Charity Commission clears Islamic charity that runs schools of having links to Hizb-ut-Tahrir

An Islamic charity that runs two schools is not linked to Hizb-ut-Tahrir, a Charity Commission investigation has found.

The commission investigated after the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation, which runs schools in Slough and Haringey had concerns raised about it by the Sunday Telegraph in October 2009.

Claims had been made that the charity was run by senior members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, and that key elements of the organisation’s ideology were taught at the schools.

The commission noted that Hizb ut-Tahrir “is not a proscribed organisation nor is it designated, under UK terrorism legislation” but it investigated “given the serious nature of the issues being raised”.

It said it “could not establish any further evidence to support the concerns that any of the trustees are current members of Hizb ut-Tahrir”, although Farah Ahmed, head teacher of one of the schools, confirmed she had previously been a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir.

“The charity should consider the wider implications of trustees being members of political organisations,” the commission advised.

“This was important to prevent negative inferences from being drawn by the public and the consequence this could have on the charity and its reputation.”

Educational charities “cannot promote a particular political or any partial point of view”, it said.

But the commission said it was acceptable for a charity to advance “education within a religious ethos”.