Imam Ali Omar is a great friend of the Trust and is seen here with Lord Sheikh. He has been working as Imam to HM Armed Forces since 2012.
In 2018 he was given the opportunity to commission as an officer in the Royal Air Force. This involved undergoing officer training at RAF Cranwell and other RAF units. Upon graduation he continue to serve as the Muslim Chaplain to the RAF and SME.
Ali is a trail blazer, being the first imam to receive a commission in the Royal Air Force, and is a Squadron Leader.
Chaplaincy teams have existed within the military for more than two hundred years but this is the first time that an imam has been commissioned as an officer.
While many Muslims served in the Armed Forces in both World War I and World War II, there are no records of imams specifically being recruited as chaplains.
Squadron Leader Imam Ali Omar’s role requires him to give spiritual, pastoral and moral support to Muslims serving in the Navy and Army was well as the Royal Air Force.
He also provides advice to the RAF chain of command and to other parts of the Armed Forces on Islam related issues. His commissioning will further open doors for imams to join and progress in the chaplaincy teams in HM Armed Forces.
