The Muslim News - Thirteen honoured in New Year list

Issue 225, Friday 25 January 2008 - 16 Muharram 1429

Thirteen honoured in New Year list

By Elham Asaad Buaras

Thirteen members of the British Muslim community were awarded in the New Year’s Honours. One CBE, 5 OBEs, 5 MBEs and two MBEs overseas will be handed to British Muslims for their varying contributions to society.
Fifteen members of the Hindu and Sikh community were awarded, whilst seventeen members of the Jewish community were awarded; they included a knighthood, 3 CBEs, 6 OBEs and 7 MBEs.
Playwright and author Hanif Kureishi was awarded a CBE for his services to literature and drama. Amir Kabal, 57, the current non-executive director of Burton Hospitals NHS Trust, received an OBE for his services to the community in East Staffordshire. He told The Muslim News: “I’m glad I’ve got the opportunity to help people...I’m really grateful to the people who’ve supported me and continue to do so.”
Kabal, who came to the UK from Pakistan aged 14, is a member of Staffordshire Learning and Skills Council and the National Equality and Diversity Sub-Committee. He is director of the East Staffordshire Racial Equality Council and Chairman of the British Federation of Race Equality Councils, as well as a member of West Midlands Race Equality Advisory Board.
The Department of Education’s Chief Information Officer, Kashaf Walayat, is the only Muslim to receive an OBE in Yorkshire this year, a feat which, he told The Muslim News, made him feel “delighted, elated and privileged”, adding: “I think my father was very happy as he received an MBE in 1995 for his community work, which means we are probably the only Muslim household in the UK where both father and son have received honours.”
In 1995, Yorkshire born and bred Walayat became the youngest Asian councillor in Sheffield, two years later he would become the youngest ever member of South Yorkshire Police Authority.
Describing his career path, Walayat said, “I joined the civil service as the country’s first BME employed YTS entrant. I started at the very bottom of the organisation and through determination I progressed upwards to become the youngest BME Grade 6 deputy divisional manager outside of London.”
He also worked on numerous projects within the civil service, ranging from reviewing the department’s arm’s length bodies, to devolving central functions to Government offices.
In 2007, he ran the Mainstreaming Success project to increase equality within the civil service. It involved BME staff, school-children and graduates competing to complete tasks for ministers, senior civil servants and community groups. His project won him a short-listing for the UK’s National Civil Service Award.
Mahroof Hussain was awarded and MBE in recognition of his services to local government. Hussain has represented the Rotherham ward of Boston Castle since 2002, and is currently a cabinet member for Communities and Involvement on Rotherham Council.
Hussain is also a member of the Local Government Association. He took much needed aid to Pakistan within a week of the 2005 earthquake and was instrumental in helping the flood victims of Catcliffe by raising over Ł5,000.
Prior to being elected, Hussain was the founding member of the Rotherham Civil Rights Group and South Yorkshire Patients’ Association where he campaigned on issues of health, equality and rights, and was a passionate advocate for people without a voice.
Hussain told The Muslim News: “I have always tried to be a people’s councillor and therefore would like to dedicate the award to the residents of Boston Castle and the people of Rotherham who gave me the opportunity to help those in need.”
Representing the younger Muslim population is Aminul Hoque who was awarded an MBE for his services to Youth Justice in East London. Hoque, who is of Bangladeshi origin, currently works at Newham College as a support worker where were he helps students with learning difficulties. Hoque told The Muslim News he was “really shocked” at the news of his award, adding: “I thought that this was some kind of joke.”
Hoque says he advocates excellence in achievement. “I believe if you want to achieve something you should achieve it with the highest grade possible.”
Hoque talked to over 120 young British Muslims from the streets of East London and Birmingham for a BBC Radio 1 Xtra documentary. He also contributed to Children’s BBC as an expert on Islam, answering a selection of emails from young viewers.
One of three Muslim women recognised for her contributions is Head of Strategy & Policy Development at West of Scotland Racial Equality Council, Bushra Iqbal. The mother of three was awarded an MBE for her services to community relations in Strathclyde.
On receiving the award Iqbal told The Muslim News: “I was very pleased that I was considered worthy of this honour. I glorify my Lord with His praise.”
Her academic journey started from a small village school in Jelum, Pakistan and ultimately finished in Liverpool University.
Iqbal said she hopes her community relations contributions “have had some good effects”, adding: “I have always aimed to engender a better understanding among and between the diverse communities, which together form our multi-cultural society, and have made very good progress towards that goal.”
Describing herself as a “strategic thinker”, Iqbal said her 18 years of work with WSREC entailed “representing the interests and rights of all communities.”
Iqbal currently works with NHS Education for Scotland and Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Services (COPFS). During the past few years she contributed to the establishment of good practice guidelines. Iqbal says her work in communities is “influenced and guided by Islamic principles.”
In the voluntary sector, Iqbal was appointed Vice Chair of the Glasgow Volunteers Centre, which incorporates around 27 projects aimed at all sections of Glasgow’s community. She also founded the Lanarkshire Muslim Women and Family Alliance 14 years ago in her local Council, and established the interfaith Ibrahimic Roots Group, involving Christian and Muslim women. Speaking on her community work, Iqbal said: “I believe that it is the duty of every Muslim to play a positive role in the community around them.”
Mrs Talat Saleem Javed, a former Urdu teacher at South Birmingham College, was made an MBE for her services to further education. Javed retired in July 2007 after 18 years of teaching Urdu at the College.
Her first official teaching job started in Selly Park Girls High School in 1988 where she taught GCSE Urdu, the first school in Birmingham to offer the course. That same year Javed was asked to replace an ailing Urdu A-level lecturer at South Birmingham College, an offer she told The Muslim News she reluctantly accepted at the time, “I thought I had little experience, and only in teaching at GCSE level.” During her years of service at South Birmingham College, Javed was asked to teach in many other schools across Birmingham, including Queensbridge School in Moseley and Golden Hillock School in Spark hill.
She also pioneered GCSE classes for women. Javed said the classes allowed “women who never went to school in Pakistan.” many of them senior citizens, to gain formal qualifications. She took her project a step further organising A level and AS level Urdu at Nelson Mandela School.
On a social level, Javed believes learning Urdu has allowed many second and third generation youths of Pakistani origin to have a link with their ancestral home and improve communication between the generations.