The successes of BRAIS are based on the contributions of current and former Trustees, as well as those serving in other capacities. This page recognises former Trustees for their services to BRAIS, which are much appreciated.
Former Treasurer and Membership Officer: Dr Omar Anchassi, University of Edinburgh
Discipline: Islamic Studies
Academic Interests: Islamic Law (formative to modern periods), particularly questions of violence, gender and sexuality, Islamic intellectual history in the modern period, Qur'anic commentary.
For more information about Omar please click HERE.
Term of Service: April 2017 - July 2021 (as Treasurer), April 2017 - July 2018 (as Web Officer)
Former Events Officer: Dr Feriel Bouhafa, University of Cambridge
Discipline: Islamic Studies
Academic Interests: Islamic/Arabic philosophy, Averroes and Farabi, Natural Justice and Natural Law
For more information about Feriel please click HERE.
Term of Service: 2018 - September 2020
Former Co-Chair: Professor Ayman Shihadeh, SOAS, University of London
Discipline: Medieval Intellectual History
Academic Interests: Ayman is an intellectual historian specialising in medieval philosophy and theology.
For more information about Ayman please click HERE.
Term of Service: April 2014 - April 2019
Former Co-Chair: Dr Shuruq Naguib, Lancaster University
Discipline: Qur'anic exegesis
Academic Interests: Classical Exegesis of the Qur'an, representation of Women in the Qur'an, Gender in Islamic thought, dis/continuities between traditional and contemporary Islamic thought.
For more information about Shuruq please click HERE.
Term of Service: April 2014 - October 2020
Former Secretary: Professor Seán McLoughlin
Discipline: Anthropology and sociology of Islam
Academic Interests: Seán explores the dynamics of Islam and Muslim cultures in contexts of contemporary migration, diaspora and transnationalism.
For more information about Seán please click HERE.
Term of Service: April 2017 - October 2020
Former Secretary: Professor Hugh Goddard, University of Edinburgh
Discipline: Islamic Studies
Academic Interests: Hugh has worked extensively on Christian-Muslim relations in diverse periods and regions.
For more information about Hugh please click HERE.
Term of Service: April 2014 - April 2017
Former Treasurer: Dr Saeko Yazaki, University of Glasgow
Discipline: Theology and Religious Studies
Academic Interests: Mystical and epistemological dimensions of religion, Muslim-Jewish relations, Comparison between monotheistic and non-monotheistic faiths, Theories and practices in Sufism, Shinto and Buddhism, Concept of purification in belief, Doubts in faith, Methodological issues in religious studies.
For more information about Saeko please click HERE.
Term of Service: April 2014 - April 2018
Former Web Officer: Dr Sariya Cheruvallil-Contractor, Coventry University
Discipline: Sociology
Academic Interests: Sariya has worked on the sociology of British Muslims, with a particular focus on lived experience.
For more information about Sariya please click HERE.
Term of Service: April 2014 - April 2017