An educational charity which was at the centre of controversy last year has been cleared by the Charity Commission of promoting a militant Islamic ideology.
The charity watchdog investigated the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation – which runs two independent primary schools in Haringey and Slough – following a Sunday Telegraph article in October.
According to the commission, the article raised concerns that the charity was being run by activists from the radical group Hizb-ut-Tahrir and teaching its beliefs in the schools.
But in a report published this week, the commission said that it had found no evidence that any of the trustees were currently members of HUT.
Although the head of one of the schools Farah Ahmed had belonged to HUT, she had confirmed she had “not been a member of Hizb-ut-Tahrir for a few years and does not agree with all Hizb-ut-Tahrir’s views as a political organisation”, the report stated.
Yusra Hamilton, who is married to HUT media spokesman Taji Mustafa, resigned as a trustee in November last year – although she remains a volunteer at the charity.
The commission noted that Haringey Council had resumed funding to one of the schools which had been temporarily suspended last year. The Department for Children Schools and Families had “no current concerns” about the schools.
But the commission advised the charity what measures it should take to ensure that it “distances itself from Hizb-ut-Tahrir and its beliefs”.
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