As you know we are in Rabi-ul-Awwal, the month of the mawlid or birth of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Also the UK are celebrating Black History Month. This is a momentous occasion to recognise and celebrate the invaluable contributions of black people to British society as well as the rest of the world.
We have some announcements for you.
The Rabi-ul-Awwal sale is still on. IHRC Bookshop are offering 20% discount off all books. The discount code is MAWLID2023.
The discount is valid until 15 October 2023.
A conference next month featuring speakers from around the world will hear Muslim perspectives on peace and 
reconciliation in Palestine. Based on the Convivencia Declaration issued last year, the conference seeks to explore the ways that a shared political community can be created in the occupied country.
The Convivencia Declaration rejects current militarised ‘solutions’ based on racist oppression, brute force, denial of rights and colonial dispossession for an approach predicated on shared values and commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The conference will hear from Imam Dawud Walid, the Executive Director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) and member of the Imams Council of Michigan. He is also the author of the books Towards Sacred Activism, Blackness and Islam, and Futuwwah and Raising Males Into Sacred Manhood.
Another imam, Rashied Omar, will also be speaking. Hailing from South Africa, Imam Omar is associate teaching professor of Islamic studies and peacebuilding in the Keough School’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame in the United States.
Other speakers include the Malaysian Islamic scholar Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid, president of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisation. Massoud Shadjareh, chair of the UK-based Islamic Human Rights Commission and Norma Hashim, treasurer of Viva Palestina Malaysia, an NGO focussed on raising awareness of the conflict in Palestine and providing relief to Palestinians,
The conference will be held on Tues 8 October at 3pm BST in London at the P21 Gallery, Chalton Street, NW1 1JD.
For more information or comment please contact the Press Office on (+44) 7958522196.
Author Evening with Sandew Hira
Join us for an author evening with Sandew Hira for his latest publication, Decolonizing The Mind – a guide to decolonial theory and practice. Purchase Decolonizing The Mind from the IHRC Bookshop
WHEN: Thursday, 12 October, 2023, 6.30pm BST
WHERE: IHRC Bookshop (202 Preston Road, Wembley, HA9 8PA) or watch live on Facebook, YouTube and IHRC.TV
Contact: events@ihrc.org
QMUL Event: Decolonising the Mind: Theory and Practice
Sandew Hira will also give a presentation at Queen Mary, University of London
which will be co-chaired by Ashvin Devasundaram and Martin Barge.
WHEN: Friday, 13 October, 3pm BST
WHERE: Queen Mary University of London, GO Jones Lecture Theatre, 327 Mile End Road London E1 4NS
Reserve your seat here
Author Evening with Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan
Join us for an author evening with Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan to discuss her latest book, Seeing for Ourselves And Even Stranger Possibilities (available to purchase from the IHRC Bookshop). This event will be chaired by Anika Wadood.
WHEN: Friday, 20 October, 2023, 6.30pm BST
WHERE: IHRC Bookshop (202 Preston Road, Wembley, HA9 8PA) or watch live on Facebook, YouTube and
IHRC.TV
FREE EVENT – pre-booking required for in-person attendance only –
please book here (limited availability)
Refreshments provided
Prayer and wudu facilities available
Contact: events@ihrc.org
THROWBACK: Author Evening with Kwame Nimako
IHRC hosted Kwame Nimako on 19 October 2011 to talk about his book The Dutch Atlantic: Slavery, Abolition and Emancipation. Click below to see the recording.
Kwame Nimako is the founder and director of the Summer School on Black Europe (BESS) in Amsterdam. He is the author and co-author of over 30 books, reports and guidebooks on economic development, ethnic relations, social policy, urban renewal and migration.
Below are books that are currently in stock, for more book click on our website:
With the Heart in Mind: The Moral and Emotional Intelligence of the Prophet (S) – Mikaeel Ahmed SmithWith the Heart in Mind is an inquiry into the nature of the intellect and why classical Islamic theologians understood the nature and function of the intellect. With the Heart in Mind asks readers to consider an alternative understanding of intelligence in which the primary function of the intellect is to know God and lead others to Him as well. Mikaeel Ahmed Smith is also the author of When Hearing Becomes Listening, also available at IHRC Bookshop.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
They called him the ‘angriest black man in America’ . . .
Celebrated and vilified the world over for his courageous but bitter fight to gain for millions of black men and women the equality and respect denied them by their white neighbours, Malcolm X inspired as many people in the United States as he caused to fear him.
His remarkable autobiography, completed just before his murder in 1965, ranges from Omaha and Michigan to Harlem and Mecca, and tells of a young, disenfranchised man whose descent into drug addition, robbery and prison was only reversed by his belief in the rights struggle for black America, and his conversion to the Nation of Islam.
Not only is this an enormously important record of the Civil Rights Movement in America, but also the scintillating story of a man who refused to allow anyone to tell him who or what he was.
Muhammad the Perfect Man – Sayyid Muhammad ibn ‘Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani
This book is considered one of the best about the sublime perfections of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Written by the leading Islamic scholar of recent times – Sayyid Muhammad ibn Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani of Mecca, it is presented in English for the first time. The author writes with great erudition and love about the perfection of the last of the Messengers, Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him, sourcing every point from careful exegesis of ayat of the Quran, well known hadith and episodes from the Sirah.
The book starts with the perfection of the noble lineage of the Prophet, followed by the perfection of his physical form and discusses in detail the perfection of the Muhammadan heart. In the 300 pages that follow the Perfection of the Prophetic attributes are listed in great detail – ranging from the perfection of the Prophetic knowledge, justice, mercy, humility, leadership, courage, generosity, patience, loyalty, wisdom, oratory and forbearance to name but just a few. The author was blessed with the gift of writing in clear concise narrative style which was highly readable but retained the grandeur of the discussion at hand without being overwhelmed by the scriptural evidence which he presents with meticulous authority.
This is captured by Khalid Williams’ lucid and exemplary translation which adds depth, breadth, and clarity making this within easy reach of the English speaking world. The book ranks among the most important works of the Sayyid Muhammad who contends from a traditional Islamic point of view that the message of Islam can only be perfect if the bringer of that message is himself perfect. It serves as a timely reminder to the characteristics of the greatest human being that ever lived, and presents an insight into the noble Prophetic way, the behavioural code of conduct – the Sunna – of the Perfect Man, that he, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, left behind for all peoples for all times.
Black People in the British Empire – Peter Fryer
Black People in the British Empire is a challenge to the official version of British history. It tells the story of Britain’s exploitation and oppression of its subject peoples in its colonies, and in particular the people of Africa, Asia and Australasia.
Peter Fryer reveals how the ideology of racism was used as justification for acquiring and expanding the Empire; how the British Industrial Revolution developed out of profits from the slave trade; and how the colonies were deliberately de-industrialised to create a market for British manufacturers.
In describing the frequency and the scale of revolts by subject peoples against slavery and foreign domination – and the brutality used in crushing them – Peter Fryer exposes the true history of colonialism, and restores to Black people their central role in Britain’s past.
Prophetic Grace: The Qur’anic Merits of the Prophet Muhammad – Shaykh Ahmad bin ‘Ajiba
Renowned for its unique style, Ibn ‘Ajiba’s commentary of the Qur’an, Al-Bahr al-Madid (The Vast Ocean) combines traditional exegesis with spiritual contemplation, exploring the inner meanings of the sacred text. The genius of his work is especially clear in his commentary of the Qur’anic verses which highlight the nobility and exalted rank of the Prophet Muhammad (saws).
In these selected commentaries, the reader can begin to appreciate both the depth of divine revelation and the grace and countless merits of the Messengers.
The Life and Marriage of Fatimah Al-Zahrah – Luqman al-Andalusi
The life and virtues of Fatimah al-Zahrah and her beloved family has been a source of inspiration, guidance and succour for countless Muslims throughout the history of Islam. Therefore, with the intention of pleasing Allah, this book hopes to delve into the marriage and personal life of Sayyidinah Fatimah and her beloved husband Sayyidina Ali ibn Abi Talib, in order that we too may benefit from their radiant examples.
The examples set by them and the lessons gained from their lives are meant not only to be read but also to be implemented within our lives. By studying their marriage we hope for an improvement in our moral character, our knowledge and wisdom and we hope that this will allow us to also live amongst our family with respect and honour.
The noblest among the family are the women, for Allah created them to be merciful and women are connected to the Divine Names al-Rahman and al-Rahim. The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, commands us to be kind to our wives and women in general, for they are our mothers, our wives, our daughters and our sisters, and must be honoured.
So in deference to that love and the command of the Prophet, we board the ship of the Ahl al-Bayt to learn about the blessed lives of Fatimah and Ali.
Miracle at the Rauza of Rasool Allah – Sayed Athar Husain Naqvi
Miracle at the Rauza (Mausoleum) of the Prophet Hazrat Mohammad Mustafa SAWW is a real happening seen by the writer in dream, as clear as the day light. It was a chosen communication. Dreams have classes, in this dream vivid time bound enacts of the angels occurred, who are in service at the Rauza of the Mahboob (dear) of God Jallay Jalalahoo (God is glorious).
The incident of the miracle explains of the status and the station of the Prophet of God Hazrat Mohammad SAWW, who will look towards God for command and revelation came.
Of these the most generalised for the humanity is the Aayet 5:32 of the Quran to convey to stop bloodshed. The Aayet says: For this very reason We had made it obligatory on the Children of Israel that whoever neither in lieu of life nor in retribution to spreading disturbance in the country, (but without reason) will slay anyone then as if he killed the entire humanity and that who saved a life then as if he saved the entire humanity.
Blackness and Islam – Dawud Walid
Muslims speak of Islam in egalitarian terms: the religion of peace, the religion that seeks to elevate man over his base desires, the religion that does not discriminate based on race and ethnicity. Despite the egalitarian spirit of Islam, the lived reality of many Muslims is very different, and this is most apparent when we observe how Muslims deal with race and ethnicity.
Muslims who are Black in the West, in particular, have found that while Islam may not discriminate based on race, many Muslims do. To make matters worse, some of those Muslims will delve into the Islamic tradition to justify their biases and bigotries, seeing no contradiction between their racism and the Islamic ideals.
This work seeks to clarify and debunk some traditions which support their racist positions and presents biographies of early Muslims who were Black. The biographies of these great Muslim personalities shows us how Blackness was a normal part of life for early Muslims, in sharp contradistinction to modern prejudices against Black folks found in some Muslim communities.
