The Association of British Muslims (AoBM) is the oldest organization of its kind in the UK, established in 1889 as The English Islamic Association by Shayku-l Islam Abdulla Quilliam Bey (William Henry Quilliam), a Liverpool solicitor. Since 2010, under the leadership of Shaykh Paul Salahuddin Armstrong and Mohammed Abbasi, the AoBM has worked with Muslims across the UK to develop the British Muslim community, encourage dialogue, promote education and bring about community cohesion.
AoBM has developed diverse grassroots support of people from all backgrounds working towards a brighter future for Islam, British Muslims, and the United Kingdom.
The Association of British Muslims affirms the equal worth of all human beings, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, creed, sexual orientation or ability.
Managing Director (Amir)
Kyai (Shaykh) Paul Salahuddin Armstrong is a British Muslim leader, multifaith advocate, and public speaker committed to fostering understanding, unity, and positive change in society. As the Managing Director (Amir) of the Association of British Muslims, the UK’s oldest Muslim organization, he leads a diverse and dedicated team representing and supporting the broad spectrum of British Muslim communities.
An alumnus of the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and an Associate of St George’s House, Paul has extensive experience in various fields, including media, diplomacy, multifaith relations, human rights, policy-making, countering extremism, outreach, and third-sector initiatives. He also serves as a Muslim Chaplain at the University of Birmingham, providing spiritual guidance and pastoral care to students and staff.
Born and raised in Redditch, Worcestershire, Paul developed a keen interest in knowledge and exploration from an early age. He pursued a BSc in Ecology at the University of Wolverhampton but discovered his true calling in religious studies and spirituality. In 1998, his personal quest for meaning led him to explore various faith traditions, culminating in his decision to embrace Islam on 1st March 2000. His journey of spiritual discovery introduced him to the teachings of renowned scholars and Sufi masters, shaping his understanding of Islam as a faith of wisdom, compassion, and service.
Paul’s thirst for knowledge led him to study under esteemed scholars and murshids, including Shaykh Sufi Muhammad Abdullah Khan, Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil Al-Haqqani, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, Shaykh Daoud Rosser-Owen, Shaykh Mehmet Adil, Shaykh Muhammad Amin-Evans, Shaykh Manwar Ali, and Shaykh Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. He has also studied classical works by great Islamic scholars such as Imam Malik, Imam Ali, Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Imam Zayn al-Abidin, Shaykh Abdul Qadir al-Jilani, and Imam Ghazali.
His affiliation with the Naqshbandi Sufi Tariqah (Sufi order) and Nahdlatul Ulama reflects Paul's holistic approach to faith, which encourages intellectual inquiry, spiritual reflection, and active engagement in society. In his roles as an imam and murshid, he has served British and international Muslim communities for over 15 years, advocating for a balanced and inclusive approach to Islam.
Beyond leading the Association of British Muslims, Paul is actively involved in numerous community and multifaith initiatives. He has previously worked with Interfaith Wolverhampton and is the founder of the Wulfruna Sufi Association, which is dedicated to fostering spiritual growth and social harmony.
With a passion for education and outreach, Paul regularly contributes to media discussions, academic forums, and policy dialogues on Islam, multifaith relations, counter-extremism, and community development. His work is driven by a vision of a more compassionate and understanding world, where people of all backgrounds can coexist in peace and mutual respect.
Outside of his professional and religious commitments, Paul has a keen interest in science, technology, nature, gardening, and photography. He believes that faith and reason should go hand in hand and that true spirituality inspires both personal growth and meaningful contributions to society. His approach to faith is rooted in the principles of respect, inclusivity, and lifelong learning, recognizing that Islam, like all major religions, is diverse and multifaceted.
Paul’s journey is a testament to the power of curiosity, faith, and service in transforming lives and communities. Whether through his leadership, scholarship, or mentorship, he remains dedicated to building bridges and fostering a more harmonious and enlightened world.
Director of Leadership and Academic Affairs
Professor Joel Hayward is a scholar and author who served in 2023 and 2024 as Chief Executive of the Cambridge Muslim College in the UK. He is now the Dean of the Sycamore Leadership Academy.
The National newspaper called him “eminent” and a “distinguished historian of warfare and military strategy”. Kirkus Reviews said that he “is undeniably one of academia’s most visible Islamic thinkers”. He is considered to be one of “the world’s five hundred most influential Muslims,” with his listing in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 editions of The Muslim 500 noting that “he weaves together classical Islamic knowledge and methodologies and the source-critical Western historical method to make innovative yet carefully reasoned sense of complex historical issues that are still important in today’s world.”
With the title of Shaykh, Hayward has earned ijazat (teaching authorizations) in several Islamic sciences. ‘Aqidah (Islamic theology) and Sirah (the Prophet’s biography) are his main interests.
He has held various academic leadership posts, including Director of the Institute for International and Civil Security at Khalifa University (UAE), Chair of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (also at Khalifa University), Head of Air Power Studies at King’s College London, and Dean of the Royal Air Force College (both UK).
He is the author or editor of eighteen books and major monographs and dozens of peer-reviewed articles, mainly in the fields of strategic studies, the Islamic ethics of war and conflict, the Sirah of the Holy Prophet, and both Islamic and western history. His recent books include Warfare in the Qur’an (2012), War is Deceit: An Analysis of a Contentious Hadith, (2017), Civilian Immunity in Foundational Islamic Strategic Thought (2019), and The Leadership of Muhammad: A Historical Reconstruction (2021). The latter won the prestigious prize of “Best International Non-Fiction Book” at the 2021 Sharjah International Book Awards. His newest book is The Warrior Prophet: Muhammad and War (2022), which has received widespread praise from reviewers. He is now writing The Diplomacy of the Prophet.
Professor Hayward has given strategic advice to political and military leaders in several countries, has given policy advice to prominent sheikhs and was tutor to His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, the heir apparent to the British throne. In 2011, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and in 2012 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. In 2016, he was named as the “Best Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences” at the Middle East Education Leadership Awards. Professor Hayward is also active in the literary arts and has published three books of fiction and four collections of Islamic poetry.
Director of Political Engagement, Media, and Communications
Hifsa Haroon-Iqbal, OBE DL, is a champion of multifaith relations and social cohesion. A retired civil servant, she played a pivotal role in counter-terrorism and community engagement, focusing on safeguarding young people from extremism. She is the National Chair of Nisa-Nashim, a Jewish-Muslim women’s network fostering dialogue and understanding, and serves on Keele University’s Council and as a director of North Staffordshire YMCA.
A respected thought leader, Hifsa has published influential research and contributed thought-provoking articles to major media outlets. Recognized for her dedication, she was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Staffordshire in 2011, awarded an MBE in 2012, and honoured with an OBE in 2022 for her contributions to social cohesion and multifaith relations.
We are an organization of Muslims, but all are welcome to explore Islam. The accuracy and honesty of people's faiths is between them and God and is of no concern either to the State, nor any other individual.
We treat everyone equally regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, creed, sexual orientation or ability. We are committed to working towards creating an inclusive society that provides the same political, social, educational and economic opportunities for all.
We believe that freedom of conscience is a basic right and integral to the Qur’anic view of humanity (Holy Qur’an 2:256). We believe that the independence of government from religious interference and conversely the protection of religious institutions from being politicized, is the only way to achieve the Islamic ideal of freedom from compulsion in matters of faith. Essentially, we believe in the rule of law, implemented in a just, benevolent, equitable and fair manner.
We support freedom of expression and the freedom to dissent whether that be on political, artistic, social or religious grounds, even if it’s considered to be offensive or blasphemous. Nobody should be prosecuted, imprisoned or detained for voicing unpopular views apart from if they incite hate.
We are endowed with reason and conscience and should always behave towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood. We fully endorse and uphold the civil and human rights of everyone, regardless of race, colour, sex, sexuality, language, religion, political belief, birth, origin or any other status.
We support equality for women and their self-determination in every aspect of their lives and believe they should be empowered to participate in society at every level.
We are committed to protect everyone’s private and family life from interference from the state, corporations or anyone else. What happens in private is no one else’s business.
We encourage critical engagement with Islamic scripture, traditional jurisprudence and current Muslim discourse. Our belief is that critical thinking is essential to spiritual development and we promote interpretations that reflect basic Qur’anic principles of tolerance, inclusiveness, compassion and fairness.
We affirm that justice and compassion should be the guiding principles for everything we do. We renounce militarism and violence in all its forms and on every level.
We embrace religious diversity, and encourage people to embrace social justice and believe that one’s religion is not the exclusive source of truth. To that end we engage with a wide range of philosophical and spiritual traditions in pursuit of a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.
1889: Shaykhu-I Islam of the British Isles. HE Shaykh Abdullah Quilliam Bey (born William Henry Quilliam in 1857) founds the English Islamic Association.
1914: After spending some years in the Ottoman Empire, Quilliam returns to England and renames his organization the British Muslim Society, based at the Shah Jehan Mosque in Woking.
1924: The group undergoes another name change. It is renamed as the Western Islamic Association.
1927: The Association relocated to Notting Hill in London, and Friday prayers were often led by Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall, who famously translated the Qur’an into English.
Late 40s: Following the death of Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the Association lay dormant for many years.
1975: Rashid Craig, Daud Relf and Daoud Rosser-Owen re-establish the organization as the Association of British Muslims with Rosser-Owen as Amir.
1978: On the advice from Yusuf Islam and others the organization becomes The Association For British Muslims with Hajji Abdur Rasijd Skinner as Amir and Abdullah Ibrahim, rahmatu-Llahi’alayh as secretary.
2010 – Present day: Shaykh Paul Salahuddin Armstrong and Mohammed Abbasi come on board to grow and develop the AoBM and see its popularity and influence increase within the British Muslim community and beyond.