About Us
emel is a media company with a global reach. We have subscribers in over 60 countries worldwide, with distribution in the UK, US, Middle East and South East Asia. emel magazine is published once a month and has a Muslim focus, with over 100,000 readers, and an email database of over 74,000.
Having received over 250,000 hits per month to our previous brochure website, we have re-launched the site this month in order to provide our readers another avenue to enjoy emel.
The magazine can be found at many branches of WH Smith, Tesco, Asda, Borders and Waterstones.
‘emel’ – whose name sounds like the letters “M” AND “L”, standing for “Muslim Life” and resembles the Arabic word for “hope”, has been running since September 2003.
Sarah Joseph, the editor, founded Emel with her husband in 2003 after she found herself "firefighting" on behalf of British Muslims as tensions rose after the 11 September attacks. In the wake of the London bombings in July, Mrs Joseph, who was awarded an OBE last year for services to "interfaith dialogue", says it is vital to explain the positive aspects of Islam to non-Muslims.
"If Muslims are living in isolation, scared that no one wants to engage with them, it's not healthy for our society. The Muslim is the new 'other' and we need to reduce fear and tension," she said.
Gaining momentum
emel is a vibrant and dynamic lifestyle magazine with an ethical and progressive outlook that has a Muslim focus; there is no other magazine like it. It has captured the imagination of many people from Royalty to Downing Street.
Launched in September 2003, emel is exceptional in its presentation, message and outlook.
Combining high quality with exciting features, the magazine covers everything from current affairs to big name interviews, profiles of outstanding people to converts to Islam, health and finance, education and environment, interior design and gardening, technology and motoring, food and fashion.
The magazine has had an outstanding reception, by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, and has extensive media interest with features in the Time Magazine, The Times, the Sunday Times, the Wall Street Journal, London Evening Standard, and Turkish, Malaysian, Dutch, Swiss, Iranian and Japanese newspapers. In addition, programmes have been broadcast about emel by the BBC, CNN and other international media.
Most notably emel’s interview with the Archbishop of Canterbury made global front-page headlines and created a lively debate.
The Oxford University academic Timothy Garton Ash wrote in the Guardian that emel “not only informs wider society about Muslims, but also makes a point about wider society itself.”
Emel is for the reader who wishes to combine an ethical outlook to life with evolving ideas and modern lifestyle. Emel has quickly gained credibility as a source of information, inspiration and debate.