Muzammal Hussain

Introduction

Muzammal was born in Pakistan and moved to England with his family when he was two years old. In his teens Muzammal learnt a simple form of meditation, a discipline which helped him look on the world in a new way and also gave him a sense of feeling closer to something that was greater than himself, which Muzammal feels has also benefited his journey within Islam. Muzammal went on to study Medicine and Psychiatry at the Royal Free Medical School in London. Now a junior psychiatrist, Muzammal has found his organisational skills developed studying medicine, and his understanding of the human mind has greatly aided him in setting up and successfully running the London Islamic Network for the Environment (LINE).  LINE is the UK’s first local environmental organisation based on Islamic teachings. Muzammal’s work with LINE is described below.

Categories

• Sustainable communities
• Campaigning
• Recycling
• Climate change

Campaign aim

To create a forum which enables like-minded, environmentally aware people to share ideas and maximise their potential to protect their environment.

Key messages

• Climate change is an issue that affects everyone and is relevant to Islamic teachings.
• From an Islamic perspective experiencing nature first-hand brings one closer to God.
• Many faiths share a stewardship of creation message.

Communication channels used

• LINEnotices  – e-list for users to exchange ideas and information.
• Monthly discussion forums open to all
• Networking within mainstream environmental and Islamic networks.

Profile of target audience

LINE is an organisation available to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Its message is inclusive and Muzammal believes that a mixture of backgrounds and faiths helps to increase the productivity of the network.

Motivators and barriers identified

Motivators:  

• Encouragement - If there is momentum to a campaign people become excited and engaged.
• Empowerment - If there are tangible results from a campaign people become excited and engaged.
  Awareness - People are excited by new, innovative ideas
• Empathy - If people can experience hands-on activities as provided, for example, by LINE’s farm visits, they will develop a greater understanding of the environment that they are protecting.

Barriers: 

• Accessibility - People have limited time available, especially in London.
• Attitudes - Campaigners can become disheartened and need to learn that persistence is crucial for an effective campaign.
• Attitudes - People often feel satisfied having implemented a single small change and need to understand that whilst they must congratulate themselves, more is required to really make a difference.
• Attitudes - People are often overwhelmed by the scale of issues and feel that they or their campaign group are too insignificant to effect substantial change.

Outputs and Activities

• LINEnotices e-list
• Monthly discussion forums and workshops
• Staging Climate Change demonstrations and attending marches
• Letter writing campaigns
• Social and educational outings to reconnect people with the environment
• The LINE website  which informs people on relevant campaigns and events, publicises the work of other groups, and provides advice on how to set up local campaign groups.

Key results and outcomes

• Sharing of information and ideas through well attended local meetings
• 250-strong membership (as of March 2007) of the LINEnotices e-list
• High profile activities, such as the “Snorkel Muslims Stunt” highlighting Climate Change at the start of Islam Awareness Week. The following year’s Week showed environmental issues are top of the agenda.
• Social and Educational outings have enthused participants to the extent that several have now become keen gardeners
• As the UK’s first local environmental organisation based on Islamic teachings LINE has inspired the formation of groups in other cities, such as WELCOME (Wales Environmental Link Creating Opportunities for Muslim Engagement), and ShINE (Sheffield Islamic Network for the Environment).

Communicating Replicability aspects: successes/lessons learned

1. Good facilitation: by providing good facilitation at meetings of campaigners you can ensure that the campaign is kept relevant and within the sphere of what is possible for the group, whilst bringing out the potential that members have.

2. Consistency: Keep hosting vents and meetings even when turn out is low. Be thankful for the attendees you have and in time attendance will grow as the word is spread.

3. Meticulous organisational skills: a well-oiled campaign will be efficient and generate respect for your campaign.

4.  Reconnect people with their environment: By organising social and educational outings in the outdoors you will make environmental issues more relevant to people.