Quilliam (think tank)

Quilliam is an independent "counter-extremism" think tank which has received British government funding and which is based in London . It was originally set up by Maajid Nawaz , Ed Husain and Rashad Ali, former members of the United Kingdom branch of the international Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir . It was originally launched under the name ' Quilliam Foundation ' but is now simply known as ' Quilliam '. The foundation takes its name from the Islamic activist Abdullah Quilliam , a 19th century British convert to Islam, who was influential in advancing knowledge of Islam within the British Isles, and gained converts through literary works and charitable institutions he founded. On its website Quilliam describes its goals as: Quilliam stands for religious freedom, human rights, democracy and developing a Muslim identity at home in, and with the West. Quilliam has supported the revival of an Islam of Andalusian heritage. Maajid Nawaz , one of its founders, states: {{quote|The first (objective) is I want to demonstrate how the Islamist ideology is incompatible with Islam. Secondly, I want to develop a Western Islam that is at home in Britain and in Europe. We want to reverse radicalization by taking on their arguments and countering them. Quilliam argues that Islam is a religion, not an ideology and that “Islam is not Islamism.” The organisation opposes radical Islamists , in particular the group Hizb ut-Tahrir . Its critique is, in part, based on the personal experiences of Quilliam founders Maajid Nawaz, Rashaad Zaman Ali and Ed Husain, who were all members of Hizb ut-Tahrir. Ali was the mujtahid of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain and Nawaz was a member of the UK leadership of the organisation. Quilliam also employs several other ex-activists of Hizb ut-Tahrir. Quilliam argues that Islam has no specific prescriptions for modes of governance, as Muslim history has illustrated a plethora of approaches to government. Unlike Christianity, it argues, Islam has not battled for the separation of church and state: clerics were almost always an entity separate from government. Quilliam argues that Muslim scholars such as Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1350) condemned those who claimed to rule in God's name - "Government gives £1m to anti-extremist think-tank Quilliam Foundation" . Husain states, “Islamists are at odds with Islam as a faith. Islam is a faith not an ideology” How I’ll fight against Islamic extremism "Ed Husain: You Ask The Questions" . Ed Husain: You Ask The Questions “Muslims have never had a church that defined all aspects of faith and politics. Muslim scholars have always existed outside of the political sphere and developed diverse traditions, religious and ethical codes outside of political authority.”

Quilliam is a London -based think tank co-founded by Maajid Nawaz that focuses on counter- extremism , specifically against Islamism , which it argues represents a desire to impose a given interpretation of Islam on society. Founded as The Quilliam Foundation , it says it lobbies government and public institutions for more nuanced policies regarding Islam and on the need for greater democracy in the Muslim world whilst empowering " moderate Muslim " voices. The organisation opposes any Islamist ideology and champions freedom of expression. The critique of Islamist ideology by its founders, Maajid Nawaz, Rashad Zaman Ali and Ed Husain , is based, in part, on their personal experiences.

British counter-extremism think-tank Quilliam was a British think tank co-founded in 2008 by Maajid Nawaz that focused on counter- extremism , specifically against Islamism , which it argued represents a desire to impose a given interpretation of Islam on society. Founded as The Quilliam Foundation and based in London , it claimed to lobby government and public institutions for more nuanced policies regarding Islam and on the need for greater democracy in the Muslim world whilst empowering " moderate Muslim " voices. The organisation opposed any Islamist ideology and championed freedom of expression. The critique of Islamist ideology by its founders―Nawaz, Rashad Zaman Ali and Ed Husain ―was based, in part, on their personal experiences. Quilliam went into liquidation in 2021.