The Story

I was born and raised in the vibrant setting of London, an environment that continually shapes my perspectives and ideas. Growing up in such diversity has allowed me to transcend narrow cultural influences and avoid conforming to group think. Instead, I’ve developed a keen awareness of the factors that mold our thoughts and interpretations.

My dissatisfaction with the way “religion” is often presented in Muslim and Christian spaces led me to study Arabic and subsequently discover a scholarly tradition that values depth and nuance over slogans and populism. Ancient scholars, untouched by the current climate of polarisation and anxieties, emphasised wisdom, revelation, and profound philosophical reasoning centred on the existential questions. Exploring Abraham’s tradition introduced me to critical thinking and meticulous reasoning which have guided my understanding of God and His will. Witnessing how this code fosters personal and collective growth inspires me to share these insights with others.

I engage with those genuinely seeking truth and a deeper understanding of faith, advocating a God-centered approach rooted in Qur’anic narratives and prophetic guidance. This comprehensive understanding of the code (al-fiqh fī al-dīn) is how I believe the tradition can meaningfully intersect with the social, political, and ethical aspects of Western believers’ lives today.

God centered

At the heart of all my intellectual and practical work is an unrelenting focus on God and a commitment to what He wants. Sectarianism and narrow-minded thinking are simply impediments to human productivity and progress.

Meaning & Purpose

Godliness has a function and purpose that pragmatically brings about optimum outcomes. Focused on the practical where the how is informed by the why, I apply the purpose of God's decrees to worshipful actions and context-specific situations.

First principles

I build narratives from first principles - breaking down a problem into its essential elements, asking powerful questions, getting down to the basic truths, separating facts from assumptions and constructing a godly view from the ground up.

The cultural lens

Rational monotheism cultivates an open-minded, sophisticated, universal and agile outlook. God expects Westerners to meld their culture with Abraham's faith and engender a quiet confidence in the best of their cultural identity.

Study and Professional Experience

I hold several degrees, and alongside secular education, I studied the Qur’an, Arabic and the law in Cairo and Makkah. I also studied hadith and tafsir disciplines as a requirement of fiqh al-hadīth which led to my obsessions over the two, and to strengthen my operationalisation of tafsīr (Qur’anic exegesis). In Makkah I focused on hadith sciences and usūl al-fiqh, whilst at Al Azhar University (Cairo) I completed a degree in Islamic Law (al-Sharī’ah al-Islāmiyyah) and studied various schools of theology. My significant shar’ī occupation has been with practical usūl-al dīn (theology), fiqh (Islamic law), usūl-al fiqh (shar’ī philosophy and methodology), tafsīr (Qur’anic exegesis), and hadith (prophetic traditions). In western academia I’ve been preoccupied with the humanities and social sciences. In what I view to be an extension to my intellectual pursuits, I’ve long been training in striking and grappling martial arts.

My professional experience includes a range of appointments and roles in community and corporate settings, mostly in leadership positions such as managing director and chief strategy officer.

Undergraduate

BA Theology and English Literature, University of Greenwich
BA Shar'iah, Al Azhar University (Cairo)
BSc Politics and International Relations, University of London (LSE)

Post-graduate

PGCE, Institute of Education (UCL)
MA Political and Legal Theory, University of Warwick
Executive MBA, University of Warwick

Social

- Consulting scholar and khateeb, Kingston Mosque
- Director of shar’ī arbitration service and advice center, Kingston Mosque
- Visiting khateeb, various locations
- Public lectures and workshops, London
- Digital Learning Hub, online

Consultancy

- Formal advisor/consultant, National Zakat Foundation (former)
- Specialist therapist and life strategist
- Advisor/counsellor to organisational leaders
- Corporate business consultancy

Administration

- Principle Advisor
- Managing Director
- Chief Executive Officer
- Chief Strategy Officer