Description
Across modern Britain, questions of loneliness, social fragmentation, economic pressure and declining community infrastructure are becoming increasingly urgent.
In this thought-provoking conversation, Sohail Hanif, CEO of National Zakat Foundation, explores what the concept of Shariah really means beyond headlines and political rhetoric, examining its ethical foundations in welfare, responsibility, justice and mutual care.
Moving beyond simplistic portrayals, the discussion considers whether faith-based moral frameworks still have something meaningful to offer societies struggling with inequality, isolation and the erosion of communal life. What happens when communities take responsibility for one another and could moral and spiritual traditions help rebuild a fractured social fabric?
About the Speakers
Shaykh Mustafa Briggs
Shaykh Mustafa Briggs is a British Islamic scholar, historian, bestselling author, and international speaker. Educated at the University of Westminster, SOAS, and Al-Azhar University, he is known for uncovering overlooked histories of Islam, particularly African Muslim scholarship. He has lectured at over 50 universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and Yale.
Shaykh Abdalhaqq Bewley
Abdalhaqq Bewley is the shaykh of the Darqawi-Shadhili-Qadiri Tariqa. He accepted Islam in 1968 and spent a number of years in Morocco studying the Deen. Since that time he has worked with Shaykh Dr Abdalqadir al-Sufi on the establishment of Islam and Muslim communities, which has led to periods living and teaching in Nigeria, the US, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Spain, the Caribbean and the UK. He currently resides and teaches in Bradford and is the Chair of the British Board of Scholars and Imams (BBSI).
Dr Sohail Hanif
Dr Sohail Hanif is Chief Executive of the National Zakat Foundation. An expert in Islamic law, he previously served as a lecturer at Cambridge Muslim College and Head of Research and Development at NZF. Holding a PhD from Oxford University, his award-winning research focuses on Islamic legal epistemology. He lectures widely on Islamic law, Qur’anic studies and contemporary Muslim thought.
About the Chair
Rizwan Yusoof
Rizwan Yusoof is the Executive Director of Funders In Good where he works with a growing community of funders and venture leaders to strengthen Muslim-led social ventures across the UK. Their approach is hands-on and long-term, combining funding with tailored strategic support to help ventures build strong systems, scale sustainably, and increase their impact. To date, they’ve worked with more than 30 ventures and raised over £2m in support of their vision of a flourishing society underpinned by a commitment to God. Yusoof’s career has spanned the private, public, and charity sectors, with over a decade of experience in strategic philanthropy, grantmaking, and community development. Previously, Yusoof led a £5m Zakat grantmaking programme as Director of Services at National Zakat Foundation, where they developed publicly accessible impact dashboards to demonstrate outcomes and accountability.
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