An Islamic charity has been given an official warning and had one of its trustees banned after GB News exposed footage of him making a speech about violence against Jews just days after the Hamas attacks in 2023.
Harun Abdur Rashid Holmes, who preached at the Nottingham Islam Information Point (NIIP), has been sanctioned by the Charity Commission after a 20-month investigation.
He has been barred as a charity trustee for three years after this broadcaster sent the commission footage of him delivering a sermon in which he stated that Muslims would kill Jews until they “hide behind a rock”.
In a speech titled “The Trials of the End Times” given during Friday prayers on October 13, just six days after the October 7 attacks, Holmes gave a speech about war between Muslims and Jews.
In his speech, he said that “the believers will prevail”.
Quoting scripture, he said: “Oh Muslim, here is a Jew behind me, kill him.”
He continued that there was something in the hadith that was “more interesting to know” before saying: “In another narration, the hour will not begin until the Muslims fight the Jews and the Muslims will kill them.
“Until a Jew hides behind a rock or a tree, and the rock or the tree will say ‘oh Muslim, oh slave of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him’.”
His speech was delivered as Israel was still reeling from Hamas attacks that led to the murder of more than 1,200 Jews, with a further 251 taken hostage.
Harun Abdur Rashid Holmes
GB NEWS
GB News sent the commission footage of the speech on October 27, with a spokesman at the time confirming that it was assessing the information this broadcaster had gathered.
The commission’s chief executive David Holdsworth said it had opened at least 300 regulatory cases in the last 18 months related to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In its investigation into NIIP, the commission said that Holmes’s words were “inflammatory and divisive” and that he did not act in accordance with his duties as a trustee.
When GB News approached NIIP in October 2023, the charity said that Holmes “quoted from several sources of what the Prophet Muhammad ought to have said over 14 centuries ago, prophesying of things to come before Judgment Day”.
The commission’s chief executive David Holdsworth said it had opened at least 300 regulatory cases in the last 18 months
PA
They added: “We at Nottingham Islam Information Point do not believe the Jewish people should be killed and British Muslims have not been ordered by any contemporary Islamic scholars or Imams to go over to the occupied territories of Palestine to kill Jews.”
They said that the “innocent people of Gaza” are “being wrongfully mutilated by Israel” and said they urged Muslims to support Gazans by providing aid.
The charity then asked GB News: “We would be grateful if you can let us know your thoughts on the matter; do you think it's acceptable Palestinian Muslims and Christians should be mutilated in Gaza by the Israeli's [sic] and do you think Israel should continue seizing Palestinian land like they have been doing for the past 70 years?”
Following the commission’s assessment, Holmes has now been disqualified from serving as a trustee or holding any senior management position in a charity in England and Wales for three years.
The commission said that while the sermon was quoting from religious scripture, it was still inflammatory and divisive” because it lacked context.
Charity Commission sign
PA
The regulator noted that Holmes accepted that the Hadith was sensitive and that he failed to provide adequate context.
Stephen Roake, assistant director of investigations and compliance at the Charity Commission, said: “In times of conflict, people expect charities to bring people together, not to stoke division.
“In this case, we found due consideration had not been given to the words and rhetoric used. The sermon was inflammatory and divisive, and we acted robustly and disqualified the trustee who gave the sermon. We also issued the charity with a formal warning.”
He added: “Following our intervention, the charity’s remaining trustees have taken positive steps to improve their governance. This includes the introduction of a more robust events policy.
“All charities that host events and speakers should take note of this case and ensure they have sufficient due diligence in place.”
NIIP has apologised for any offence caused by Holmes’s sermon.
It stated: “Holmes is not a qualified Imam and has not formally studied Islam.
“He was given the responsibility of the sermon at late notice and was not able to provide the necessary explanation to references used in the short timespan available.
“In hindsight he recognises that other references would have been more appropriate.
“The trustees recognise that certain portions of the sermon may have been construed in a negative light and inadvertently and unintentionally caused offence. We apologise for this.”
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