Imam Qari Asim, MBE, is an influential and pioneering imam with over 15 years of experience serving British Muslims. He has led several initiatives to foster unity and understanding between different communities.
Imam Qari Asim Career
Qari Asim has achieved a lot as an imam and community leader. Below are his achievements;
Qari Asim is a senior Imam at Makkah Masjid, Leeds. Under his leadership the mosque has won a number of awards, including being voted the UK’s Model Mosque.
He is a senior lawyer at a global law firm, DLA Piper. He is the only Imam in the country who leads daily prayers and also works full-time in the corporate world.
Qari Asim is also a member of the government’s Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, which addresses the rise of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobic sentiments in Britain. He is a member of the Sharia Review Panel, appointed by the British Government to consider how Sharia applies to British Muslims and its correlation with British law.
Imam Asim is a senior editor of ImamsOnline, an online platform developed to promote mainstream Islamic voices globally. He is a spokesperson for the British Muslim Forum (“BMF”), an umbrella organization of hundreds of Sunni mosques & Islamic centers. He is an Executive Board member of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (“MINAB”), an umbrella organization of Sunnis and Shais consisting of mosques and Muslim institutions.
During his tenure as chair of the youth committee of the MINAB, Qari Asim produced a “Mosques & Youth Engagement” Toolkit. He is also on the executive board of British Future, an independent, non-partisan think-tank seeking to involve people in an open conversation, addressing identity, integration and migration.
Qari Asim is a trustee of several charities, including Hope not Hate, which seeks to challenge and defeat the politics of hate and extremism within local communities, building resilience against the politics of hate and fear. He is actively working on a number of initiatives to defeat ISIS inspired and the Far Right inspired extremism. He is also a trustee of Peace Matters, a charity dedicated to promoting education, engaging with the wider society, empowering young people and women and eliminating violence.
He is an executive board member of a number of local and national interfaith organizations, including the Christian Muslim Forum, Imams & Rabbis Council (part of The Joseph Interfaith Foundation) and is one of the faith advisors to the Near Neighbours. He is an ambassador of the White Ribbon Campaign, a global movement of men and boys working to end male violence against women and girls.
Qari Asim is a visiting fellow at Leeds Becketts University. He has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Leeds Becketts University for his remarkable contribution in bringing communities together. He is also on the board of Leeds Citizens, an alliance of civil society organizations working together for the common good of Leeds. He is on the regional leadership board of Mosaic, an organization founded by HRH Prince of Wales to inspire young people from deprived communities to realize their talents and potential.
He is a member of ITV Yorkshire’s Diversity Group and a member of the Remembering Srebrenica charity’s regional leadership group. Qari Asim is passionate about fostering relationships between communities and, consequently, is a member of several interfaith organizations. He also acts as a consultant to several mosques, institutions, public bodies and agencies.
Qari Asim regularly speaks on local, national and international media, including BBC, CNN and SkyNews, on issues affecting Muslims. He is a blogger, and his columns or comments from him have been printed in The Times, The Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, Yorkshire Post and Huffington Post.
Qari Asim has authored or contributed to several books, including Internet & Society, What Islam Says About Terrorism, Identity and Citizenship, Youth Engagement & Mosques, Our Children: Our Future, Islam & Health, 24 Hours and Everyday Social Justice and Citizenship: Perspectives for the 21st Century. He has also translated and contributed to several works.
Qari Asim is a prolific speaker who has delivered lectures worldwide, including in mosques and other places of worship, conference halls, universities, the British Parliament, and the EU Parliament. He speaks on various topics, including extremism, interfaith issues, peaceful co-existence, spirituality, theology, and the role of Muslims in the West. He uses his background in theology, spirituality, and ethics to break social barriers.
Imam Qari Asim Recognition and Awards
Imam Qari Asim MBE has received several awards for his work.
- He has been awarded by HM the Queen with a ‘Member of British Empire’ (MBE) award.
- Imam Asim was awarded for excellence in professional services and recognised in the Pakistan Power 100 Future Leaders list.
- He was awarded by the people of Leeds for his services to Leeds’ communities.
- Qari Asim received an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Leeds Becketts University for working tirelessly to build bridges between communities in Leeds since the 7/7 terror attacks.
- British Imams & Scholars Contributions and Achievements (“BISCA”) awarded Qari Asim for his outstanding contribution to Media Engagement.
- Qari Asim MBE received the ‘Professional of the Year’ award at the Yorkshire Asian Business Association Awards.
- Imam Qari Asim has been awarded for his interfaith work by the Garrison University.
- Imam Asim has been awarded by the Pakistan High Commission for his contribution to promoting British-Pakistani heritage.
- Qari Asim won the Institute of Directors non-Executive Director of the Year 2017 Award.
Imam Qari Asim believes that these achievements are due to the grace of Allah Almighty. He is humble and works hard to improve local and international communities.
May Allah bless and accept his efforts abundantly.