Presented by Zia H Shah MD

Conversion to Islam is not only a spiritual journey but also a catalyst for service and leadership. In the United Kingdom, numerous high-profile converts are actively strengthening the Muslim community and society at large. These individuals work across education, interfaith dialogue, media, civil rights advocacy, and public discourse – all while exemplifying Islamic values and championing human rights. Below, we profile some of the most prominent living British converts to Islam, outlining their biographies and the ways they contribute to the progress of Islam and the well-being of Muslims in the UK.

Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) – Singer & Philanthropist

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org Yusuf Islam, born Steven Demetre Georgiou in 1948 and famously known as Cat Stevens, is one of the most well-known converts to Islam. He embraced Islam in December 1977 at the height of a successful music career en.wikipedia.org. After converting, Yusuf left the pop music scene in 1979 and devoted himself to educational and charitable causes for the Muslim community en.wikipedia.org. In 1983, he founded the Islamia Primary School in London, which later became one of the first state-funded Muslim schools in Britain en.wikipedia.org. He also established several Muslim secondary schools and in 1992 set up the Association of Muslim Schools (AMS-UK) to unite and support Islamic schools across the UK en.wikipedia.org. Yusuf’s philanthropic reach is global: he founded the Small Kindness charity to deliver aid, initially to famine victims in Africa, and later to thousands of orphans and families in conflict zones like the Balkans, Indonesia, and Iraq en.wikipedia.org. He even served as chairman of the international charity Muslim Aid (1985–1993) en.wikipedia.org, reflecting his commitment to humanitarian work.

Beyond institution-building, Yusuf Islam has been a voice for peace and interfaith understanding. After 9/11, he publicly condemned the terrorist attacks and invoked the Qur’anic principle that killing one innocent life is like killing all of humanity en.wikipedia.org. He performed his song “Peace Train” to promote harmony and joined the Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism to help combat misconceptions about Islam en.wikipedia.org. In recognition of his efforts, Yusuf has received multiple peace and humanitarian awards en.wikipedia.org. By combining his artistic influence with social activism, Yusuf Islam projects Islamic values of charity, education, and peace to both Muslim and wider British society.

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