Mohammed Ansar

Mohammed Ansar is a Muslim political and social commentator who is active in inter-faith dialogue.
Mohammed is a public speaker, visiting university lecturer and appears regularly on television and radio. He runs a private consulting practice, is a community organiser and on outspoken civil rights activist. An experienced diversity expert and legal advocate, he is also involved in interfaith and education.
Originally from Watford, in Hertfordshire Mohammed was educated at Watford Boys Grammar School. He is currently a board member of the South East England Faiths Forum (SEEFF), having previously been involved in the development of a number of voluntary and community organisations. Mohammed also works with the Muslim Council of Britain on interfaith and educational matters and was a founder and former chairman of the Hampshire Independent Equality Forum, a leading cross-sectoral UK equalities platform.
Mohammed sits on a number of educational and governance boards in Hampshire, including the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) and Children and Young People Select Committee/ where he is involved in the scrutiny and oversight over the work of a department and budget in excess of £900m. Regularly engaging in interfaith, Mohammed established the first multi-faith chaplaincy at Peter Symonds College, one of the largest sixth form colleges in Britain. He is a visiting lecturer at the University of Winchester and speaks publicly on theology, Islamophobia and Islam in contemporary Britain.
Mohammed’s various public appearances include BBC television’s The Politics Show, The Big Questions presented by Nicky Campbell and Sunday Morning Live (BBC); BBC radio with Thought for the Day, The Voice of God, Faith Dialogues, and the BBC Asian Network’s Nihal Show; he is also a regular contributor to local and commercial radio. Mohammed appeared at the Cambridge Science Festival 2012, with Robin Ince, Dr Evan Harris and Rev Richard Coles on ‘Religion versus Science’.
He is particularly active on Twitter (as [https://twitter.com/MoAnsar @MoAnsar]) and has a popular blog called ‘’.
Debate with Anjem Choudary
On 10th November 2011, British Home Secretary - Theresa May banned the extremist organisation Muslims Against Crusades which was led by militant Islamist spokesperson Anjem Choudary after they planned to repeat their poppy burning demonstration. Membership of Muslims Against Crusades became effectively illegal after midnight on 10th November 2011. The following day on BBC Asian Network’s Nihal Show, Mohammed debated Choudary. During the debate, Mohammed argued that Choudary was extreme in his views, damaged relations between Muslims and non Muslims not only in the UK but in the West and that his behaviour was contrary to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, the Quran and Islam, relying on the following positions from the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad:
"The best of all dealings is the one which is moderate" (from Baihaqi)
"They are the losers, those who make the religion hard and tough. They imperil themselves who enforce tough practices of Islam. They destroy themselves, those who are extremes" (from Ibn Masud in Sahih Muslim)
"Make things easy and convenient and don’t make them harsh and difficult. Give cheer and glad tidings and do not create hatred" (from Riyadh us-Saleheen, Volume 1:637)
Choudary refused or was unable to respond to these points and hung-up part way through the radio debate.
Televised debate with English Defence League (EDL)
In April 2012, Mohammed debated the leader of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson on a panel discussion on BBC television's The Big Questions. He claimed that a link existed between the English Defence League and Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people during the 2011 Norway attacks. He further alleged governmental complacency regarding the activities of the far right, taking particular notice in this regard of Home Secretary Rt Hon Theresa May MP, and James Brokenshire MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Crime and Security.
In response, Tommy Robinson claimed that Mohammed's involvement with the Muslim Council of Britain meant that in turn, he had ties to extremist organisations. This allegation had previously been the subject of legal action and a clear statement by the MCB.
During the televised debate, Mohammed unexpectedly invited Tommy Robinson for a meal to hold further discussions. This was reported to have taken place on April 12, 2012, and is expected to be the subject of a television program itself later in the year, with the details to be announced.
Creeping Sharia Meme
After their televised debate, knock-on exchanges on Twitter between Mohammed Ansar and Tommy Robinson led to the comedic #CreepingSharia Internet meme being generated when Tommy expressed his disgust that the Taj Mahal (which he mistakenly thought was a mosque) was displayed on Twitter's home page. The debacle was reported in the British press.

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