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Issue 255, Friday 30 July 2010 - 18 Sha'ban 1431 Twenty five Muslims awarded in the Queen’s Birthday Honours By Elham Asaad Buaras Twenty five Muslims (1 Damehood, 1 CBE, 9 OBEs, 14 MBEs) were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, along with 14 members of the Hindu and Sikh communities (9 OBEs, 4 MBEs, 1 LVo) and 12 from the Jewish communities (4 Knighthoods, 2 CBEs, 2 OBEs, 4 MBEs).  (Top L-R) Jehangir Malik, OBE, Naila Zaffar DBE & Taha Idris, OBE (bottom L-R) Dr Husna Ahmad, OBE, Hanan Ibrahim, MBE & Dr Mahvash Hussain-Gambles, MBE.
The majority of Muslims honoured gave their expertise to charities, the voluntary sector or worked to advance social cohesion or Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) standard of living. The highest accolade to a British Muslim went to Copthorne Primary School Head Teacher, Naila Zaffar, who received Damehood for her services to education. Zaffar, 55, leads two inner-city primaries, performs inspections for Ofsted and has helped to raise standards at schools across Bradford. Copthorne Primary serves one of the most deprived areas of the city but Zaffar says its staff does not allow this to become a barrier to children learning. Zaffar, who is originally from Kenya but moved to Bradford when she was 12, told The Muslim News, “I was shocked and amazed I couldn’t believe I was to be made a Damehood As Muslims and an Asians we sometimes think that we can’t break certain barriers, but this shows that with hard work there are no barriers.” Khurshid Drabu is to made a CBE for bringing communities together. Drabu, is the third Muslim and the first Kashmiri to receive this award. “I’m happy for having been acknowledged,” said Drabu, who was touring Srinagar, India, when the news of his award reached him. “Both the Conservative and Labour parties allowed me to do community-based work. That helped me develop a good reputation in all the communities which in turn helped to bring them together,” said Drabu. Drabu had also drafted the constitution of the Muslim Council of Britain launched in 1997. Drabu, who was also the first Muslim judge in the British judiciary, rose to become the Vice President of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal. 
(Top L-R) Mohammad Nazir, OBE, Khursheed Drabu, CBE & Zaheer Ahmad, MBE (bottom L-R) Sajid Hashmi, MBE, Dalwardin Babu, MBE & Souad Talsi, MBE. Faith Regen Foundation CEO, Dr Husna Ahmad is to be made an OBE. Ahmed, a doctor in environmental law, is recognised for her services to disadvantaged people. She has held the role of Deputy Chief Exec of the Forum against Islamophobia and Racism and was a Principal Officer in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. She also sits on the Dept for Works and Pensions’ Ethnic Minority Advisory Group and the advisory board to the East London Mosque. “As a Muslim woman I am very honoured and humbled by this recognition of the work of Faith Regen Foundation. I believe that we all have a social responsibility to work collaboratively to promote opportunities for all and achieve social justice,” she told The Muslim News. She has been appointed co-chair of Faiths and Beliefs in Further Education. She was also a member of a ministerial working group on child poverty in London in 2008. Chief Executive of Swansea Bay Race Equality Council, Taha Idris, is to receive an OBE for his services to community relations. Idris, who received an award by the Welsh Assembly Government for his equality work, has been in the race equality movement since 1983 when he became treasurer of West Glamorgan Community Relations Council. He later served as treasurer for Preston & West Lancashire Racial Equality Council for a number of years. Idris has been a member of the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Committee and is Governor of Gorseinon College, Trustee of Swansea Council for Voluntary Services, a board member of the Swansea Children & Young People’s Executive Board and the Safer Swansea Partnership. Naik, who has once again been appointed to the BBC Wales Charities Advisory Board, told The Muslim News, “In an environment where being a Muslim is regarded by many as a crime, I am delighted that such an honour has been bestowed upon me. It ought to give a sense of hope to many Muslims around the country who consider themselves as targets of religious hatred.” Fellow equality champion Mohammad Nazir is also to be made an OBE. Nazir, who has been chairing the West Midlands Minority Ethnic Business Forum since 2003, was awarded for his services to business. Nazir is the National Ethnic Minority Ministerial Forum’s representative on the West Midlands Regional Enterprise Board, a member of the Regional International Business Group and a regional champion for Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Nazir told The Muslim News: “This is not something you achieve on your own – and I regard it as an honour for everyone whom I work with at the Forum.” Islamic Relief (IR), UK Director, Jehangir Malik, is one of nine Muslims to be made an OBE. He joined Islamic Relief as a Fundraising Coordinator in Bradford, Birmingham. He was the Development Director in IR USA until 2001, where he helped develop the operations, as well as working with the grass root communities focusing on developing youth leadership. In 2002 he moved to Afghanistan as a Deputy Country Director in managing one of the largest aid programs for IR. Malik has also participated on several Muslim delegations facilitated by the Foreign Office to Pakistan, Iran, Sudan, Egypt and Qatar on diplomatic missions. He told The Muslim News, “As British Muslims, we increasingly appreciate the opportunities and comfort within which we live, but this must not lead us to forget one of our central Islamic duties of Sadaqa or giving charity, without which we would all be spiritually and materially worse off.” Founder of Saaf Pure Skincare, Dr Mahvash Hussain-Gambles was awarded an MBE for her contribution to the beauty industry and to international trade. “I feel very humbled and honoured to have my work formally recognised,” she told The Muslim News. “The principles of halal do not only mean alcohol and pork free, but encompass a wholesome concept that embraces a pure and eco-ethical lifestyle. In the West, the concept of halal is synonymous with meat and poultry, but doesn’t extend to lifestyle products, eco-ethical means free from animal cruelty, caring for the environment, not harming one’s body and fulfilling corporate social responsibility.” In 2006, she set up the European Halal Authority. Voluntary Action Stoke-on-Trent, Chief Executive, Sajid Hashmi, has been awarded an MBE. He has been working in the voluntary sectors for over 15 years. Hashmi is a serving Executive Director of the National Association of Voluntary and Community Action. “I’m completely taken aback, but also delighted. Honours are something other people get so I hadn’t expected to receive one myself. Needless to say, I’m very pleased. I am particularly delighted that the hard work of dedicated staff at VAST has been recognised by this honour and hopefully will enable me raise the profile of the third sector,” he told The Muslim News. He was appointed by the then Local Govt. Sec, John Denham, on to the Stoke-on-Trent transition board to assist in the development of Stoke City Council. Hashmi also served on the Community Cohesion Panel which was set up by Fiona Mctarget MP in 2004 producing The End of Parallel Lives?, a report in response to public disturbances in northern towns. Founder of Al-Hasaniya Moroccan Women’s Centre, Souad Talsi is to receive an MBE for her services for the Moroccan community in London. She is also member of the Govt’s National Muslim Women’s Advisory Group and London Mayors Migrant & Refugee Advisory Panel. Born in Oujda, Morocco, Talsi came to the UK in the early 1970s. “Community involvement came naturally and quickly became a way of life, due to the lack of interpreters and community support at the time,” Talsi told The Muslim News. She added that “To be recognised for the work that I love doing is truly amazing and people’s reaction and kind messages to the award has been overwhelming.” Founder of the award winning Somali Family Support Group (SFSG), Hanan Ibrahim receives an MBE after setting up the grassroots community organisation in 2001 to support Somali families, East Africans, asylum seekers and refugees. SFSG received the Queens Award for Voluntary Service. The mother of three has worked with the Women Interfaith Network, Sisters against Violent Extremism, the African SANG and the Women’s Federation for World Peace. She also chairs Barnet Muslim Women’s Network. She is currently a member of Govt’s National Muslim Women Advisory Group. Ibrahim, who also received the Ambassador for Peace Award, is a member of the National Community Forum, an advisory body for the Department of Communities. One of two Muslim police officers to be awarded is Harrow Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Dalwardin Babu, is to receive an MBE for his services to policing and the community. Dabu, who has been a police officer for over 27 years, said the police service has changed for the better. “As one of ten children and the son of immigrants from India, I could have only dreamed of being a Chief Superintendent, let alone the Borough Commander of Harrow - the most diverse borough in the UK,” he told The Muslim News. While working in Camden he brought together groups of Asian and white youths following the tragic murder of a youth in 1994. In July 1999 he funded a youth visit to Belfast to meet Catholic and Protestant youths. This project had a notable impact on youth disorder and saw the instances of youth disorder drop from 177 incidents from February 1999 to July 1999 to 4 incidents in August 1999. He continued to make a contribution to improving Muslim and police relationships. This was particularly pertinent following 7/7 that led to him to set up the National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP), which played a significant role in helping the service develop employment practices, and in building relationships between the service and Muslim communities. Fellow NAMP founder and British Transport Police (BTP) officer Zaheer Ahmad is also to be made an MBE. Current NAMP President, PC Ahmad said he is “absolutely thrilled to receive this prestigious honour. This is testament to the hard work of all NAMP’s members and volunteers.” Ahmad joined BTP in 2003 and has since served in various units including the Force Intelligence Bureau, the Major Incident Team where he worked on a murder investigation and CID. He is a qualified Family Liaison officer. He is a founding member of the BTP Association of Muslim Police and was its first Chair. Ahmad has a BA degree and is currently studying for BSc (Hons) degree in policing. He is Governor of a primary school in Walthamstow and was recently appointed to the Arsenal’s supporter’s forum as representative for the BME community. Full list of Muslim recipients in the Queens Birthday Honours 2010: Damehood (DBE): Naila Zaffar, Head, Copthorne Primary School, Bradford, for services (Fs) to education Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE): Khurshid H Drabu, Fs to community relations Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE): Jehangir Malik, Fs to Islamic Relief. Mohammad Nazir, Chair, West Midlands Ethnic Minority Business Forum, for services to business. Dr Husna Ahmad, CEO, Faith Regen FDN, Fs to disadvantaged people. Maqsood Ahmad, Fmr head of Police Equality & Diversity Policy, Home Office. Dalwardin Babu, Ch Supt, Met Police Service, for services to the Police. Mashuq Hussain, Fs to youths & to Lancashire community relations. Taha Idris, Chief Exec, Swansea Bay Race Equality Council, fs to community relation. Mockbul Ali, Islamic Issues Adviser, FCO. Dr Maha Barakat, founder, Imperial College London Diabetes Ctr, Abu Dhabi, for services to medical research, training & health. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE): Abida Iqbal, Fs to Redbridge community. Bakhtiar A Gilani, Fs to Gtr Manchester community.Basheer Ahmed, hon life vice-president, Race Equality Council of Lincolnshire. Dr Mahvash H Gambles, Founder, Saaf Intl Ltd, Fs to the beauty industry & Intl trade. Dr Salah El-Sharkawi, Conslt Clinical Oncologist, SW Wales Cancer Ctr, Fs to medicine. Hanan A Ibrahim, Founder, Somali Family Support Group, Fs to BAME. Marzia Sayani, Exec Off, Jobcentre Plus, Dept fr Work & Pensions. Prof Lubaina Himid, artist, Fs to Black Women’s Art. Ronika Amin, Grade D, MoD. Saima Afzal, Fs to the police & to Lancashire comm relations. Sajid Hashmi, Fs to the voluntary sector in Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire. Shanaz Ahmed, Fs to the Asian East London community. Souad Talsi, Fs to the British Moroccan London community. Zaheer Ahmad, DC, BTP, Fs to the police. |