Inclusive Mosque Initiative

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For modernist reform movements in Islam, see Islamic Modernism.

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The Inclusive Mosque Initiative (commonly known as IMI) was founded in 2012, in London, UK. It is a grassroots activist organization which works toward ‘Establishing a place of worship for the promotion and practice of an inclusive Islam.’^[1] In practice this means that IMI spaces and events are organised to be as inclusive as possible; unlike many existing mosques and religious organisations, IMI is not divided along linguistic, secretarian, political or ethnic lines. The organisation makes every effort toward physical access to, attending to disability access in its venues, including BSL within its services, and giving translations of Arabic words when used.

Since its inception the organisation has spread rapidly, with chapters across the UK and IMI internationally (Malaysia, Kashmir, Pakistan and Zurich). The London group remains the most active of IMI sites, and is structured around a majlis or committee of volunteers who share the everyday running of the organisation. This is supported by a network of volunteers and advisors who contribute to the organisation in different ways. ‘[They] are a collective of practicing Muslims who are part of many Muslim communities… [they] come from a range of Islamic backgrounds, including 'Sunni, Shia, Sufi, Quranist, Salafi, Braelvi, Islamic feminist, traditional, secular, progressive, unsure and conservative... [their] backgrounds also reflect the diversity within British Islam, including; Arab, mixed heritage, Malaysian, Central European, South Asian, East African, white reverts, North African and Persian.^[2]

Significantly the organisation was founded by two female activists, and female leadership remains central to their ethos.‘Notably the initial conversations were between two women ... though the issue of gender justice in action was and still is a key component in the formulation of IMI, the differences in race, religious practice-denomination, age and activist experience helped shape the IMI concept to be plural from its outset.’^[3] The beginning of IMI came out of their frustrations with the situation for women in many British mosques, where often women’s sections do not exist and ‘[s]ometimes the facilities for women are very inferior, cramped, and not at all conducive to the attitude of worship.’^[4] The Inclusive Mosque Initiative aims to offer alternative spaces of worship, and promote Islam in a way which particularly includes marginalized communities. In 2015 the Inclusive Mosque Initiative UK became a registered charity.