->Dewritech: clean up, typo(s) fixed: 1951-1952 → 1951–1952

2021-10-11T15:12:49Z

clean up, typo(s) fixed: 1951-1952 → 1951–1952

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{{Other people|Naseem|Naseem (disambiguation)}}
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'''Mohammad Naseem''', ({{lang-ur|محمد نسیم}}; 6 September 1924 – 22 April 2014), was a British Muslim leader and political activist. Nassem worked as a [[General practitioner|GP]] before later becoming chairman of the Birmingham Mosque Trust ([[Birmingham Central Mosque]]), one of the largest and most prominent Islamic places of worship in the United Kingdom.

Born in [[Amritsar]] in [[British India]] in September 1924, Naseem was educated mainly in Pakistan and then in England, where he trained to become and worked as a GP for many years and also specialised in the medical procedure of [[circumcision]], particularly for the British Muslim community.

He was executive member of, and home affairs spokesman for, the [[Islamic Party of Britain]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mustaqim.co.uk/ipb-archive/people/muhammad.htm|title=Dr. Muhammad Naseem|website=www.mustaqim.co.uk}}</ref>

Naseem was the main practitioner of male circumcision in the region and was based in [[Aston]], [[Birmingham]].

==History==
In the 1970s, Naseem became involved in the establishment of a major mosque and Islamic centre in Birmingham and supported a project that had begun in the late 1950s but only got underway in the 1960s. There was great confusion at the time and many of those involved had a design for an Islamic institution but disorganisation created a lack of funds and resources to complete the grand and innovative project. Amidst debate and argument, Naseem is said to have joined the members of a loosely formed group and helped to settle disagreements by way of compromise and organisation.

The mosque project was listed as a [[registered charity]] and as a [[limited company]] and it was decided that elections would be conducted to select an official committee to run the new trust. Naseem was elected chairman and has remained chairman ever since, following an annual vote at the trust's Annual General Meeting.

==Leadership==

Naseem involve in Student politics in [[Pakistan]] during his college era. He was the [[Nazim-e-Alla]] of [[Islami Jamiat Talba]] during 1951–1952. Naseem has become a familiar face with the Midlands' Muslims and wider faith communities{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}}, representing the voice of the region's Islamic community{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}}. He appointed the first Muslim female, Wageha Syeda, onto a [[Shariah]] Council and [[Salma Yaqoob]], as the only female spokesperson for a British mosque. The mosque has also been the only one in the world{{Citation needed|date=March 2010}} to open condolence tributes for non-Muslims after initiating books following the [[Madrid train bombings]] and the death of Iraqi hostage [[Ken Bigley]]. This has, however, come under criticism from many more conservative Muslims{{Who|date=March 2010}}.

The mosque was accused by some Muslims{{Who|date=April 2010}} of imitating the activities of a state-run church but continued with changes including having businesses [[Asda]] and [[Selfridges]] sponsor and support [[Ramadan]] and [[Eid ul-Fitr|Eid]] activities at the mosque. It is believed many of these innovations were influenced by the presence of [[Adam Yosef]], who served the trust as PR and media officer between 2003 and 2004, during which time many of the widely reported initiatives took place.

==Controversy==

===Comments on the London bombings===
Following the [[7 July 2005 London bombings]], comments made by Naseem criticizing the security services and [[Metropolitan Police]] were widely criticized by politicians including MPs [[Khalid Mahmood (British politician)|Khalid Mahmood]] and [[Shadow Home Secretary]] [[David Davis (British politician)|David Davis]]. He was also criticized by Mohammed [[Zaki Badawi]], chairman of the Council of Mosques and Imams. He was condemned further after he compared [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] to [[Adolf Hitler]] in the same week and has generated national debate over the role of mosque representatives in Britain. When a videotape emerged featuring suspected bomber [[Mohammad Sidique Khan]] apparently explaining why he intended to attack British civilians, Naseem said that he suspected the videotape had been doctored:
<blockquote>We are in the 21st century. The cows can be made to look as dancing, the horses can speak like humans, so these things can be doctored or can be produced.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4210566.stm | work=BBC News | title=Experts analyse bomber videotape | date=3 September 2005 | accessdate=10 April 2010}}</ref></blockquote>

===Comments on Birmingham terrorist raids===
In February 2007 British police in Birmingham arrested nine suspected terrorists. A few days later Naseem said:

<blockquote>Muslims are persecuted unjustly. The German people were told Jews were a threat. The same is happening here. This is a persecuting course of action that the government has taken. They have invented this perception of a threat. To justify that, they have to maintain incidents to prove something is going on.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/were-victimised-like-jews-by-the-nazis-says-muslim-leader-tt7zdfrvfzw|title=We’re victimised like Jews by the Nazis, says Muslim leader|last1=Bird|first1=Steve|last2=Jenkins|first2=Russell|date=2007-02-03|work=The Times|access-date=2019-10-21|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref></blockquote>

He also said that Britain is becoming a [[police state]]. Assistant Chief Constable David Shaw responded to Naseem's comments by saying that, "Despite certain labels given to those men by the media, what we are dealing with here in its purest sense is criminality," and Naseem is "wrong".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6325165.stm|title='Kidnapping plot' search widens|date=2007-02-02|publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=2019-10-21|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/muslim-leader-rebuked-over-nazi-remark-1.1193713|title=Muslim leader rebuked over Nazi remark|last=Millar|first=Frank|date=2007-02-07|website=The Irish Times|language=en|access-date=2019-10-21}}</ref>

===General Medical Council reprimand===
In 2009 Naseem was reprimanded by the [[General Medical Council]] for circumcising a baby boy without the parents’ consent. It was also found that he had failed to make an adequate clinical record of the procedure and failed to provide appropriate information about aftercare. The warning was placed on his record for five years. Though this has never been proved accurate, and is largely circumstantial.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/local-news/birmingham-mosque-boss-reprimanded-for-circumsising-100565|title=Birmingham Mosque boss reprimanded for circumsising baby without consent|first=Birmingham|last=Live|date=17 August 2009|website=birminghammail}}</ref>

==Politics==

Having unsuccessfully fought the [[1994 Bradford South by-election]] for the [[Islamic Party of Britain]], Naseem also stood as a candidate for [[RESPECT The Unity Coalition]] in the [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005 general election]], when he challenged the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] seat of [[Khalid Mahmood (politician, born 1961)|Khalid Mahmood]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]] in [[Birmingham Perry Barr (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Perry Barr]]. He gained over 2,000 votes (5.6%); Labour retained the seat.

Naseem was actively involved in Britain's post-[[9/11]] anti-war movement led by the [[Stop the War Coalition]].

==Death==
Mohammad Naseem died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham on 22 April 2014, aged 89.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-central-mosque-chairman-dr-7017441|title=Birmingham Central Mosque chairman Dr Mohammad Naseem dies aged 90|first=Brett|last=Gibbons|date=22 April 2014|website=birminghammail}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Naseem, Mohammad}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:British Muslims]]
[[Category:British politicians of Pakistani descent]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Pakistani emigrants to the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Politicians from Amritsar]]
[[Category:Respect Party parliamentary candidates]]

Mohammad Naseem - Revision history

->Dewritech: clean up, typo(s) fixed: 1951-1952 → 1951–1952