More than 200 UK imams and scholars issue joint statement on Palestinian statehood

Over 200 imams and Islamic scholars from across the UK have expressed serious concern over recent international remarks on Palestinian statehood, warning that such statements risk undermining the Palestinian struggle.

In a joint statement, the faith leaders criticised UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for allegedly using the issue of Palestinian statehood as a political bargaining chip during his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They warned this approach prioritises short-term diplomacy over justice for Palestinians.

The scholars also rejected recent announcements by France, Britain, and Canada recognising a “viable” Palestinian state, describing them as vague and insufficient. They stressed that symbolic gestures do not address the realities of occupation and displacement.

Concerns were also raised about reported plans to install the Palestinian Authority in Gaza as part of wider regional deals. The signatories insisted that future leadership in Palestine must be freely chosen by its people, without external influence or coercion.

Reaffirming the Palestinian right to self-determination and legitimate resistance under international law, the statement urged the global community to shift focus from political posturing to ending the occupation, displacement, and violence.

The imams called on Muslims to support Palestinians through humanitarian aid, lawful boycotts of companies complicit in occupation, and by exposing efforts to legitimise injustice under political or religious cover.

The statement also criticised what it described as a double standard in the UK, where British Muslims expressing solidarity with Palestinians face growing scrutiny, while those who join the Israeli military return without accountability, even in cases involving allegations of war crimes.

The scholars concluded with a call for a just resolution that respects international law, human rights, and the dignity of all people in the region.

 

Full list of signatories

1. Dr Haitham al-Haddad, London

2. Dr Mufti Abdur Rahman, London

3. Shaykh Zahir Mahmood, Birmingham

4. Shaykh Asrar Rashid, Birmingham

5. Shaykh Muhammad Yasir Al-Hanafi, Aylesbury

6. Dr Mufti Yusuf Shabbir, Blackburn

7. Dr Anas Altikriti, CEO & Founder, The Cordoba Foundation

8. Dr Azzam Tamimi, Islamic Intellect

9. Imam Shakeel Begg, London

10. Imam Ashraf Dabous, London

11. Imam Muhammad Tahir, London

12. Dr Zeeshan Chaudri, London

13. Imam Jamil Jeeva, London

14. Imam Mohammed Nadat, London

15. Imam Afzal Ahmed, London

16. Imam Aadil Jabir London

17. Imam Abdul Mateen London

18. Imam Abu Aasiyah Muhammad, London

19. Imam Qasim Hussain London

20. Imam Abu Muhammad London

21. Imam Shah Shuaib London

22. Imam Taj Uddin London

23. Imam Muhammad Anas Khan London

24. Imam Shah Muaz ahmed London

25. Shaykh Ammar al-Madani Manchester

26. Imam Omar Hajaj London

27. Imam Mustafa Razzak, Birmingham

28. Imam Bodrul Hussain , London

29. Imam Ajmal Hussain St Albans City

30. Imam Siddiq Rahman Walsall

31. Imam Muhammad Anas London

32. Dr Osman Latiff Slough

33. Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain London

 

34. Mufti Shah Hamzah London

35. Imam Mujahid Ali London

36. Imam Shah Muhammed Anas London

37. Imam Usman Adam Blackburn

38. Imam Muhammad Panchbhaya Glasgow

39. Imam Abu Sorwar Toki London

40. Imam Amir Khan Glasgow

41. Moulana Ismail Bulbulia Dewsbury

42. Ustadha Fatima Patel Manchester

43. Imam Choudry Mohammed Imran Wakefield

44. Imam Hassan Patel Bolton

45. Imam Ahmed Zaman Birmingham

46. Maulana Anwar Shaikh Coventry

47. Imam Inamulhasan Blackburn

48. Imam M Uthman Rochdale

49. Imam Mohammed Khalilullah Al-Masud Birmingham

50. Dr S M Zubair Rahim I Birmingham

51. Imam Azhar Mohammed Birmingham

52. Imam Mohammed Islam Birmingham

53. Imam Mahmood Hussain Walsall

54. Imam Mohammed Kawsar Ahmed Luton

55. Imam Huzayfah Mangera London

56. Imam Sameer Khan Birmingham

57. Imam Rizwan Rashid Birmingham

58. Shaykh Muminur Rahman Oldham

59. Imam Abdullah Fahim Birmingham

60. Shaykh Muhim Khan Oldham

61. Shaykh Abu Khalid Sunderland

62. Shaykh Abdullah Al-Mubeen Oldham

63. Shaykh Abdul Kayyum Oldham

64. Shaykh Saifur Rahman Oldham

65. Shaykh Fuad Ahmad Oldham

66. Shaykh Akmal Hussain Oldham

67. Shaykh Muzammil Hossain Oldham

68. Shaykh Tahir Khan and Oldham

69. Shaykh Siddiqur Rahman Oldham

70. Imam Ali-Haider Abdul Rashid Sheffield

71. Imam Mohammed Fahim Uddin Birmingham

72. Imam Ali Ahmad London

73. Maulana Mohammed Dawood London

74. Imam Ashraf Ali Birmingham

75. Imam Junaid Javid Zaman Birmingham

76. Imam Mohammed Mustafa Isakji Birmingham

77. Imam Yoonus Luton

78. H M Abdul Mateen Khandoker Milton Keynes

79. Imam Amir Sajjad Nottingham

80. Imam Abbas Afzal Wednesbury

81. Imam Mohammed Patel Leicester

 

82. Dr Wasim Mir Birmingham

83. Imam Abdul Gaffar London

84. Ustadha Maryam bint Abdur Rahman Khalisadar London

85. Imam Zayd Tutla Leicester

86. Mufti Zubair Patel London

87. Imam Abdurrahman Vania Coventry

88. Imam Muhammad Abdur-Rahman Birmingham

89. Imam Muhammad Patel London

90. Imam Yusuf Collector Bradford

91. Imam Areeb Khan Birmingham

92. Mufti Mohammed Haroon Hussain Birmingham

93. Imam Abdul G Salloo Stoke-On-Trent

94. Imam Tarik Miah Birmingham

95. Imam Mohammed Enamul Hoque Farhan Luton

96. Imam Asif Afsar Birmingham

97. Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Nawab London

98. Ustadha Fatima Patel Blackburn

99. Imam Mohammed Yahya Sidyot Manchester

100. Imam Syed Yunus Islam London

101. Imam Muhammad Hussain London

102. Imam Mohammed Farook Kazi Preston

103. Imam Imtiaz lorgat Birmingham

104. Imam Muhammad Fahad Birmingham

105. Imam Omar Salloo Bolton

106. Shaykh Khalil London

107. Imam Suhayb Qayyum Birmingham

108. Imam Sajad Mahmood Birmingham

109. Imam Abu bakar Bagas London

110. Imam Masood khan Birmingham

111. Imam Ismail Mohammed Preston

112. Imam Ayaaz Chikhalia London

113. Mol Abu Bakr Khan Bradford

114. Imam Sajid Patel London

115. Imam Vahab Bhikhi London

116. Imam Mohammed Hadi Quraishi London

117. Imam Muhammad Shuaib Birmingham

118. Mufti Ismail ibn Nazir Satia Blackburn

119. Imam Hamzah Ibrahim London

120. Mufti Yousaf Baig Batley

121. Ustadha Fatima Lambat Blackburn BB18EX

122. Maulana Muhammad Uddin Birmingham

123. Moulana Mohammad Painda Khan Bradford

124. Ustadha Zeina El-Debs Manchester

125. Molana Mohammed Sadiq Mayat Bradford

126. Imam Liaquat zaman Birmingham

127. Imam Ahmed Bhana Bradford

128. Ustadha Atiyya Akujee Manchester

129. Imam Imranur Rahman Tawheedi London

 

130. Imam Ebrahim Bhikha Birmingham

131. Imam Omar Ghanchi Leicester

132. Shaykh Muhammad Taaha London

133. Imam Sufyaan Shaikh Wolverhampton

134. Imam Zakir patel Leicester

135. Maulana Ebrahim Noor Coventry

136. Moulana Zahid Musa Leicester

137. Mohammed Lockhat Leicester

138. Imam Idris sheikh Bradford

139. Imam Athar Mahmood Rochdale

140. Imam Yusuf Ali Blackburn

141. Imam Imtiaz Mussa Bradford

142. Imam Usamah patel Bradford

143. Imam Adam Alibhai London

144. Dr Syed Mutaheer Ali Birmingham

145. Imam Umar Hussai

146. Moulana Abdul Rahman Oldham

147. Ml Mohammed patel Blackburn

148. Mufti Atiqur Rahman Oldham

149. Imam Abrar Khan Bradford

150. Imam Imran Pandor Bradford

151. Imam Mahmood H Blackburn

152. Mawlana Muhammad Ammar Birmingham

153. Imam Abdussalam Walsall

154. Imam Muhammad Rahman London

155. Imam Ismail Hafejee Manchester

156. Imam Muhammad Ameen Gani Preston

157. Imam Zahid Malik Nuneaton

158. Imam Reyaz bismillah Bradford

159. Imam Shabbir Ahmed London

160. Imam Mohammad Al-Mausuf Bradford

161. Imam Abdullah Nakhuda Preston

162. Imam Salim Patel Plaistow

163. Imam Ismail Memi W-ton

164. Dr Afzal Mohammed Burton-on-Trent

165. Imam Ibrahim Saleem Plaistow

166. Imam Zakir Munshi London

167. Imam Umar Nawaz Bradford

168. Imam Humaid Yusuf Leicester

169. Imam Imran Mukerdam Nottingham

170. Molana Zubair Mangera Blackburn

171. Ustadha Umm Ibrahim Bolton

172. Imam Syed Maqsud-E-Elahi Sabir London

173. Imam Mohammed Moreea London

174. Imam Khalil Ahmed Leicester

175. Maulana Sayed Ahmed London

176. Imam Irfan Khalifa Coventry

177. Molana Talha Aziz Leicester

 

178. Imam Imtiaz Mahetar Leicester

179. Imam Mohammed Hasnath Birmingham

180. Imam Habib Khalil Manchester

181. Imam Muslehuddin Sa’di Randeri Birmingham

182. Maulana Mohammed Dawood London

183. Imam Muhammad Gora Batley

184. Imam Hafizur Rahman London

185. Ustadha Shaida Sheikh London

186. Imam Hafizur Rahman London

187. Moulana Sufyan Patel London

188. Imam Imran Abdul-Qayum London

189. Imam Qamar Uddin (Kamar Uddin) London

190. Imam Jamal Ahmed Birmingham

191. Moulana Haroon Ansari London

192. Zubair Usman London

193. Qari Muhammad Ridhwan, UK

194. Moulana Haroon Valli London

195. Imam Muaaz Vahora Luton

196. Dr Omar Jahangir London

197. Imam Zakaria auditor London

198. Moulana Sulaiman Ali London

199. Imam Rafiur Rahman London

200. Imam Jamil Dudhwala, London

201. Imam Abdur Rahman Abid Chelmsford

202. Maulana Younus Sayed London

203. Imam Azizur Rahman London

204. Moulana Akmal Hussain Oldham

Source : Safa News