Cambridge University appointed academic who backed 'terrorist' group Hizb ut-Tahrir

Farah Ahmed is currently an Assistant Research Professor at Cambridge University's Faculty of Education, according to the university's official staff profile.

Her research interests include Islamic education, educational dialogue, identity and personhood.

The controversy centres on a chapter Ahmed wrote for Education and Identity, a pamphlet associated with Hizb ut-Tahrir that was originally published in 2002 and republished in 2017, according to reporting by The Times and material reviewed by The Spectator.

The British government proscribed Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organisation in January 2024.

The Home Office said the group had been added to the UK's list of proscribed organisations, making membership and inviting support for it criminal offences.

Criticism of Western education

In the chapter, Ahmed reportedly argued that British Muslims should regard Western education as a threat to their religious beliefs and values.

She criticised what she described as schools' efforts to integrate Muslim children, arguing that such approaches could expose them to ideas she believed conflicted with Islam.

Ahmed also criticised aspects of the British national curriculum, describing it as a form of “systematic indoctrination” intended to produce “model British citizens”.

She argued that such an educational system was incompatible with the belief system of Muslim students.

The writings also questioned the teaching of subjects and ideas that, according to Ahmed's argument at the time, could conflict with Islamic beliefs.

These included science, literature and social values taught within mainstream British education.

Democracy described as a 'corrupt tradition'

The chapter also contained criticism of democracy.

Ahmed described democracy as a “corrupt tradition”, according to the reports, while objecting to the way British schools presented democratic principles and social values to pupils.

She further criticised schools for teaching that practices including child marriage and polygamy were wrong, and for presenting Islam alongside other religions within a broader framework of religious education.

The remarks have drawn renewed attention because of Ahmed's current academic position at Cambridge, where she works on education and Islamic educational thought.

Ahmed later distanced herself from Hizb ut-Tahrir

Ahmed has previously said that she was no longer a member of Hizb ut-Tahrir.

According to The Times, she told the Charity Commission in 2010 that she had previously been a member but had not been involved with the organisation for several years. She also said she did not agree with all of its views as a political organisation.

Her comments came during a Charity Commission investigation into the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation, an organisation involved in running Islamic schools.

The regulator subsequently found that the charity no longer had links with Hizb ut-Tahrir, according to the report.

Ahmed's subsequent academic work has continued to focus on Islamic education.

Cambridge's official profile says her research examines the intersection of Islamic educational philosophies, dialogue, identity and classroom practice.

She has also published academic research on education for Muslim children in Britain.

A 2012 paper co-authored by Ahmed examined culturally coherent approaches to education for Muslim children and discussed Islamic educational frameworks as a response to dominant secular culture.

Cambridge cites academic freedom

Responding to questions about Ahmed's appointment and the resurfaced writings, a spokesperson for Cambridge's Faculty of Education defended the institution's commitment to academic freedom.

“The faculty is committed to academic freedom and freedom of speech within the law,” the spokesperson said.

The faculty added that members of its community are encouraged to exercise their rights to freedom of speech, including by challenging ideas and theories they disagree with through scholarship and robust debate.

Ahmed remains listed by Cambridge as an Assistant Research Professor at its Faculty of Education.

The university's current profile also lists her research interests as including Islamic education, educational dialogue, personhood and character education.

Hizb ut-Tahrir's status in Britain

The British government proscribed Hizb ut-Tahrir on January 19, 2024, following parliamentary approval of the relevant order.

The Home Office said the organisation had been proscribed because it was assessed to be concerned in terrorism and to promote and encourage terrorism.

The government's stated basis included the group's response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

The government's current description says Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international Sunni Islamist political organisation whose stated long-term objective is to establish a caliphate governed under Islamic law.