I’m A Muslim Man In Britain

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I’m an alien, I’m a legal alien. Sting            

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This is what I think it means to be a British Muslim today, who was born and bred in England but hailed from immigrant parents. To have an eclectic medley of voices swirling around in your brain. Living and constantly shifting between different worlds, religions, languages, cultures, traditions and voices, all competing for some kind of hold on your identity, on your spirit, your will. All this baggage, mixed-loyalties, competing face masks and fashions stuffed into a short-lived life, which, for many of us, typically consists of home, school, mosque and holidays to Pakistan and the holy lands or whichever country you hail from.

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When I Tasted Their Tears

I wrote this poem in response to this moving footage of the Abu Shaar brothers’ visitation of the blessed resting place of Imam Al Hussain in Cairo, may Allah sanctify his secret. I am exploring the possible reaction of a twisted mind, if it was among the audience…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMg48Uc22l0

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When I tasted their tears

my heart never recovered

I felt the love that touched their souls

that moved these blessed brothers.

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The Living And The Dead

In honour of Sidi Ahmad Zarruq’s maqam in Misrata.

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“Knock it! Burn it! Pulverise it to the ground!”

They cheered uncovering Az Zarruq’s mound.

“In the name of pure and unadulterated tawheed

We cleanse this wretched house of idolatry!

For Allah’s deen this is a clear victory!

And may God curse those who make this dead man their deity!

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True Stories: The Rise and the Fall of Aylesbury Asians FC 1991-1992 Part 1

(Parental Advisory- bad language)

During the early 1990s, an amazing thing happened to the flourishing British Pakistani community in Aylesbury. An event, I am proud to proclaim, that I was part of.

So what was it?

A royal visit to the Pakistani ghetto? (Fleet Street, Havelock Street and New Street)

An opportunity to meet Pakistani cricketing icons like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis? (I’m sure some of the guys actually fancied Waqar…)

A chance to win free PIA tickets?

Dream on!

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When Billy Smith Met The Baralwi And The Deobandi

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“I just want to love God, I blurted out….” Piscine:  The Life of Pi

Billy Smith was a quiet little English boy who lived on a working class estate in Bradford. Although he was only twelve, Billy had an extremely deep approach to life, unlike all the other kids. His mum noticed this even when he was a baby. Laughing and giggling at things she could not see or comprehend, his mum thought that her son seemed to exist on a heavenly plain. And what a difference between Billy and the typical lads around him when he grew older! While he would sit in awe, watching the splendour of the setting sun or marvel at the starlings looping in the grey sky, the other kids would point at him and laugh. They just played X Box.

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