Interview game

Questions for Ahmed-from Abdul Rahim

1. What is your ancestry? Are you BBCD or did you move to England as a kid?
My parents are of Indian origin and they moved to the UK in the 70's. I was born and bred here in England, however my home city is possibly (unrefutably?) the Indian capital of the UK.

2. What is the best part of living in England?
The freedom to do what you want, here you have more freedom of speach and freedom to do islamic work and activities than you are not able to in some Islamic countries. Shaykh Muhaisany was arrested in Saudi after making a supplication including a general one for those who are active in 'battle against kuffar occupiers of muslim lands.' In the UK we have the freedom to voice such an expression. You can even stop at a motorway service point and pull out your prayer mat and perform your salah, and nobody could challenge you.

3. What is your favorite thing to do to have fun?
Sports & Reading. Its important to keep physically fit anyway but I do enjoy challenging & competitive sports such as Badminton, Squash & Snooker. Reading I enjoy because, Alhumdulillah, it broadens ones knowledge of Islam and other subjects of interest. Hmm, only one thing I'm supposed to say, so I'll stop here!

4. What is the biggest challenge for the Ummah, the West in particular (in your humble opinion)
To be broad, overcoming the desire to be like the non muslims. Particularly for the younger generations who are increasingly becoming carbon copies of their 'happy go lucky, thrill seeking, live like theres no tomorrow' non muslim peers. At the same time the mid tier parents
are also becoming slack in the way such children are being brought up. Parents are failing to fully realise the impact of 'Todays children are tomorrows parents.' Coupled with the 'Why, why should I do that' mentality we are being brought up with in this country, the younger ones in
the Ummah are distanced from the teachings of Islam. Odd as though it may seem, some muslims are holding back other muslims to practise islam through peer pressure. There needs to be some serious effort made to reinstill the 'Spirit of the Ummah' which we all so long
for.

5. What would you say has been the biggest key to success for the Ummah in the UK?
The establishment of Islamic schools & Masajid in the UK, funded almost entirely off the muslim communities own backs. Our Fathers despite being in a strange land with a strange language not only earned a living and provided for the family (UK and back home) but also
funded Islamic Schools & the building of Masajid. Today we see the fruits of these efforts in that the next generation are now educated muslims in some key positions but have still kept their Islamic roots. In contrast to no 4 above, there are some amazing young brothers and
sisters today who don the islamic clothing and adopt sunnah for the pleasure of Allah and not sparing a thought about what others may think.

May Allah guide us all and keep us strong on imaan until death. All good written above is from Allah and any wrongdoing is due to only my
shortcoming.
WS

THE INTERVIEW GAME RULES:
Here's how you can play the interview game:
1. Leave me a comment saying "interview me." The first five commenters will be the participants.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions.
3. You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions. (Write your own questions or borrow some.)