How can Muslims play a positive role in the West?

Panelists share their insights on how Muslims can play a positive and active role in Western societies, focusing on community engagement, shared values, and contributing to the wider social good.

Chair

Lauren Booth: Author and Journalist. Drawing on 20 years in the mainstream, Lauren now delivers media training at university and community level. Her YouTube channel explores Muslim narratives. Her memoir ‘In Search of a Holy Land,’ is now a stage play, premiered at the Edinburgh Festival and Palestine House.

Panelists

Paul Williams: Studied philosophy and theology at the University of London and embraced Islam. Founder and Director of the Blogging Theology Academy and Blogging Theology, he lectures internationally on religion and philosophy. He has been featured in the 2024–2026 editions of The Muslim 500: The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims.

Dr Sohail Hanif: CEO of the National Zakat Foundation and a specialist in Ḥanafī legal theory. He holds an MA and DPhil from the University of Oxford, where his doctoral research focused on early islamic law.

Imam Ashraf Dabous: Imam of Lewisham Islamic Centre with a BA in Usul al-Deen (Islamic University of Madinah), and an MSc in CBT Therpay (Goldsmiths, London), and an MA in Islamic Studies (Pending – Muslim College, Ealing) . He has nearly a decade of experience teaching Arabic, Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Aqeedah, and Hadith studies Hosted at South Woodford Islamic Centre