(Report By Ug News)
This week’s Friday Reflections is rather different. It is about an award I recently received, but I hope it will not be read simply as a celebration of one individual. For me, the Nottingham Award represents something much bigger: the work of Karimia Institute, the support of countless friends, colleagues, volunteers and well-wishers, and above all a philosophy of faith that has always insisted that belief must express itself in service.
I was deeply honoured to be one of only three recipients of this year’s Nottingham Award, presented at a special ceremony held at Nottingham Castle. Now in its thirteenth year, the award recognises people who have made an outstanding contribution to Nottingham and whose leadership and service have made a lasting difference to the city and its communities. I am particularly humbled to have become the first Muslim recipient of the award.
I regard this recognition not simply as a personal achievement but as an acknowledgement of more than three decades of community development through Karimia Institute, which I founded in Nottingham in 1990 with the support of the local community. From the beginning, the guiding principle has been straightforward: faith should make us better human beings, better neighbours and more useful members of society.
Building Institutions That Serve People
Education has always been central to my work. Over the years, we have established Quran schools, children’s education programmes, the Figtree Primary School, Zaytuna Nursery, adult Islamic education, teenage programmes and teacher-development projects. Our aim has never been simply to transmit information, but to nurture knowledgeable, confident and morally responsible young people.
We transformed a derelict lace factory into a thriving mosque, education centre and community hub, creating spaces for worship, learning, meetings, social activity and community development. We later established the Muslim Cultural Centre in Wollaton to provide similar opportunities for another part of the city. Beyond Nottingham, I was also involved in converting a large former banqueting facility in Walsall into a masjid and a community centre. Karimia’s mosques and community centres are places where faith is translated into education, service and good citizenship.
Giving Communities A Voice
In the 1980s, I founded ‘The Invitation Magazine‘, which has since evolved into Invitation Publishing, a fully established publishing company dedicated to supporting emerging Muslim authors and bringing their work to a wider audience. It has also published my translation, The Majestic Quran. This has sought to make the message of the Quran accessible in clear contemporary English. Alongside this have come Quran distribution initiatives, study programmes, Friday Reflections, educational courses and projects aimed at helping both Muslims and non-Muslims understand the Quran’s moral and spiritual message.
I recognised the importance of communication early on, so I started Radio Ramadan in 1996. This has been another important part of my journey. I established Radio Dawn 107.6 FM, the first Muslim community radio station in Nottingham, providing education, discussion, news and community programming.
Developing Young People and Strengthening Families
In 2007, in partnership with Catch22, we ran a three-year project titled the ‘Muslim Youth Development Project’. It aimed to train youth leaders. Later in 2012, I established the New Horizon Trust to promote youth mentoring, leadership development, volunteering and sports, particularly for young people aged 16–25.
Our work has also included Quran education for children, teenage classes, family retreats, programmes for new Muslims and initiatives to strengthen parents, teachers and families. Education, in my understanding, is not merely preparation for employment; it is formation of character.
Serving Those In Need
I was also a founding trustee of Muslim Hands, the international humanitarian charity that was founded at Karimia Mosque in 1993. Social responsibility has always been inseparable from religious commitment. Karimia now provides practical support to people in need, including our food pantry and community initiatives. Our Friday Langar (communal lunch) brings people together around food and generosity. Other projects encourage volunteering and charitable giving and teach that a healthy community is one in which the stronger willingly support the vulnerable.
Building Bridges
For many years I have worked to strengthen relations between Muslims and wider society. This has included sustained involvement in interfaith dialogue in Nottingham and nationally, university chaplaincy, engagement with civic institutions and service as a former chair of the Christian Muslim Forum.
We have worked with the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University, supported students and chaplaincy, and participated in research examining how faith communities can contribute to issues such as climate responsibility. Other initiatives over the years have included HumanKind, Motivate a Million, community study circles, programmes for new Muslims, public lectures, religious education, Radio Dawn’s Urdu programming and work supporting mosques, imams and Islamic teachers.
Conclusion
The common purpose behind these varied activities has been the same: moral development, spiritual growth and social responsibility. An award shared with many. No institution is built by one person. Whatever has been achieved has depended upon trustees, staff, teachers, Imams, volunteers, donors, community leaders, friends and families who believed in these projects and helped turn ideas into reality. That is why I see the Nottingham Award not simply as a personal honour, but as a recognition of their invaluable contributions and shared achievements.
Our Prophet (peace be upon him) taught that the best people are those who are most beneficial to others. That remains the measure by which I would like our work to be judged. Awards are gratifying, but they are not the destination. Their real value is that they remind us to continue.
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