The Cordoba Foundation welcomes all serious efforts to combat rising Islamophobia and to ensure that British Muslims, along with all the diverse communities that make up modern Britain, can live free from discrimination, prejudice and abuse.
However, the Government’s proposed definition of “anti-Muslim hostility” does not go far enough. By narrowing the issue to hostility, it fails to reflect the fuller reality of Islamophobia as experienced by many Muslims across Britain — not only in acts of hatred, but also in exclusion, stereotyping and structural discrimination.
Any government definition intended to tackle anti-Muslim hate must reflect the lived experience of British Muslims and be developed in a way that inspires confidence among the communities most affected. Without that, it is unlikely to command the trust or credibility needed to make a real difference.
The Cordoba Foundation believes that tackling anti-Muslim hate requires clarity, honesty and genuine engagement with Muslim voices. British Muslims deserve a framework that reflects the scale of the problem and addresses it properly.
As November marks Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM), The Cordoba Foundation reaffirms its full support for national and community efforts to highlight the dangers, injustices, and corrosive impact of Islamophobia in all its forms. Launched in 2012 by a coalition, including The Cordoba Foundation, IAM is today a flagship scheme that works to challenge stereotypes and raise awareness of Islamophobia and the impact of hate crimes against Muslims.
The Cordoba Foundation warns that the rise and entrenchment of Islamophobia — in political discourse, media representation, public policy, and everyday life — pose a serious and direct threat to the safety, security, and social cohesion of the United Kingdom. If left unchallenged, such prejudice risks eroding trust between communities, fuelling extremism, and damaging the country’s global reputation as a beacon of fairness and pluralism.
The Cordoba Foundation therefore calls upon:
Government institutions to adopt a clear and consistent definition of Islamophobia that is acceptable by Muslim organisations. A formal definition is key to addressing the alarming rate of anti-Muslim hatred and discrimination faced by British Muslims.
It would be timely and relevant to adopt such a definition this month, without delay, as we mark the Islamophobia Awareness Month.
Media organisations to exercise responsibility and balance in their reporting on Muslim communities.
Citizens to reject fearmongering and instead embrace understanding, coexistence, and shared responsibility for the wellbeing of our society.
Managing Director of The Cordoba Foundation, Dr Abdullah Faliq, remarked, “given the surge in Far-Right and rightwing populism in Britain, Reform UK could effectively disrupt the duopoly of Labour and the Conservatives with Nigel Farage predicted to be the next Prime Minister. This is not scaremongering; recent polls and political analysis point to a Farage premiership unless we all work hard to stop the Far-Right tide which will have devastating consequences for everyone, especially Muslims.”
Faliq added, “Not surprisingly, UKIP and related Far-Right groups have long had a symbolic interest in areas with Muslim concentration such as Tower Hamlets in East London, frequently attempting to stage events and demonstrations near mosques. Thankfully last weekend’s advertised UKIP march in Tower Hamlets was stopped by the Met Police. A victory parade, organised by the United East End coalition and supported by The Cordoba Foundation, saw a peaceful victory event with many thousands in attendance in a show of strength, unity and diversity.”
The Cordoba Foundation stands with all partners, activists, and communities working tirelessly to ensure that the United Kingdom remains a country where every citizen, regardless of faith or background, can live with dignity, security, and equal opportunity.
The Cordoba Foundation expresses its deep concern and unequivocal condemnation of the detention and incarceration of British journalist Sami Hamdi by officials of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at San Francisco International Airport earlier this week.
Hamdi, a respected journalist and analyst known for his courageous reporting on political developments in the Middle East and his consistent advocacy for justice and human rights, was reportedly detained without clear explanation. He has been denied access to communication for an extended period, and subjected to treatment that raises serious questions about due process and press freedom.
Such actions are profoundly troubling. They represent not only an infringement on the basic rights of an individual journalist but also a dangerous signal of the growing intolerance toward dissenting voices and independent journalism. The arbitrary detention of journalists, especially those critical of repressive regimes or foreign policy complicity in humanitarian crises, undermines the very democratic principles the United States claims to uphold.
The Cordoba Foundation calls on the U.S. authorities to immediately clarify the reasons for Hamdi’s detention, to ensure his full legal and human rights are respected, and to prevent any further acts of intimidation or reprisal against journalists exercising their professional duty to speak truth to power. Furthermore, we urge the British government to take swift diplomatic measures to secure the safety and release of its citizen, and to affirm its commitment to defending freedom of the press worldwide.
The Cordoba Foundation stands in full solidarity with Sami Hamdi and all journalists subjected to intimidation and unlawful detention. We reaffirm our commitment to defending human rights, freedom of expression, and the rule of law, wherever and by whomever they are threatened.
The Cordoba Foundation expresses its profound alarm and outrage at the unfolding genocide and mass starvation currently devastating Sudan, particularly in the city of Al-Fashr and across the Darfur region. The deliberate targeting of civilians, the destruction of vital infrastructure, and the systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid have created one of the most acute human tragedies of our time.
Reliable reports from international agencies, civil society actors, and local witnesses reveal that millions of Sudanese civilians are being subjected to starvation as a weapon of war which is a crime under international law. Entire communities are being annihilated through siege, deprivation, and violence, echoing some of the darkest chapters of modern history.
The Cordoba Foundation unequivocally condemns these atrocities and calls them by their rightful name: genocide. The world must not remain silent while an entire population is being exterminated through hunger, displacement, and terror.
Founder and CEO of The Cordoba Foundation, Dr Anas Altikriti stated last night: “We are particularly appalled by mounting evidence implicating the United Arab Emirates regime in providing material and logistical support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) – the primary perpetrators of these crimes. Such complicity in acts of genocide and crimes against humanity demands international investigation and accountability.”
He added, “States and entities that enable or arm militias engaged in systematic atrocities bear moral and legal responsibility for the consequences of their actions.
According to the UN security council, British arms export to the UAE have been supplied to the RSF which is responsible for the ongoing genocide in Sudan”.
The Cordoba Foundation calls on the international community, the United Nations, the African Union, and all peace-loving nations to:
Impose immediate sanctions and arms embargoes on all external actors aiding or abetting the RSF.
Demand unhindered humanitarian access to besieged and famine-stricken areas.
Support international legal mechanisms to investigate and prosecute those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Renew diplomatic efforts for a sustainable, inclusive peace that places the Sudanese people, not warlords or foreign interests, at the centre of the political process.
The Cordoba Foundation stands in solidarity with the people of Sudan in their struggle for survival, dignity, and justice. We urge moral clarity and decisive action from governments, media, and civil society worldwide before this man-made catastrophe claims even more innocent lives.
A delegation, led by Shaykh Ahmed Alnuaimi, convenor of Stop Gaza Starvation Campaign, met with H.E. Osman Koray Ertaş, Turkish Ambassador to the UK on Wednesday 6th August, to discuss the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with starvation used increasingly as a deliberate tactic of warfare by Israel. More than two million people are facing widespread starvation due to ongoing blockade amid increasing international silence and the absence of effective global action.
The delegation to the Turkish Embassy in London, included Dr Anas Altikriti (Secretary-General of the Interim Executive Committee of the Global Alliance for Palestine), Dr Daud Abdullah (author and director of Middle East Monitor) and Dr Abdullah Faliq (Managing Director of The Cordoba Foundation), handed an open letter to the ambassador as a representative of His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The letter, signed by over 35000 people across 30 countries, is also endorsed by 100 prominent public figures, including Dr Moncef Marzouki (former President of Tunisia), Dr Mohammad Halaiqa (former Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan) and Dr Mustafa Barghouti (Secretary-General of the Palestine National Initiative).
The letter calls upon President Erdogan to assume a leading role – especially as Turkiye currently chairs the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation – by launching a coordinated global effort under the title, “Axis of Dignity, with the aim of breaking the blockade and ending the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
On Friday 17th of January, The Cordoba Foundation along with representatives of a number of British Muslim organisations, shared lunch and a discussion with Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Anwar Ibrahim who is visiting the UK. Prior to the meeting, the Prime Minister joined Friday Prayers at the East London Mosque and London Muslim Centre where he addressed Western Europe’s largest Muslim congregation. During the meeting, The Cordoba Foundation raised a number of issues on which it is collaborating with its Malaysian counterparts, including promoting the Islam Madani project, presented by the Prime Minister’s office. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim spoke of his discussions with British and European leaders regarding the genocide in Gaza as well as of his vision for the role of Islam and Muslims as a fixture of and major contributor to the West, politically, economically and culturally. The Cordoba Foundation CEO Dr Anas Altikriti, and Managing Director Dr Abdullah Faliq, also used this occasion to present the Prime Minister with a commemorative plaque.
