Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain (also known as HT Britain, HTB, HT in the UK, and HTUKBaran, Hizb ut-Tahrir: Islam's Political Insurgency, 2004:17) is the official name of the United Kingdom branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a transnational, pan-Islamist and fundamentalist group that seeks to re-establish "the Islamic Khilafah (Caliphate)" as an Islamic "superstate" where Muslim-majority countries are unifiedAhmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.3 and ruled under Islamic Shariah law, and which eventually expands globally to include non-Muslim states such as Britain. The group was designated a proscribed terrorist organization in the UK in January 2024.
The Home Office of the UK government describes HTB as "radical, but to date non-violent Islamist group" that "holds anti-semitic, anti-western and homophobic views"; a BBC programme described the party's website as promoting "racism and anti-Semitic hatred", calling "suicide bombers martyrs", and urging "Muslims to kill Jewish people". As in other countries, HT preaches that re-establishing the caliphate is a religious obligation of Muslims,an-Nabhani, The Islamic State, 1998: p.3 that Western countries are waging war against Islam, that "democracy", patriotic feeling for, assimilation into, or voting in a non-Muslim country/society"The roots of nationalism in the Muslim World" Chapter title by Shabir Ahmed and Abid Karim are forbidden in Islam.
In Britain, the party describes itself as "focused on directing Muslims to make a positive contribution to society whilst preserving their Islamic identity", according to an HT Media Pack issued after talk of proscribing the party developed.HT Britain, Hizb ut-Tahrir Media Information Pack, circa 2010: p.4 In its work with non-Muslims, the party states it has engaged in panel discussions that "have helped to overcome the intellectual entrenchment" that characterises "most of today's debate" between Muslim and non-Muslim cultures, and hopes that its advancement of "Islamic values and culture" will make a contribution towards "solving" Western society's problems of "racism, alcohol abuse, substance misuse, family breakdown, sexual abuse and the decline in morality". The party seeks out young Muslims (15-18-years old), attracting interest by offering football, trips, workshops, and residential after-school homework club. Potential party members start with the study of party texts in "Halaqa" study circles.Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.65
As of 2007, HTB "dominate[d]" the Islamist "scene" in Britain with an estimated 8,500 members (compared to only 1,000 for the rival, Muslim Association of Britain) according to a report in Foreign Affairs Journal.Robert S. Leiken and Steven Brooke | [link blacklisted by WP], "The Moderate Muslim Brotherhood" | Foreign Affairs Journal, p. 120, 86 (2), March / April 2007 However, two years later, another report estimated HTB to be much smaller, with only approximately 2000 activists—the most active numbering approximately 100–200.Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.127 HTB conferences in 2002 and 2003 drew over 6,000 people, but a 2009 HTB conference was attended by "no more" than 1000 people.Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.118
As of mid-2015, a British GP known by the pseudonym "Abdul Wahid" was the leader of HT Britain. According to an ex-member, as of 2006, HTB was funded by private donations and membership revenue – members typically donating ten percent of their income to the party.Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.72
In January 2024, the government declared its intention to designate Hizb ut-Tahrir as a proscribed terrorist organization; the group was formally banned on 19 January after parliamentary approval.
Significance Unlike many other countries, the United Kingdom has historically not banned Hizb ut-Tahrir, making the country "vital" and "nerve center"Abdullah Robin, interview by Zeyno Baran, London, UK, 21 December 2003.Baran, Hizb ut-Tahrir: Islam's Political Insurgency, 2004:34, 130 for the global HT movement, according to some (ex-member Ed Husain and Centre for Social Cohesion). The UK gives HT "access to the global media", provides a "fertile recruiting ground at mosques and universities"Husain, Ed, The Islamist, Penguin, 2007, p. 272 and a location for the production of its leaflets and books for global distribution.Nixon, The Challenge of Hizb ut-Tahrir, 2004: p.xiv According to Zeyon Baran, HT's "London-based headquarters oversees HT activities in Muslim countries,"Baran, Hizb ut-Tahrir: Islam's Political Insurgency, 2004:24 and the global party's "supreme legislative body" (kiedat), is located in London and surrounding cities of high Muslim concentration -- "Birmingham, Bradford and Sheffield".Baran, Hizb ut-Tahrir: Islam's Political Insurgency, 2004:36 An HT Media Pack denies this, stating that the party's leadership and the "main area" of its "political work" is in the Muslim world and that it is "untrue" that UK branch is among HT's "most important", or that Britain "serves as the base for much of HT's leadership".HT Britain, Hizb ut-Tahrir Media Information Pack, circa 2010: p.12
In at least one HT text the UK is also known as the land of the "arch enemies of Islam". Abdul Qadeem Zallum, HT global leader from 1977 to 2003, writes: ... when the discerning and sincere people say that the British are the head of Kufr [Unbelief] among all the other Kufr states, they mean exactly that, for they are indeed the head of Kufr and they are the arch enemies of Islam. The Muslims should indeed harbour hatred for the British and a yearning for revenge over them...Abdul Qadeem Zallum, How the Khilafah was Destroyed, 2000: p.186
Organization and membership
Abdul Wahid (a pseudonym) was the leader of HT Britain, chairman of its executive committee as of mid-2015. In the global HT organization, HT Britain does not constitute not a "Vilaya" or province, but is "a branch that is entrusted with its own administrative affairs", according to its former UK head Jalaluddin Patel. An executive committee is charged with executing the administrative affairs for HTB. As of 2004, the executive committee had nine members who were elected every two years.
An HT Britain Media Pack describes HT membership as "men and women, young and old, from different walks of life and from different ethnic backgrounds", many having "senior roles in IT, economics, medicine, teaching, engineering".
Member motivation One ex-member described factors contributing to radicalization of Muslims in Britain as
A heightened perception of Muslims and Muslim countries being unjustly attacked (Gulf War I and II, Afghan war, Palestine, Chechnya.) Double standards exhibited by the UN and USA with respect to Israel. Political Islam, being touted as a panacea for the Muslims' problems. A lack of alternative scholarly voices advocating more traditional responses to state oppression and increased media awareness due to proliferation of Islamic literature on the internet.Hamid, "Islamic Political Radicalism in Britain", 2007: p.151
Sadek Hamid quoted one ex-member of HT: HT filled a void for the young intellectually frustrated youth who had been told that Islam is the truth and they must pray and fast by people who couldn't explain why. By HT `proving` that Freedom, Democracy and Capitalism are defective, and that we Muslims are better than those kaffirs, it restored some of the loss of faith in the relevance of the religion.Hamid, "Islamic Political Radicalism in Britain", 2007: p.150
Psychologically, HT provided "the attraction of being part of an elite group, who appeared intellectual", the feeling "of being part of something big" that was "going somewhere".Hamid, "Islamic Political Radicalism in Britain", 2007: p.152 Sadek Hamid describes the "overriding appeal of HT in the 1990s as 'the absence of able alternative Islamic leadership', with other groups with other Islamic groups appearing 'inarticulate, weak or compromising the militant message of Islam.'"Hamid, "Islamic Political Radicalism in Britain", 2007: p.153 HT provided an alternative to "petty local politicking" and a "drift" towards secularism of the Muslim community.
As well as a religio-political focal point, the tight-knit HT community provided friendships, mutual support, and marriage partners. More superficially, Sadek Hamid notes "many young people were attracted to HT entirely due to their slick appearance," the members "distinct .. almost uniform-like appearance"—distinct hijab styles and jilbabs for women and "men in casual jackets and designer-stubble beards".
The party lost membership by its lack of progress towards the creation of a caliphate. The failure of rumored military takeovers by pro-caliphate forces to materialize in Pakistan, or other countries, disillusioned some of the younger members.
Views and criticism As in other countries, HT preaches that working to establish the caliphate is a religious obligation (fard) of Muslims; that America, Britain and the West are waging war against Islam; that democracy is a "system of kufr (unbelief)" that Muslims are "forbidden to adopt, implement or call for"; that patriotism (e.g. loyalty to Britain), assimilation into a non-Muslim society, or voting in democratic elections are also forbidden. The party also seeks the destruction of Israel.BBC Hardtalk's Tim Sebastian interviews Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Imran Waheed| BBC News |20 November 2003
Hizb ut-Tahrir preaches that Muslims in Britain should not think of themselves as Muslim and "British", only Muslim. (HTB pamphlets have declared that is haram (forbidden) for Muslims to vote in the British elections, because Britain is not ruled according to Shariah law and participation in "secular politics" would lead to assimilation in British society.)
In an HT promotional video shown on BBC News an HTB representative declared: I think Muslims in this country need to take a long, hard look at themselves and decide what is their identity. Are they British or are they Muslim? I am a Muslim. Where I live, is irrelevant.
Public campaigns by HT in Britain have included: "Stand for Islam"—created "in response" to alleged "relentless attacks on the Islamic laws, values and beliefs" and in opposition to government counter-terrorism measures and counter-radicalisation programmes,Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.75-7 and SREIslamic—a campaign against elements of the sex and relationship education (SRE) curriculum in primary schools.Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.83-5
In a 2004 interview, HT leader Jalaluddin Patel described the party's work as re-establishing the Khilafah state through "intellectual and political work". In Britain this had "two levels": explaining to the Muslim community their "duty to work for the Khilafah (Caliphate) state", to not lose their Islamic identity living in the West and to project a positive image of Islam in Western society. and articulating to "wider community" of non-Muslims in "numerous conferences, seminars and debates", the cause of the Muslim world, presenting "a case for the Khilafah state as a valid model for the Muslim world" and explaining Islam as a political and intellectual system.
However, critics (Houriya Ahmed and Hannah Stuart of the research group Centre for Social Cohesion) complain that HT Britain is engaged in an effort to "mainstream" its ideology and downplay its more intolerant beliefs with "euphemistic language"Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.7 for the benefit of the non-Muslim majority government and population of the state it operates in.Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.104Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.112-4 Despite this attempt to "soften" its image and represent itself as a "non-violent",Ahmed & Stuart, Hizb Ut-Tahrir, 2009: p.68 "intellectual"