{{Short description|British imam}} {{use British English|date=May 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox religious biography |honorific_prefix = [[Imam]] |name = Ibrahim Mogra |birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1965}} |birth_place = [[Gujarat]], [[India]] |awards = Honorary [[Doctor of Letters]] by [[De Montfort University]] <br> [[Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation|Hubert Walter Award]] 2016 |religion = [[Islam]] |denomination = [[Sunni]] |movement = [[Deobandi]] |alma_mater = [[Darul Uloom Bury]]<br>[[Al-Azhar University]]<br>[[School of Oriental and African Studies]] }} [[File:Ibrahim Mogra.jpg|thumb|Mogra speaking at an interfaith gathering in London]] '''Ibrahim Mogra''' is an [[imam]] from Leicester and former Assistant Secretary General of the [[Muslim Council of Britain]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/36090|title=#RedWednesday: Sheikh Mogra from Muslim Council of Great Britain at Westminster Cathedral |author=<!--staff writer-->|website=indcatholicnews.com|language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>
== Early life == Mogra was born in 1965 into a family of [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] Indian origin and emigrated to the UK at the age of 18 to study and settle. He was educated at [[Darul Uloom Bury]], Holcombe, Greater Manchester; [[Al-Azhar University]], Cairo; and the [[School of Oriental and African Studies]], London. He is the founder and Principal of Khazinatul-'Ilm, Madaris of Arabic and Muslim Life Studies, in Leicester.<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Kabir | first1 = Nahid Afrose | title = Young British Muslims: Identity, Culture, Politics and the Media | chapter = Introduction: My research observations | publisher = Edinburgh University Press | year = 2010 | location = Edinburgh | pages = 1–2 | isbn = 978-0748641338}}</ref>
== Career== In 2000, he contributed to [[BBC Radio 2]]'s ''Faith in The Nation'' examination of the afterlife amongst the main religious faiths.<ref>{{cite news | first = Keith | last = Bince | title = Life, death, footie – and Phil Collins | date = 21 October 2000 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2000/oct/22/features.review107 | work = [[The Observer]] | accessdate = 26 May 2013}}</ref> He has been a panelist on ''[[The Big Questions]]'', a faith and ethics television programme broadcast live on [[BBC One]].
He has contributed to and written for ''[[The Guardian]].''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/ibrahim-mogra|title=Ibrahim Mogra |website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>
In 2018, Mogra served on a panel of judges for the '21 for 21' interfaith awards, a collaborative project by The [[Jewish News]], The [[Church Times]] and [[British Muslim TV]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2018/27-april/news/uk/know-a-young-interfaith-ambassador|title=Know a young interfaith ambassador?|website=churchtimes.co.uk|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2018/16-november/news/uk/the-value-of-difference-21-young-interfaith-leaders-are-recognised|title=The value of difference: 21 young interfaith leaders are recognised|website=churchtimes.co.uk|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>
== Views ==
=== British Muslims and interfaith relations === Mogra believes that for British Muslims "our loyalty to Britain must be unquestionable".<ref>{{cite news | first = Andrew | last = Norfolk | title = Moderates attack 'fundamentally wrong' approach to teaching Islam | date = 7 September 2007 | url = https://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/faith/article2098580.ece | work = [[The Times]] | access-date = 26 May 2013}}</ref>
Mogra has been a representative for Jewish-Muslim relations appreciating the similarities of communities governed by a code of law and ethics (Torah and Qur'an) and religious festivals and holy days.<ref>{{cite news | first = Zaki | last = Cooper | title = Fast way for Jews to meet Muslims | date = 15 September 2007 | url = https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/fast-way-for-jews-to-meet-muslims-qk58sslfm55 | work = [[The Times]] | access-date = 26 May 2013}}</ref> Asked to choose a favourite film for ''The Clerics' Choice'' in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', Mogra picked ''[[Mohammad, Messenger of God|The Message]]'', explaining that "''you see through the eyes of the camera, as the Messenger would have seen it''".<ref>{{cite news | first = Sheila | last = Johnston | title = The Gospel according to cinema | date = 15 April 2006 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3651591/The-Gospel-according-to-cinema.html | work = [[The Daily Telegraph]] | accessdate = 26 May 2013}}</ref>
He has worked closely with Abu Eesa Niamatullah, Strategic Director of the 1st Ethical Charitable Trust.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.1stethical.com/2011/04/12/muslim-leaders-back-maternal-health-campaign/ | title = Muslim Leaders Back Maternal Health Campaign | accessdate = 26 May 2013 | date = 12 April 2011 | work = 1stEthical.com | publisher = 1st Ethical Charitable Trust | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130628085550/http://www.1stethical.com/2011/04/12/muslim-leaders-back-maternal-health-campaign/ | archive-date = 28 June 2013 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
Mogra has also been an active supporter of the Armed Forces Muslim Association, appearing as a guest speaker and providing spiritual advice to Muslims serving in the British Military.
=== Grooming scandals === In April 2013, Mogra took part in an interview on [[BBC Radio 4]], condemning the men at the centre of the [[Rochdale sex trafficking gang|Rochdale sex trafficking scandal]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-22056685|title=Muslim Council to tackle grooming|date=2013-04-07|access-date=2019-03-04|language=en-GB}}</ref> He said that [[sexual grooming]] of non-Muslim girls by Muslim gangs was an abhorrent behaviour that was unacceptable regardless of race or religion. He expressed that as some of the perpetrators happened to be from a Muslim background, it was the duty of the entire Muslim community to condemn their actions.<ref name=":0" /> However he also cautioned that the scandal should be seen purely as criminal behaviour, warning that using labels of race and religion could "drive the problem deeper underground". Mogra also said that the [[Muslim Council of Britain|Muslim Council]] was also working with different groups such as the [[NSPCC|National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children]], police and other Muslim groups to speak out against such crimes and assist in tackling the problem.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.onislam.net/english/news/europe/462138-uk-muslims-reject-un-islamic-pedophile-rings.html | title = Grooming for Sex 'Un-Islamic': UK Muslims | accessdate = 26 May 2013 | date = 7 April 2013 | work = OnIslam.net}}</ref>
=== Boris Johnson and the niqab === In 2018, responding to comments on the [[Niqāb|niqab]] by then [[Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs|Foreign Secretary]] [[Boris Johnson]], Mogra criticised Johnson's choice of words, describing them as "''insensitive."''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/boris-johnson-attacked-for-comparing-women-in-niqabs-to-letter-boxes-fhc0mg2fz|title=Boris Johnson attacked for comparing women in niqab to 'letter boxes'|last=Burgess|first=Kaya|date=2018-08-06|work=[[The Times]]|access-date=2019-03-04|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref> He added that Muslim women "''have already been victims of violence on our streets''," and that using such offensive language would make their situation worse.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/tory-peer-says-boris-johnsons-burka-comments-will-encourage-bigotry-11465559|title=Tory peer says Boris Johnson's burka comments 'will encourage bigotry'|publisher=Sky News|language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref> He also said that Muslims were "''not against criticism of the faith''," but that there are more important topics that affect Muslim communities, for which debate should be prioritised over what Muslim women may or may not wear.<ref name=":1" />
==Honours and achievements== In 2016, he was awarded the [[Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Cooperation]] by the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] "for his sustained contribution to understanding between the Abrahamic faiths".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Archbishop of Canterbury's Awards: Lambeth Palace|url=http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/data/files/resources/5697/CITATIONS-PDF.pdf|website=Archbishop of Canterbury|accessdate=14 July 2017|date=31 March 2016}}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In January 2016 he was awarded an honorary [[Doctor of Letters]] by [[De Montfort University]] in recognition of his interfaith work and "the work he has done to build bridges between communities across the country and globally."<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/news/2016/january/imam-receives-honorary-degree-for-interfaith-work.aspx|title=Imam receives honorary degree for interfaith work|website=dmu.ac.uk|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref> Mogra said that he was "humbled and honoured" by the accolade.<ref name=":2" />
==References== {{reflist}}
{{authority control}} {{Hanafi scholars}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mogra, Ibrahim}} [[Category:British scholars of Islam]] [[Category:British imams]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Gujarati people]] [[Category:Indian emigrants to England]] [[Category:British people of Gujarati descent]] [[Category:Imams in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Indian imams]] [[Category:People educated at Darul Uloom Bury]] [[Category:Islamic scholars in the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Deobandis]] [[Category:People associated with De Montfort University]] [[Category:1965 births]]