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The Muslim Educational Trust

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The Muslim Educational Trust (MET) is a charitable, non-profit organization dedicated to the educational, social, and spiritual development of the Muslim community. It serves as a platform to promote understanding of Islam, provide educational resources, and support the academic advancement of Muslim students. MET operates in several countries, with notable branches in the United Kingdom, India, and the United States, each focusing on the needs of their respective communities (Muslim Educational Trust, n.d.; Charity Commission, 2024).

Establishment and Founders

United Kingdom

The Muslim Educational Trust in the UK was established in 1966 to address the educational needs of Muslim children and their families. It was founded by a group of dedicated community leaders, including Prof. Ghulam Sarwar, Ibrahim Hewitt, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), and Afzal Rahman. The Trust played a pioneering role in introducing Islamic religious lessons in schools and supporting the creation of private Islamic schools across the UK (Wikipedia, 2025).

India

In India, the Muslim Education Trust was founded in 1989 by Dr. Akbar Ali Khan Alig. The Trust focuses on supporting Muslim students in higher education and aims to produce professionals across various fields through scholarships and academic guidance (Muslim Education Trust, n.d.).

United States (Oregon)

The Muslim Educational Trust in Oregon was founded in 1993 by a diverse group of Muslims from the greater Portland area. Its establishment was motivated by the need to educate both Muslims and non-Muslims about Islam and to foster understanding and bridge-building within the community (Pluralism Project, n.d.).

Mission and Vision

Mission

The core mission of MET is to provide high-quality, holistic education that integrates academic excellence with moral and ethical development. MET aims to serve the Muslim community’s educational, social, and spiritual needs while promoting inclusivity, interfaith dialogue, and community service (Muslim Educational Trust, n.d.; Pluralism Project, n.d.).

Vision

MET envisions a society where Muslims are empowered through education, actively contribute to community development, and foster mutual understanding among diverse groups. It aspires to develop generations of proud, committed Muslims who lead in dialogue, service, and stewardship (Muslim Educational Trust, n.d.).

Goals and Objectives

  • Advance education, science, technology, and management, with a focus on higher education for minorities (Muslim Education Trust, n.d.).
  • Provide scholarships and financial assistance to deserving students for undergraduate, postgraduate, and research studies.
  • Organize coaching, remedial classes, and special education centers, especially for students from minority communities.
  • Promote interfaith dialogue and understanding through public lectures, community events, and partnerships.
  • Support the establishment and operation of Islamic schools and educational programs.
  • Publish educational materials and resources to foster a better understanding of Islam in society (Charity Commission, 2024; Pluralism Project, n.d.).

History

The Muslim Educational Trust (MET) was established in 1966 in the United Kingdom to meet the educational needs of Muslim children and families. It began by providing Islamic religious lessons as alternatives to Christian religious education in schools, initially in Newham and later expanding to other boroughs. By the 1970s, about 20 volunteers taught these classes. In 1974, MET supported the founding of private Islamic schools, and by 1992, 23 schools had been established with its help. Founders included community leaders such as Ibrahim Hewitt, Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens), Afzal Rahman, and Prof. Ghulam Sarwar (Wikipedia, 2025).

In the United States, the Muslim Educational Trust was founded in 1993 in Oregon by a diverse group of Muslims in the Portland area to educate both Muslims and non-Muslims about Islam and promote understanding, particularly in response to negative stereotypes after the Gulf War (Pluralism Project, n.d.).

In India, the Muslim Education Trust was founded in 1989 by Dr. Akbar Ali Khan Alig to provide scholarships and academic support to Muslim students in higher education (Muslim Education Trust, n.d.).

Location

The main locations of MET include:

  • United Kingdom: 130 Stroud Green Road, London, N4 3RZ (Wikipedia, 2025).
  • United States (Oregon): 10330 SW Scholls Ferry Road, Tigard, OR 97223 (Pluralism Project, n.d.).
  • India: E-3, Abul Fazl Enclave, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi-110025 (Muslim Education Trust, n.d.).

Financial Sponsors

Financially, MET UK relies mainly on donations and sales of educational materials, reporting an income of £64,580 and expenditures of £73,530 in the year ending April 2024. It does not pay its trustees and has no trading subsidiaries (Charity Commission, 2024). In Oregon, funding comes from tuition fees covering about 80% of costs and community donations covering the rest (Pluralism Project, n.d.). The Indian branch funds scholarships through charitable contributions (Muslim Education Trust, n.d.).

Website and Contact Information

The country, address, phone, email and website of the Trust are as follows:

These details provide a comprehensive understanding of MET’s history, locations, financial backing, and contact information (Wikipedia, 2025; Charity Commission, 2024; Pluralism Project, n.d.; Muslim Education Trust, n.d.).

Key Fields of Concentration (Research)

While MET itself is primarily an educational charity rather than a research institution, its work aligns with broader research themes in Muslim education such as curriculum development, pedagogy, citizenship education, and identity formation in Muslim schools. Research in this area explores how Islamic education shapes citizenship attitudes and the integration of Islamic values within secular education systems (SciSpace, n.d.; Brunel University, 2024). Additionally, research networks like the Warwick Islamic Education Research Network and the UCL Centre for the Study of Education in Muslim Contexts contribute to advancing knowledge on Muslim education, pedagogy, and interfaith understanding, which complements MET’s mission (UCL, 2020; Warwick, 2022).

Activities and Contributions

MET’s activities include:

  • Providing Islamic religious education classes in schools and communities.
  • Supporting the establishment and operation of Islamic private schools.
  • Publishing educational materials to promote Islamic knowledge and understanding.
  • Promoting interfaith dialogue and social cohesion within British society (Charity Commission, 2024).
  • Engaging with community outreach and educational empowerment initiatives that address the needs of Muslim pupils (Charity Commission, 2024; Warwick, 2022).

These contributions help Muslim students maintain their religious identity while engaging productively in wider society, addressing challenges such as citizenship education and cultural integration (SciSpace, n.d.).

Publishing / Significant Reports

MET publishes educational books on Islam in English aimed at both Muslim and non-Muslim audiences to foster understanding and knowledge (Charity Commission, 2024). Although specific titles are not detailed in the available data, the Trust’s publications are part of its broader educational mission.

Complementary to MET’s work, academic and institutional research centers produce significant reports and studies on Muslim education, including:

  • Studies on citizenship education in Muslim schools (SciSpace, n.d.).
  • Research on the pedagogical approaches in Islamic private schools in the UK, exploring curriculum, identity, and social integration (Brunel University, 2024).
  • Reports and initiatives from the UCL Centre for the Study of Education in Muslim Contexts and the Warwick Islamic Education Research Network, which publish findings on pedagogy, interfaith understanding, and educational challenges faced by Muslim students (UCL, 2020; Warwick, 2022).

Impacts

The impact of MET and related research initiatives is evident in:

  • The increased availability of Islamic education resources for Muslim children and communities in the UK.
  • The growth of Islamic private schools that balance religious and secular education.
  • Enhanced public understanding of Islam through educational outreach and publications.
  • Contributions to policy discussions and educational practices concerning Muslim pupils’ needs, identity, and citizenship education (Charity Commission, 2024; SciSpace, n.d.; Warwick, 2022).

By supporting education and dialogue, MET helps foster social cohesion and empowers Muslim communities to participate fully in wider society while preserving their religious identity.

prominent research and community figures

The Muslim Educational Trust (MET) has been shaped and led by several prominent research and community figures who have contributed significantly to its mission and outreach. Among the key figures is Prof. Ghulam Sarwar, who serves as the Chairman of MET UK and authored the influential book British Muslims and Schools (1991), advocating for the establishment and public funding of Islamic schools in the UK (Wikipedia, 2025). In the United States, Mr. Wajdi Said, a co-founder and current Executive Director of MET Oregon, has been instrumental in promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding of Islam through his involvement in numerous interfaith committees and community initiatives since 1988 (Muslim Educational Trust, 2017).

Relations to the Islamic World

MET maintains connections with the broader Islamic world primarily through its educational and community development initiatives. While the Trust is based in Western countries like the UK and the US, it serves Muslim diaspora communities by promoting Islamic education that aligns with mainstream Sunni traditions. Its founders and leaders often engage with Islamic scholarship and networks to ensure that educational materials and programs are authentic and relevant. The Trust’s work supports the preservation of Islamic identity among Muslim youth in non-Muslim majority contexts, fostering a connection to Islamic heritage and values (Wikipedia, 2025).

Partnerships

MET operates through collaborations and partnerships with various organizations to further its educational and social objectives. In the US, MET Oregon has partnered with interfaith groups such as the Interfaith Council of Greater Portland and the Arab, Jewish, Muslim Dialogue, which were co-founded by Mr. Wajdi Said to promote mutual understanding and cooperation among different faith communities (Muslim Educational Trust, 2017). These partnerships enhance MET’s outreach and impact, enabling it to address social cohesion and community service alongside education.

In the UK, MET’s support for Islamic private schools has involved working with local education authorities and community organizations to integrate Islamic religious lessons within the public education framework, reflecting a collaborative approach to minority education (Wikipedia, 2025).

Critique of its work or hidden objectives

There is no direct publicly available evidence or well-documented critique specifically from Iran’s official or scholarly perspective addressing the work or alleged hidden objectives of the Muslim Educational Trust (MET) as an organization. However, understanding Iran’s broader stance on education and ideological control provides some context to infer potential critical viewpoints.

Iran’s education system is heavily influenced by a theocratic Shi’a Islamic ideology, which is systematically embedded in its textbooks and curricula. This system promotes a particular interpretation of Shi’a Islam as the foundation of the political order and often fosters intolerance toward non-Muslims and minority groups, as well as gender discrimination (Refworld, 2008). Iran’s educational policies emphasize religious indoctrination aligned with the Islamic Republic’s political ideology, and the state has been criticized for using education as a tool to enforce ideological conformity and suppress dissent (IranIntl, 2023; Atheist Alliance, 2021).

From this perspective, MET’s promotion of Sunni Islamic education and its work within Western secular contexts might be viewed critically by Iranian hardliners or ideologues. MET’s focus on Islamic education that encourages integration within pluralistic societies, interfaith dialogue, and religious understanding contrasts sharply with Iran’s more rigid, state-controlled, and sectarian educational approach. MET’s activities could be perceived as promoting a form of Islam that is independent of or even opposed to the Iranian regime’s ideological goals, particularly given MET’s emphasis on inclusivity and community empowerment in non-Muslim majority countries (Wikipedia, 2025; Charity Commission, 2024).

Moreover, Iran’s education system has been criticized for its politicization, ideological control, and lack of educational justice, with reports highlighting how education is used to advance the regime’s political agenda rather than purely educational goals (IranIntl, 2023). In this light, MET’s work might be seen as a challenge or alternative to Iran’s state-driven religious education model, potentially regarded by Iranian authorities as promoting competing Islamic narratives or “hidden objectives” that do not align with Tehran’s vision.

In summary, while no explicit Iranian critique of MET is documented, the ideological and political nature of Iran’s education system suggests that MET’s independent, pluralistic, and Western-based Islamic educational efforts could be viewed with suspicion or disapproval by Iranian hardliners, who prioritize a Shi’a-centric, state-controlled educational agenda (Refworld, 2008; IranIntl, 2023; Atheist Alliance, 2021).

References

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