Glasgow woman becomes first female leader of Muslim Council of Britain
29-year-old Zara Mohammed is also the youngest person ever elected as secretary general
Last updated 1st Feb 2021
A Glasgow woman has become the first female leader of the Muslim Council of Britain.
29-year-old Zara Mohammed is also the youngest person to be given the position of secretary general.
She says she hopes her appointment will help bring a more diverse group to the group.
Zara told Clyde 1 News: “My vision is to create a truly diverse and inclusive organisation that’s led by the needs of British Muslims.
“I’m definitely feeling very humbled at the appointment and also very honoured to be elected the first female leader.
“I hope that it will inspire many young people, especially women, to believe in themselves and feel confident that they can absolutely take on these positions of leadership.”
Zara, a master’s graduate in Human Rights, won the majority of votes against Ajmal Masroor. She says the outpour of support has been overwhelming.
She added: “I believe that young people are the future, and they should definitely be involved now in the decision making and shaping of that landscape.
“This is a great opportunity to inspire and make a difference.”
Zara will succeed current secretary general Harun Khan, who has completed a maximum four years as organisation leader. Members elect a secretary general every two years.
The Muslim Council of Britain is the UK’s largest and most diverse umbrella body of mosques, Islamic schools and Muslim associations.
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