Mohammed Shafiq

In August 2005, he became press spokesman of the Ramadhan Foundation, a group aimed at helping young Muslims in the United Kingdom and fostering interfaith dialogue.[http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090225/FOREIGN/300080073/1002 Freedom but no release from saga]. By David Sapsted. The National. Published 25 February 2009. Whilst representing the Foundation, he has become a regular face in British media, commenting on British-Muslim issues and perspectives.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ramadhanfoundation.com/forcedmarriages.htm|title=forced marriages}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.ramadhanfoundation.com/honourkillings.htm|title=honour killings}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/news/s/505/505833_drug_barons_using_schoolboy_couriers.html |title=drug dealers |access-date=4 August 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912132318/http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/news/s/505/505833_drug_barons_using_schoolboy_couriers.html |archive-date=12 September 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/manchester-attack-mohammed-shafiq-ramadhan-foundation-anti-extremist-charity-spat-at-killed-children-a7753861.html|title=Head of Muslim anti-extremism charity spat on and told 'you killed children' after Manchester attack|date=24 May 2017|website=The Independent}}

Shafiq was the project manager for the first Muslim Unity Convention, held in the aftermath of the 7/7 attacks in 2005 at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.{{cite web|url=http://www.islamicboard.com/islamic-events/2877-muslim-unity-convention.html|title=Muslim Unity Convention|work=IslamicBoard – Discover Islam – Connect with Muslims|accessdate=21 February 2016}} He was a member of the organising committee of the second International Muslim Unity Convention held in October 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.{{cite web|author=Mohammed-Shafiq |url=http://www.yanabi.com/index.php?/topic/341581-2nd-international-muslim-unity-convention-2009/ |title=2nd International Muslim Unity Convention 2009 – Spirit Of Islam |publisher=Yanabi.com |accessdate=2013-11-06}}{{cite web|author=Ramadhan Foundation |url=http://www.muslimunityconvention.blogspot.co.uk/ |title=2nd International Muslim Unity Convention |publisher=Muslimunityconvention.blogspot.co.uk |accessdate=2013-11-06}}

Shafiq has appeared regularly on television and radio since 2005, when the newly elected Pope, Benedict XVI made a controversial speech in Germany, and Shafiq appeared on Sky News and BBC News 24 to discuss the issue.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q09taxVlczc|title=YouTube|accessdate=21 February 2016}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3OXMnRI-Y8|title=YouTube|accessdate=21 February 2016}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}} Shafiq was a senior presenter and head of News and Politics on Ummah Channel and presents various shows including the Debate Night show and is also the main English-speaking presenter.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbCz1kGfsWE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/WbCz1kGfsWE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=David Miliband speaks to Ummah Channel |via=YouTube |date=2010-04-27 |accessdate=2013-11-06}}{{cbignore}} Shafiq also regularly reviews the newspapers on Stephen Nolan's weekend late night show on Fridays at midnight on BBC Radio 5 Live along with former Conservative MP Jerry Hayes.

He has been accused by MEP Daniel Hannan of being a "rent a quote" beloved of journalists for his controversial views,{{cite news | author= Daniel Hannan | title= Who appointed this man a "Muslim leader"? | url= http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/8078568/Who_appointed_this_man_a_Muslim_leader/| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090724180606/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/8078568/Who_appointed_this_man_a_Muslim_leader/| url-status= dead| archive-date= 24 July 2009| work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London | date=11 January 2009 | accessdate=2013-10-08}}

In interviews and in published articles regarding the Rochdale sex trafficking gang, Shafiq has made controversial statements regarding members of the Pakistani community who had been involved in grooming girls, blaming them for harbouring a racist attitude towards white girls.{{cite news|last=Muhammed|first=Shafiq|title=Rochdale grooming trial: Split views on race issue|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-17996245|accessdate=8 May 2012|publisher=BBC News|date=18 May 2012}} He observed there was an over representation of Pakistani men convicted of child sexual exploitation and on-street gang grooming in which the majority of victims are white.

In October 2013, Shafiq was alerted by anti-terrorist police that he, as well as a number of other prominent Muslim figures in the UK, had been specifically mentioned in a propaganda video created by Al-Shabaab, the terrorist group responsible for the attack on the Westgate shopping mall in Kenya. The video attacked Shafiq and others for "selling out" and had urged jihadists in the UK to take action, citing the murder of Lee Rigby as an example to follow. Shafiq was later offered special protection by the police.{{cite web|author=Simon Hooper |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/10/british-muslims-defiant-over-al-shabab-threat-2013102591313719196.html |title=British Muslims defiant over al-Shabab threat |publisher=Al Jazeera |date=26 October 2013 |accessdate=2013-11-06}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01kgyk4 |title=BBC Radio Manchester – Indus, British Muslims threatened by Al-Shabab |date=28 October 2013 |publisher=BBC |accessdate=2013-11-06}}

Shafiq was a member of the Labour Party for two months in 1997 but resigned when the government introduced tuition fees against the promises before the election.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/may/11/tonyblair.labour9|title=Nicholas Watt tracks down the people who watched Blair enter Downing St in 1997|author=Nicholas Watt|work=The Guardian|date=11 May 2007|accessdate=21 February 2016}} He joined the Liberal Democrats.{{cite web |url=http://ethnic-minority.libdems.org/en/contact/mohammed-shafiq |title=Mohammed Shafiq (Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats) |publisher=Liberal Democrats |accessdate=2013-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101063221/http://ethnic-minority.libdems.org/en/contact/mohammed-shafiq |archive-date=1 January 2013 |url-status=dead }} In February 2008, he was asked to resign as vice-chairman of Rochdale Liberal Democrats, following comments he posted online under the name "Deeplish Lad", accusing a colleague of racism and using "tricks from the BNP handbook" – a move said by Lib Dem sources to be "the final straw".{{cite web|url=http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/community/276/man-exposed-for-deceit-chosen-as-lib-dem-candidate-for-bamford|title=Rochdale News – News Headlines – Man exposed for deceit chosen as Lib Dem candidate for Bamford! – Rochdale Online|accessdate=21 February 2016}} He returned to the Labour Party in 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/96401/mohammed-shafiq-joins-the-labour-party|title=Rochdale News – News Headlines – Mohammed Shafiq joins the Labour Party – Rochdale Online|accessdate=21 February 2016}}

He was born to parents from Pakistan.{{Cite web |title=Mohammed Shafiq - About Me |url=https://www.mohammedshafiq.net/aboutme.php }} Shafiq attended Springhill High School in Rochdale and Bury College. He is married, having four daughters.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9252003/Rochdale-grooming-trial-Mohammed-Shafiq-the-campaigner-who-stood-up-to-the-abusers.html|title=Rochdale grooming trial: Mohammed Shafiq, the campaigner who stood up to the abusers|author=Nigel Bunyan|date=8 May 2012|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=2013-10-08|location=London}}

In January 2014 Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Maajid Nawaz, a secular Muslim, posted a "Jesus and Mo" image on his Twitter account.Keith Perry [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/10588267/Lib-Dem-candidate-receives-death-threats-for-tweeting-Prophet-Mohammed-cartoon.html "Lib Dem candidate receives death threats for tweeting Prophet Mohammed cartoon"] Daily Telegraph 21 January 2014 The image depicts Jesus saying "Hey" and Mohammed saying "How ya doin".{{cite web |title=maajid nawaz |url=https://twitter.com/MaajidNawaz/status/422342223460855809 |via=Twitter |accessdate=21 February 2016}}[http://www.christiantoday.com/article/maajid.nawaz.asks.for.calm.over.jesus.and.prophet.mohammed.cartoon.tweet/35499.htm "Maajid Nawaz asks for calm over Jesus and Prophet Mohammed cartoon tweet"] Christian Today 22 January 2014 Shafiq then posted on Twitter "We will notify all Muslim organisations in the UK of his despicable behavior and also notify Islamic countries."{{cite web |title=Mohammed Shafiq |url=https://twitter.com/mshafiquk/status/424575029599543296 |via=Twitter |accessdate=21 February 2016}}[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25881508 BBC News: "Cartoon row: Deselection call for Lib Dem Maajid Nawaz"] See video from 3:18 Shafiq further Tweeted "Ghustaki Rasool Quilliam," linking Nawaz's anti-extremist think tank with an Urdu term which means "defamer of the prophet".Nick Cohen [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/25/liberal-democrats-t-shirt-jesus-muhammad-religion "The Liberal Democrats face a true test of liberty"], The Observer, 25 January 2014 Maajid Nawaz has since received a number of death threats.[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jan/28/maajid-nawaz-muslim-lib-dem-candidate-cartoon Rowena Mason "Maajid Nawaz defends decision to tweet controversial cartoon"] The Guardian 28 January 2014; accessed 15 February 2014 Shafiq also reportedly organized an on-line petition to Nick Clegg to have Nawaz removed as a Liberal Democrat candidate, though when the organizers of the petition, named as SA et al., were contacted by the press they distanced themselves from Shafiq.Jonathan Brown and Ian Johnston [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nick-clegg-attacks-death-threats-against-maajid-nawaz--lib-dem-candidate-who-tweeted-a-cartoon-of-the-prophet-mohammed-and-jesus-greeting-each-other-9086469.html "Nick Clegg attacks death threats against Maajid Nawaz – Lib Dem candidate who tweeted a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed and Jesus greeting each other"], The Independent, 26 January 2014 The online petition asking Clegg to suspend Nawaz eventually had 22,927 supporters,{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Jonathan |last2=Johnston |first2=Ian |date=26 January 2014 |title=Nick Clegg attacks death threats against Maajid Nawaz – Lib Dem candidate who tweeted a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed and Jesus greeting each other |work=The Independent |location=London |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nick-clegg-attacks-death-threats-against-maajid-nawaz--lib-dem-candidate-who-tweeted-a-cartoon-of-the-prophet-mohammed-and-jesus-greeting-each-other-9086469.html}} a counter petition calling for Clegg to discipline Shafiq received 8,375 supporters.{{cite web |title=Petition · Give full support to LibDem PPC Maajid Nawaz and take disciplinary action against party member Mohammed Shafiq · Change.org |url=http://www.change.org/petitions/nick-clegg-give-full-support-to-libdem-ppc-maajid-nawaz-and-take-disciplinary-action-against-party-member-mohammed-shafiq |work=Change.org |accessdate=21 February 2016}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.mohammedshafiq.net}}
• [http://www.ramadhanfoundation.co.uk Ramadhan Foundation]
• [https://twitter.com/mshafiquk Mohammed Shafiq Twitter]
• [http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/Perspectives_1/Durban_II_anti-racism_conference_An_Inside_View.shtml Ashahed Muhammad interviews Mohammed Shafiq in Geneva at the Durban Review Conference FinalCall.com]
• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12144411 BBC News article]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4G9gQuEuz8 YouTube]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shafiq, Mohammed}}

Category:Living people

Category:1979 births

Category:British Muslims

Category:British television presenters

Category:People from Rochdale

Category:Labour Party (UK) people

Category:British people of Pakistani descent