It is my pleasure to introduce this month’s newsletter as we go through one of the most active and impactful periods in the BIMA calendar.
Last weekend, over 500 volunteers came together to deliver our flagship Lifesavers events in more than 100 masjids across the UK. We also saw Lifesavers events happen in 21+ countries worldwide. This is a phenomenal achievement and a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when our healthcare professionals unite with purpose and passion. If you're interested in hosting or delivering more of our community health presentations, our Mindsavers and Cancer Awareness workshops are ready to be delivered. Please see further information and sign up below.
Our advocacy team held an extended and constructive meeting with Rt Hon Wes Streeting last month. Discussions focussed on critical issues including Islamophobia, assisted dying, NHS dress codes affecting Muslim women’s career progression, and the silencing of healthcare professionals speaking out on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We pray that these conversations pave the way for meaningful policy change across these vital areas.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to host the inaugural British Muslim Health Awards this December - a landmark event to celebrate the outstanding contributions of colleagues across our community. We hope to see you all there for what promises to be an inspiring evening of recognition and unity.
We make dua for all those suffering around the world. Please keep them and the whole ummah in your duas.
Keep reading for more updates below!
Warm regards, Safwaan Hafez BIMA Council – Community Division Director
Upcoming Events
British Muslim Health Awards
The inaugural British Muslim Health Awards are coming this December - and our panel of judges has now been revealed! Leaders from across healthcare, policy, and community service will help us celebrate excellence in healthcare.
Tickets are now live, with discounts for BIMA members, students, and tables of 10. Join us on Saturday 13 December in Birmingham for an unforgettable evening!
Are you a final-year student in medicine, nursing, midwifery or optometry? BIMA is running free online webinars this October to help you succeed in your career pathway.
✔️ Optometry – Career insights, further training guidance & Q&A (Wed 22 Oct, 6:30–7:45pm) ✔️ Medicine – Specialty-focused breakout sessions & MSRA tips (Wed 8 Oct, 7–9pm & Sat 11 Oct, 10am–12pm)
📍 Online via Zoom | 👉 Register now to secure your place!
Mindsavers is a two-hour workshop designed by mental health experts, scholars, and people with lived experience to help Muslims understand and care for their mental health.
Delivered by BIMA health professionals, it blends Islamic principles with modern approaches to raise awareness, recognise signs of poor mental health, and learn practical frameworks for self-care and supporting others. With small group exercises, wellbeing techniques, and space for Q&A, Mindsavers offers an accessible and faith-sensitive approach to mental health.
Our Cancer Awareness Talks will return this October, inshaAllah.
This year’s campaign will focus on raising awareness of the most common cancers diagnosed in the UK, alongside practical guidance on national screening tools available to support early detection and timely intervention.
Stay tuned for dates and details, and please share widely to benefit our community.
President's Blog
It’s only been a month in the virtual offices of BIMA, but it always feels much longer. Much has happened in such a short space of time. In the last few weeks, our communities are carrying a heightened sense of apprehension and fear, brought on by racist, Islamophobic, and anti-immigrant marches and hate filled speeches on our streets. And yet, despite this climate, Muslims up and down the country continue to care for the young, the elderly, the vulnerable, and the ill, quietly living out the very values our faith calls us to.
This weekend was a powerful reminder of that. In over 120 mosques, we delivered lifesaving training as part of our Lifesavers campaign, while the MCB supported Open My Mosque to welcome neighbours, friends and strangers inside. Together, these moments showed what it means to lead through service, to open our doors, and to build bridges.
Last week I had the privilege of attending a private dinner with CEOs, founders, and organisational leaders, where we shared personal stories of how faith has shaped our purpose and the impact we hope to leave behind. It took me back to a memory as a medical student, sitting in a meeting of orthopaedic trainees. Among a room of white men, there was a young woman in traditional Pakistani dress and hijab. She was at ease, confident, fully embodying every aspect of her identity with pride. Watching her, I knew I wanted to be like her, someone who made other Muslim women feel that they belonged, that the space was theirs to occupy fully and rightfully. That is exactly what we are striving for at BIMA. We want every Muslim healthcare professional to feel at home in their identity, to know that they belong in every room they step into, and to claim the space that has always been theirs.
September at a Glance
Mosques Across the Country Hold BIMA Lifesavers
BIMA organised one of the largest CPR public awareness courses in the country on 27th September, for the 13th consecutive year.
Over 500 volunteers and 120 mosques nationally, and 21 countries internationally – one powerful mission: to save lives.
From New Zealand to Canada, including the blessed land of Palestine, our Lifesavers family showed what unity and action can achieve.
Thank you to every single volunteer – see you in 2026, bigger and stronger, insha’Allah.
BIMA Installs Lifesaving Defibrillators in Mosques Across the UK
The British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) has partnered with Islamic Relief UK, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to install lifesaving defibrillators in 57 mosques nationwide. BIMA also helped identify areas of highest cardiovascular risk and facilitated applications for funding.
Beyond installations, BIMA has trained over 300 mosque staff and volunteers in defibrillator use and bystander CPR.
BIMA Raises Community Concerns with Health Secretary Rt Hon Wes Streeting
BIMA’s advocacy team met with the Rt Hon Wes Streeting at the Department of Health and Social Care to raise urgent concerns on behalf of our members and the wider community.
Key issues discussed included Islamophobia in the NHS, assisted dying, the silencing of healthcare workers speaking out against the genocide in Gaza, vexatious complaints against colleagues, attacks on healthcare staff and infrastructure in Palestine, and uniform policies that affect Muslim women’s career choices and expressions of solidarity.
Flu season is here and in preparation we have made our flu resources available in a range of languages, to help our communities make informed decisions about flu vaccinations.
BIMA’s flu resources are designed to help the Muslim community understand why the flu vaccine matters and how to access it.
🌍 Available in: 🇬🇧 English | 🇸🇦 Arabic | 🇵🇰 Urdu | 🇸🇴 Somali | 🇮🇳 Punjabi | 🇧🇩 Bengali
Write to the Lords on the Terminally Ill Adults Bill
BIMA remains deeply concerned about the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, now progressing through the House of Lords. We believe this Bill poses serious risks to the most vulnerable and urge healthcare professionals to add their voices in opposition. Patients deserve compassion and greater support at the end of life - not the dangers this Bill could bring.
BIMA Survey Findings Published in Medicine, Conflict and Survival
BIMA’s latest survey has been published in the international journal Medicine, Conflict and Survival. The study highlights the impact of the genocide in Gaza on Muslim healthcare professionals, including censorship, moral injury, and Islamophobia. These pressures are affecting every aspect of their work and lives.
Healthcare workers must be free to stand for human rights and speak out against injustice. We all have a role to play in challenging this climate of censorship.
On 17th September 2025, Dr Salman Waqar represented BIMA at the GMC Race Equality Meeting. BIMA raised concerns about a hierarchy of discrimination amid rising racism and Islamophobia and urged the GMC to clarify the line between acceptable and hateful speech.
We also called for greater transparency around Interim Orders Tribunal (IOT) and Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) data, including reasons for sanctions and complaints. The GMC will consider these points, and BIMA will continue discussions on updating guidance around personal beliefs.
BIMA Joins Call to Protect Compassionate Medical Fitness Investigations
BIMA stands with 31 other leading health organisations in calling the Health Minister to retain the medical regulator's ability to investigate fitness to practice arising from existing health concerns under a compassionate route.
In such cases, health concerns can be acknowledged without pejorative terminology and hearings held in private, focusing on both recovery and patient safety. The new rules would only allow for performance or misconduct concerns to take place, risking significant harm to highly vulnerable doctors facing difficult investigations.
Exclusive BIMA Member Discounts on iSyllabus Courses
BIMA is committed to supporting your Islamic learning. As a member benefit, we are curating discounts with a diverse range of the UKs leading seminaries.
iSyllabus 1 Year Diploma Online Course 2025/25 Start Date: Tuesday 30th Sept 2025 Interactive lessons each week on Tuesdays 7pm - 9pm
Become a paying member today to help BIMA continue to do amazing work and become eligible for special discounts.
Join BIMA Whatsapp groups
There are 40+ BIMA professional and regional WhatsApp groups that you can benefit from. These groups are a chance to network and discuss topical issues with colleagues in your professional area(s) and/or region.
BIMA's work is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsor and partners. Here's a message from a few of our generous sponsors - Heidi AI, Wahed Invest and OFFA.
Our AI scribe technology is already making a difference by automatically generating accurate medical documentation during consultations, allowing doctors to maintain full eye contact and engagement with patients while saving them up to 2 hours a day.
We're particularly hopeful that AI scribing technology can contribute toward reducing health inequalities through improvements in information quality and accessibility. When documentation is more accurate and comprehensive across all healthcare settings, it creates better continuity of care and more equitable health outcomes for all patients.
If you would like to learn more, please connect with us via our website heidihealth.com & if you are part of a GP practice, there is currently a special offer running where you can access the full functionality of Heidi for free for the next 3 months, so it's definitely worth trying. You can sign up to this here.
At Wahed, our mission is to provide our clients with Riba-free financial alternatives that allow them to reach financial freedom without compromising their values.
Our goal is to democratize Shar’iah compliant investment options that are accessible to the community regardless of financial background or investment experience. Join us as we create a more equitable and just financial system that benefits everyone.
Offa is the UK’s leading Islamic home finance provider, and the first to offer Sharia-compliant bridge finance in the country. Their mission is to empower Muslims to achieve financial security and growth while staying true to their faith.
From helping families buy their first home to supporting investors build halal passive income through real estate, Offa offers a range of tailored solutions designed to create long-term, sustainable wealth in line with Islamic principles.
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