About

The Inner Circle (TIC) was established by a concerned group Muslims in 1996 as an underground social and support group. It started out at the house of Imam Muhsin Hendricks in the form halqaat (study circles). These study circles still run on a Thursday night and have proven to be very successful in helping Muslims who are queer to reconcile Islam with their sexuality. In 2004 TIC was officially registered as a Not for Profit Human Rights Organization.

The Inner Circle is the longest standing, largest and most influential human rights organization in the world that deals with Islam, gender and sexual diversity from an Islamic theological perspective. The Inner Circle works internationally and supports international affiliate organizations to do similar work, within an Islamic framework. The Inner Circle empowers and raises consciousness amongst Muslims and assists sexually diverse Muslims to reconcile Islam with their sexuality. TIC employs independent reasoning to create a paradigm shift in the Muslim community, locally, nationally and internationally.

The Inner Circle’s existence, work and intervention encourage dialogue and is a vehicle towards integrating Islamic Rights with Human Rights. This enables the organization to achieve its vision, which is to transform society into one of inter-connectedness and inclusivity of different faiths and beliefs around gender and sexual diversity.

Our Core Values

Leadership: [As-shhura wal imaamah] Ensuring accountability, Integrity and Mutual Consultation Diversity: [Al-mutua’addidah] Promoting equity, Justice and Inclusivity Patience: [As-sabr] Encouraging humility, Understanding and Nurturing Authenticity: [Al-haqeeqiyyah] Employing honesty, Integrity, Transparency and Trust Commitment: [Al-‘ahdah] Cultivating dedication, Responsibility and Passion Creating Safe Spaces: [Al-amnah] Affirming confidentiality, Support and Respect Interconnectedness: [Al-ukhuwwa wal ittisaal] Engaging through compassion, understanding and Consciousness

Our Vision

A global Muslim community free from discrimination based on religion, sexual orientation and gender identity

Our Mission

Raising consciousness through spirituality, education and movement building; bringing healing to Muslims who are marginalised based on sexual orientation and gender identity

Organisational Ethos

Who is TIC?

We are a Human Rights Organisation working within an Islamic framework to give psycho-spiritual and social support to Muslims who are marginalised based on sexual orientation and gender

How does TIC operate?

TIC is not opposed to Islam. However it believes that Islam has a good model for social transformation, peace, and justice. However TIC does not fail to address the injustices perpetrated in the name of Islam and opposes the strong influence of patriarchy on Muslims. TIC believes in care-frontation and compassionate engagement with Muslims who are unfamiliar and therefore feels uncomfortable and opposed the work of TIC

What is TIC’s Philosophy?

The TIC Philosophy is an Islamic Philosophy based on Quranic Principles of God consciousness, Peace, Justice, Equity and Freedom of Religion and Choice. Our organisation is non-prescriptive and non-judgemental. We do not believe in forcing spirituality or faith upon any individual but to allow the individual to fine wholeness and healing within these for themselves if the choose to do so. Our organisation supports the Quranic injunctions that leads humanity to Peace, Justice, Equity and Freedom. We believe that the Quran respects human rights and human dignity.

The Quran is a book for all times and it should be studied in its context in order for it to become relevant to our times. As is the nature of every scripture, it can be interpreted in many ways and at TIC we believe in interpreting the Quran in a way that brings healing and mercy to people rather than guilt and shame. We believe and teach that God’s mercy supersedes His anger and that God is a God of love.

We do no believe that the Quran is discriminatory or that it condemns sexual diversity but rather that the Quran embraces sexual diversity and instructs its adherents to act sexually within a framework of faithfulness, justice, self-restraint and God consciousness.

TIC Culture

In order for a community organisation to best serve its community, in TIC’s case, the Muslim community, it has to value and uphold the principles dear to the community it serves, provided that those values and principles do not infringe on human rights and human dignity. These values are reflected in the work TIC delivers and the environment under which it works. Values and Principles of the community are only contested when it infringes on the rights of others to choose freely how they want to live their lives or how they relate to faith. Hence , TIC, although not a typical Islamic organisation but rather a human rights organisation, has Islamic values entrenched in its culture and constitution that respects human rights and dignity.

The nature of the organisation is organic which means that although there are clear lines of authority, these positions of authority is one of accountability, responsibility, respect, mutual consultation and integrity as opposed to power.

TIC trains and therefore requires its board, staff, volunteers and those who interact with the organisation to understand the importance of integrity, accountability and responsibility. Hence, the operational atmosphere allows for compassionate engagements, unity and an ability to be coachable and allow for transformation. There is a clear understanding in the organisation that in order to realise its vision of inclusivity, interconnectedness and compassion for all it has to start with the organisation first