Hackney mosque sermons on disciplining wives prompt Charity Commission compliance case

The National Secular Society (NSS) has reported the Hackney Islamic Community Centre, a London mosque with charitable status, to the Charity Commission over sermons published on its YouTube channel. 1 2 In one lecture, teacher Yasin Munye, reading from the poem Manthumatu al-Kaba'ir on major sins, said husbands should advise a disobedient wife, boycott her in bed and "discipline them physically as well, by lightly hitting them to show them who is in charge". 1 2 The same lecture called gay sex "one of the most evil acts" and a crime punishable by execution under Sharia, and in another video Munye praised Saudi Arabia for executing people accused of witchcraft. 1 2

The Daily Mail also reports that another scholar, Abu Sa'ad Muhammad Al-Iraqi, said women should serve husbands who mistreat them and called it unfortunate that women call the police if struck. 1 The charity paid no tax on £191,097 of income in the year to March 2025, almost £155,000 of it from donations, and re-registered as a charitable incorporated organisation in April. 1 2 Megan Manson, the NSS head of campaigns, called the re-registration "alarming" and said the charitable purpose of advancing religion "must be urgently reviewed". 2 1

The Charity Commission said it has opened a regulatory compliance case to assess the concerns, which will determine next steps, and will decide whether to open a statutory inquiry. 1 2 Both outlets note that earlier this year the Commission did not censure Hatch End Islamic Centre preacher Ahmed Shah over a sermon calling it "mandatory" for women to serve their husbands, offering "advice and guidance" instead. 1 2 The mosque had been approached for comment by both outlets; neither reports a response. 1 2