

Since then, we have worked to help organisations, trustees and staff of British Muslim INGOs to access the skills, tools, information and networks they need to serve humanity and adapt to an ever-changing environment. We now have over 450 charities and community groups in our network, working to help people around the UK and beyond across a variety of areas.

WHO WE ARE

OUR VISION

While the members of the MCF’s network are diverse, we are united by values that are rooted in our shared faith of Islam. Our key values of humanity, accountability, transparency, effectiveness and excellence underpin our work.

We believe that the contribution that Muslim-led charities make to civil society and the value that they bring, should be recognised and celebrated. MCF aims to support, connect and represent the sector by providing access to valuable resources, training, networking and advocacy to encourage the spread of good practice. We believe that supporting charities to reach their potential will help not just those in need but also the amazing staff and volunteers who respond to them.

Join MCF today and you and your charity can benefit from a shared community of like-minded people and organisations, striving to do their best for people who are vulnerable or living in poverty.

WHO WE ARE

OUR VALUES

Humanity

We believe that all human beings are created equally and with the same God-given dignity: serving human-kind regardless of any differences is one of the most noble actions any person can undertake.

Accountability

We believe that all resources are made available by God in the form of trust: we are ‘trustees’ of the resources at our disposal and we are accountable to the people we serve, the public, regulatory bodies and ultimately to God for our actions.

Transparency

Our shared faith encourages us to be truthful and reliable, and to keep records of our interactions. Therefore, we are committed to be clear and open about our policies, our resources, and our impact.

Effectiveness

Our shared faith encourages us to be productive and to avoid wastefulness. Therefore, we are committed to conducting efficient allocation of resources and to monitor our performance.

Excellence

Our shared faith encourages us to strive for excellence in all that we do. Therefore, we are committed to operate in a legal, ethical, and professional way, doing things with sincere intentions and in the best, most correct, and most complete manner.

Support

We support the sector through training, resources and sharing of best practice.

Connect

We connect the sector by bringing together like-minded colleagues, volunteers, supporters and partners for collaborative working and a stronger approach to sustainable growth.

Represent

We represent Muslim-led British charities by serving on working parties and steering groups for mainstream bodies and policy-makers and advocating for a positive environment, recognition and support.

Who we are

Our Team and Trustees

Fadi Itani OBE

CEO

Hameed Al-Alsaly

Deputy CEO, Human Appeal

Dr. Hany El-Banna OBE

Founder

Madiha Raza

Senior Global Communications, IRC

Moazzam Malik CMG

Chairman

Mukhtar Karim

CEO, The Lady Fatemah Charitable Trust

Saffa Mir

Charities, Education and Social Enterprise Solicitor

Shuaib Yusaf

Treasurer, CEO, AlKhair Foundation

Syed Lakhte Hassanain

Chairman, Muslim Hands

Tufail Hussain

UK Director, Islamic Relief UK

GOVERNANCE

MCF was initially registered as a charity in 2008 and became a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) on 21 March 2016. We are registered with the Charity Commission under number 1166149. You can read our annual reports here

Our Board of Trustees oversees the strategic direction for MCF: they are the guardians of MCF’s purpose and are ultimately accountable for the organisation. Generally, Board Members meet every three months, and they are responsible for any decisions regarding the appointment, suspension or removal of MCF members.

Our partners & supporters

MCF works with a range of mainstream and grant-making bodies in strategic partnerships to support the Muslim-led charity sector.