Inclusive Mosque Halaqa - Belief & Disbelief

As Muslims, can we really condemn people who don’t believe what we believe? What do binary concepts of belief and disbelief do to our spirituality? How can we rethink notions of belief and disbelief so we dismantle systems of supremacy and build more solidarity?

The Qur’an utilises terms like ‘believers’, ‘disbelievers’, ‘hypocrites’ and ‘polytheists’. It draws on the concepts of kufr, shirk and iman among others. But what do these terms and concepts mean to you and how do we mature our understanding of them as we grow in knowledge and life experience? And finally, what function do these terms and concepts have in the lives of Muslims in the UK? Join us for a participatory group discussion taking place in central London and online.

Inclusive Mosque’s interest in this topic comes in part from our work on interfaith and Muslim marriage ceremonies where complex Qur’anic terms are often applied by couples and their families in literal and sometimes narrow ways. We’re often asked if non-Muslim spouses have to convert to Islam to marry a Muslim (no) and if we would conduct a fake conversion ceremony to satisfy family members (definitely not). See our website for more on our interfaith and Muslim marriage ceremonies and please be aware that we are not going to be addressing the ins and outs of interfaith marriage directly at this event but focusing on the concepts and terms related to belief and disbelief instead.

Who is this event for?

• This event is primarily for Muslims and their loved ones whose lives are impacted by the way the Qur’an is interpreted. It won’t be relevant for non-Muslims or Muslims for whom these concepts are merely a thought exercise with no real impact to their lives.
• If you are someone who wants space to consider concepts of belief and disbelief in Islam and you can approach this topic in good faith, with respect for others who disagree with you and with an open heart, you will find this event useful.
• If you are a Muslim whose understanding of Islam needs space to grow and perhaps be challenged, you’ll benefit from this space.
• If you are a journalist or a researcher doing active research or journalism on this topic, we ask that you not attend.
• We aim to prioritise the contributions of Muslim women, nonbinary and genderqueer Muslims, Shia Muslims, Black Muslims and disabled Muslims in this discussion.

Who is the event NOT for?

• If Islam or Muslims are not a part of your life or you are trying to leave these behind, we respect your choices and this is probably not an event that will meet your needs.
• We will not be discussing the notion of apostasy because renouncing one’s faith is not explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an and it deserves its own discussion as it impacts people all over the world. If this is a topic you are interested in, please get in touch and we can gauge if there is enough interest and resources to run an event on this. Email: [email protected]
• We will not be discussing Sharia or its implementation. Again, it’s too big of a topic for this event but if you are interested in this subject, please feel free to let us know so we can gauge the levels of interest.
• We will not be discussing interfaith marriages. If you are a non-Muslim in a relationship with a Muslim or vice versa you are welcome to attend but we are not planning to discuss marriage or conversion for marriage at this event.
• If you are a journalist or a researcher doing active research or journalism on this topic, we ask that you not attend.
• If you want to debate Inclusive Mosque, this event is not for you. We don’t believe that learning and understanding happens through debate and this is a group discussion rather than debate. It’s important that all attendees understand we aren’t trying to convince you of anything, you are entitled to your own beliefs, opinions and practices.
• We ask that everyone who attends this event contributes in good faith with the intention to listen and learn from others as well as contribute your thoughts. For a successful discussion, we all need to arrive with open hearts. If you try to stir hostility here we will ask you to leave.

Accessibility
We haven't confirmed the venue for this event yet but we will be holding this discussion in a wheelchair accessible room in a building with a wheelchair accessible toilet. Gender neutral toilets will be available. We intend to have an area available for anyone who needs quiet space but please be aware that this quiet space may not be a completely private area. For anyone attending online, auto captions will be enabled and you can use the chat function to contribute to the discussion. If you need a free ticket, please feel free to use the promo code 'free1532' when you go to buy tickets. Remember to click 'apply' when you enter the code.

Image description: The Inclusive Mosque halaqa image. A digitial illustration of a person of colour with long hair holding a book surrounded by plants. The text reads Inclusive Halaqa, Reconnecting and Rethinking: Belief and Disbelief. Friday 13th December 2024 6.30-8.30pm online and in-person. As Muslims, can we really condemn people who don’t believe what we believe? What do binary concepts of belief and disbelief do to our spirituality and to opportunities for solidarity? How can we rethink notions of belief and disbelief so we dismantle systems of supremacy? The wheelchair accessible symbol is underneath the text.

Host or Publisher INCLUSIVE MOSQUE INITIATIVE