Federation of Student Islamic Societies
Encyclopedia
The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) is a national umbrella organisation aimed at supporting
and representing Islamic societies at colleges and universities
in the United Kingdom
and the Republic of Ireland
. FOSIS
was established in 1963 and is one of the oldest Muslim organisations in the United Kingdom.
. At this meeting, representatives from different Islamic societies agreed to form a national body to look after the interests of Muslim students at universities. Founding members included Islamic societies from the University of Birmingham, University of Bristol
, University of Dublin
, Imperial College (London), University of Leeds
, London Islamic Circle, Muslim Student Society UK, University of Oxford
, School of Oriental and African Studies
(London), Sheffield Islamic Circle, Wolverhampton Malayan Teachers College. At that time, the organisation was named FOISS (Federation of Islamic Student Societies) and it was renamed later that year to its current variation of FOSIS. In the early '60s, FOSIS was the only support group that many Muslims in the UK and Ireland could look to for support and advice.
(also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) on a speaking engagement. Since then, some of the world's most influential Islamic scholars such as Shaykh Ahmed Deedat
, Khurram Murad
and Imam Siraj Wahhaj
have visited FOSIS to address Muslim students. This trend has continued over the years, with FOSIS making speaking engagements at universities part of their regular activities.
The FOSIS Winter Council (also known as the WC for short) has been running since 1966 and is held primarily in the December holidays. It provides a mid-semester review of FOSIS and helps to build a vision for the organisation for the second semester.
(NUS).
The Student Affairs Committee campaigns on domestic issues relating to Muslim students, short-term and long-term, and politically supports Muslim-student welfare issues. The Committee also engages with external organisations and the government, to represent the interests of Muslim students.
, Channel 4 News
, BBC News
and contributed articles for The Guardian
newspaper under the Comment is Free section.
and representing Islamic societies at colleges and universities
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. FOSIS
was established in 1963 and is one of the oldest Muslim organisations in the United Kingdom.
History
FOSIS was formed in July 1963 at a meeting held in the Cadbury Room at the University of BirminghamUniversity of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
. At this meeting, representatives from different Islamic societies agreed to form a national body to look after the interests of Muslim students at universities. Founding members included Islamic societies from the University of Birmingham, University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
, University of Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
, Imperial College (London), University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, London Islamic Circle, Muslim Student Society UK, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
(London), Sheffield Islamic Circle, Wolverhampton Malayan Teachers College. At that time, the organisation was named FOISS (Federation of Islamic Student Societies) and it was renamed later that year to its current variation of FOSIS. In the early '60s, FOSIS was the only support group that many Muslims in the UK and Ireland could look to for support and advice.
Islamic Circles
Over the years, FOSIS have hosted a number of high profile Muslim speakers/scholars. Dating back to the early 1960s, FOSIS were one of the first groups in the UK to host Malcolm XMalcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
(also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) on a speaking engagement. Since then, some of the world's most influential Islamic scholars such as Shaykh Ahmed Deedat
Ahmed Deedat
Ahmed Hussein Deedat was a Muslim writer and public speaker of Indian South African descent. He was best known for his numerous inter-religious public debates with evangelical Christians, as well as pioneering video lectures, most of which centered around Islam, Christianity and the Bible...
, Khurram Murad
Khurram Murad
Khurram Murad or Khurram Jah Murad an Islamic scholar occupies a place of distinction in the intellectual firmament of contemporary Islam. A thinker and a prolific writer, he has been one of the architects of current Islamic resurgence. While his da'wah activities began in Pakistan, he has been...
and Imam Siraj Wahhaj
Siraj Wahhaj
Siraj Wahhaj is an African-American convert to Islam. He is imam of Al-Taqwa mosque in Brooklyn, New York and the leader of The Muslim Alliance in North America .-Early life:...
have visited FOSIS to address Muslim students. This trend has continued over the years, with FOSIS making speaking engagements at universities part of their regular activities.
Annual Conferences/Councils
There are two conferences that are arranged by FOSIS within an academic year. The FOSIS Annual Conference (also known as the FAC for short) is the only annual national conference organised in the UK for Muslim students. It started in 1964 and has been running every year since, normally held during the summer period of the year. Conferences, typically, include lectures by prominent Islamic scholars, entertainment by nasheed artists, a video competition, presentations by different FOSIS committees and much more besides. In 2009, one of the more recent renditions of the FAC, saw over 600 students attend with a variety of different activities on show.The FOSIS Winter Council (also known as the WC for short) has been running since 1966 and is held primarily in the December holidays. It provides a mid-semester review of FOSIS and helps to build a vision for the organisation for the second semester.
Fresher Packs
As part of their welcome to university, 'freshers' students are given packs by FOSIS to help them bed themselves in to their new surroundings. Packs generally include a wall planner (with important Islamic dates inserted on the calendar), a diary, bookmark, prayer mat and much more besides.Islamic Societies
The aim of the Islamic Societies Coordinating Committee (ISCC) is to work with the regional committees to strengthen and support Islamic societies (ISocs). The committee comprises a number of members including the 7 regional committees (Ireland, London, Midlands, North, Scotland, South and Wales) that work directly with the Islamic societies within their regions.Student Affairs
The Student Affairs Committee (SAC) leads and serves political work for Muslim students in a variety of arenas. Locally, this includes empowering Muslim students towards a culture of political participation and grassroots engagement with the bodies that represent them. The Committee strives towards ensuring that Muslims students work with the Students' Union at their Universities and Colleges as well as the National Union of StudentsNational Union of Students
-British Isles:*National Union of Students**National Union of Students-Union of Students in Ireland**National Union of Students Scotland**National Union of Students Wales-Scandinavia:*Danish National Union of Students*National Union of Students in Finland...
(NUS).
The Student Affairs Committee campaigns on domestic issues relating to Muslim students, short-term and long-term, and politically supports Muslim-student welfare issues. The Committee also engages with external organisations and the government, to represent the interests of Muslim students.
Media
As a national body for Muslim students, FOSIS is regularly asked to speak in different media avenues to express the view of Muslim students. The media team is responsible to respond to those requests and lead discussions on a variety of issues affecting Muslim students. Representatives of FOSIS have appeared on the Riz Khan show on Al JazeeraAl Jazeera
Al Jazeera is an independent broadcaster owned by the state of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and headquartered in Doha, Qatar...
, Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News
Channel 4 News is the news division of British television broadcaster Channel 4. It is produced by ITN, and has been in operation since the broadcaster's launch in 1982.-Channel 4 News:...
, BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
and contributed articles for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper under the Comment is Free section.