0:00:07 > 0:00:09Beautiful girl.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I'm a mum, I'm a wife.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15I want to look summery looking.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17I'm a dad and restaurant owner.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Oi, Mr Poser, down to your homework.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23I'm a mum, I have my own business.
0:00:25 > 0:00:26How do you do it? What do you press?
0:00:26 > 0:00:28I am a family man.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30I am a scientist, and I'm a Muslim.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31I'm a Muslim.
0:00:31 > 0:00:32I'm a Muslim.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33I am a Muslim.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50No, no, no garlic. No.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52ANFAL SPEAKS ARABIC
0:00:54 > 0:00:57OK. I'm going to cook, erm,
0:00:57 > 0:01:00pasta with white sauce.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02I love it. It's one of my favourites.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05I use all the creamy cheeses and...
0:01:05 > 0:01:07'I am from Egypt.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09'I grew up in Dublin.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11'When I first came here I was six years old.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12'And now I'm 26.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17'I grew up in a religious family, so my family, kind of,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19'surrounded us by Islam and religious views.'
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Obviously, I wouldn't even wear a scarf,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26I wouldn't wear a niqab at home.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28I would just wear whatever I'm wearing.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31You wear a niqab in front of strangers, all stranger men.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Obviously, I don't wear a niqab in front of women.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36What's the point if I'm wearing niqab and hijab outside,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38and then I'm not wearing it in front of cameras,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41where tens of thousands of people are going to see this?
0:01:41 > 0:01:44I'm wearing niqab for a reason. So I have to wear it on camera.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48What do you want? This is chilli, you can't have chilli, obviously.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51This? You want a carrot?
0:01:51 > 0:01:53Being a Muslim makes everything easier for me.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57It just shows me my role in life, just like a guidebook.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Hannah, please. Oh, she's...
0:02:01 > 0:02:06Since you're born you're taught how to do with things and how things go.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07That's obviously much easier.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09It's just like going to a school,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12when you take your child to school to learn more things.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16To be honest, Hisham is such a good cook, he's much better than me.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18He taught me how to cook.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22Erm, I only knew how to cook a few things like pizzas, you know,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24just a few things.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27- REPORTER:- How did you meet? Did you have an arranged marriage?
0:02:27 > 0:02:32No. He met my dad first, and then he and my dad became friends.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35He didn't offer me, obviously, to Hisham,
0:02:35 > 0:02:37it was Hisham who was looking for a bride,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41and then he kept asking my dad, "Do you have any daughters?"
0:02:41 > 0:02:44So when my dad told him, "Yes, I have three daughters, blah, blah, blah."
0:02:44 > 0:02:48And, obviously, because I'm the oldest he asked if he could see me, or he can...
0:02:48 > 0:02:49And that's what happened.
0:02:50 > 0:02:57He came... We met and we started talking for, I think it was...
0:03:00 > 0:03:02- One month?- One month.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Yeah, but...
0:03:06 > 0:03:09It's was so funny. I remember that...
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Don't film me laughing at that.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Listen, listen.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16'I thought he was the perfect person.'
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Today we'll talk about the Chapter of Sincerity.
0:03:20 > 0:03:21'He had all the descriptions I want.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25'I liked how he looked like, I liked that he was a religious person.'
0:03:25 > 0:03:28The first subject is talking about Allah.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32I was looking for someone religious who cared about the Muslim community.
0:03:32 > 0:03:33HISHAM SPEAKS ARABIC
0:03:33 > 0:03:35I really liked his personality,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39I felt like this is the person I would love to be the father of my child.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Mama! Mama!
0:03:44 > 0:03:49'In Islam, when you get married it's compulsory for you to choose the father of your child.'
0:03:49 > 0:03:51- Give Baba a hug.- No?
0:03:51 > 0:03:53This is one of your child's rights.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56You can't go and marry a drug dealer, say.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03In Islam it's forbidden to force a girl into marriage without her permission.
0:04:03 > 0:04:09Even if she says yes, but she's not happy inside, in Islam, this is a forbidden marriage.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12One, two...
0:04:12 > 0:04:16When I saw Hisham I just thought he was... That's the man I want.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19HISHAM SPEAKS ARABIC
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Love does come after marriage.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25The real love, because that's when the real actions of the man comes out.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27The real face of the man shows after marriage,
0:04:27 > 0:04:32and I'm so happy that Hisham stayed as nice as I wanted.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37OK, let's go, we're going to do your spellings.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Oh, my days, stop it now!
0:04:42 > 0:04:43I'm a Muslim.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47I converted about 16 years ago.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Abdul, darling, try not to be running about the kitchen, yeah?
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Before I met Babu, I was a Catholic.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59So Babu introduced me to Islam.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00- Chicken Balti?- Yeah, yeah.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02We met through work.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05So we got to know each other, and then we grew from there.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08- That's done.- Are you sure?- Yeah.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13Roisin is very important to me, we've been together for a long time.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17I say to her before the marriage, "Look, I'm Muslim.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22"And we do fasting, we do pray five times salah."
0:05:23 > 0:05:26'He showed me how to pray, how to do wudhu,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28'and gradually I got interested in it.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32'And then I decided to become a Muslim.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36When I have problems I will pray
0:05:36 > 0:05:41and ask for guidance and it does help.
0:05:41 > 0:05:46Because, sometimes, you can't talk to people, so you talk to Allah and
0:05:46 > 0:05:47it sorts me out.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51- I haven't put the spices in or anything.- OK.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53- And four green peppers. - Yeah, I know.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57So, it didn't go down too well with the family.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59When I did tell my dad, he was, like,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01"Why are you turning into one of those?"
0:06:03 > 0:06:04Some chicken.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07I had to explain to him, "Listen,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10"I have children that will be brought up as Muslims,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13"and it's going to be quite hard, and quite confusing for the children."
0:06:13 > 0:06:17So I had to be a Muslim and he did find it hard.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20My mum was OK. Mum's easygoing.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23Some more rice.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25My sisters do find it a bit tough.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27But apart from that,
0:06:27 > 0:06:32from a few years ago, they're a lot more understanding now.
0:06:32 > 0:06:33IMAM RECITES FROM THE KORAN
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Anywhere you pray together, that's a mosque.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54So you could have a small room somewhere and you pray together.
0:06:54 > 0:06:55Allahu Akbar.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59The current premises, it's not fit for purpose.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02It's very small. It was purchased more than 20 years ago when the
0:07:02 > 0:07:05community was very small, only a couple of hundred.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Now the Muslim community are growing.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Luckily, just recently we have managed to buy a new premises.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19We need a place for everybody to come and integrate together.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23We need a place for people to come and learn about Islam.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29I originally come from Mosul.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34And the funny thing is, when I came to Belfast in 1990,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Mosul was very peaceful compared to Belfast.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Now it's the opposite.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43So Belfast is very peaceful, Mosul is not.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49When I wanted to study and do my Masters degree and PhD.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52And I visited many, many universities in the UK.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55I found Queens is the best in the subject I wanted to study.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01What I like about Belfast, you know,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04the funny things is the hole in the wall.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07When I came here I couldn't understand what they were talking about.
0:08:07 > 0:08:08Shut up and sit down!
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Excuse me, is there a Catholic in the room?
0:08:15 > 0:08:17But after living in Belfast
0:08:17 > 0:08:23I understand the culture and the conflict and everything that is going on in Belfast.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25I enjoy them. I enjoy the hole in the wall.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31There is lots of fear about Muslims.
0:08:31 > 0:08:32When you listen to the news,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36I don't blame people to be frightened of Islam, because they don't know.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39They only see the bad image of some Muslims.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43You can't judge Islam by Isis.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48They are extreme Muslims who are actually just saying, "We are Muslims,"
0:08:48 > 0:08:51but their actions have nothing to do with Islam,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53because the name of Islam is peace.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57There's extremists in all community,
0:08:57 > 0:09:01it doesn't matter whether it's Islam or Hindu or Christian or Jewish.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06Just in general, in all of Europe now, to be a Muslim is not easy.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11But the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland are welcoming and understanding.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Maybe it's better than anywhere else in Europe,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17because you have been through this.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19So they are more...
0:09:20 > 0:09:24..understanding of the Muslims' position at this moment in time.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34I am a typical Muslim dad, I'm not actually strict with my children.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36They do their own things.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39When prayer time comes I call them, it's time for prayer,
0:09:39 > 0:09:44so when I'm not in the home, they do their own prayer,
0:09:44 > 0:09:51you know, at the appropriate time.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52Wudhu is, like,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55it's washing your body and make sure you're clean enough.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02Before you pray it's compulsory, because if you don't do it, like,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05your prayer doesn't really count.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13My name is Ibrahim Rahman, and I am 11 years old.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17There's five prayers a day...
0:10:20 > 0:10:24..and they are all in different times.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28And when we're praying, like, you can't talk in it.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30But, like, you have to say stuff.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Like surahs and all that we've learned in our mosque.
0:10:34 > 0:10:35Allahu Akbar.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39IBRAHIM PRAYS
0:10:56 > 0:10:57We'll have these.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Because we are providing food in the month of Ramadan
0:11:02 > 0:11:05for more than 180 people each day,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07it's a big number, and this is a small place.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09However, we need to prepare.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12The month of Ramadan will be starting very soon.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16The holy month of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar, during the day,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18people are fasting,
0:11:18 > 0:11:23and that month is usually dedicated to extra good work.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Extra prayer, extra charity.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30Extra, you know, being kind to other people.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33So people go to the extra mile within this month.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36If you can see here, this is the donor list.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38For the main meal, which is...
0:11:40 > 0:11:44..£270, £275 a day.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49So if anyone wanted to sponsor a day, they would put their name here,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52and their contact number, and they would come to the office to pay.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55So you know sign as paid, OK,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59so this will be complete by the beginning of Ramadan.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05I enjoy cooking anyway.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07It's like a hobby.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10I'm used to it. I've been cooking for the last 20 years.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12For the mosque, anyway.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17I was actually from Bangladesh, Chittagong.
0:12:18 > 0:12:23In Arab countries, a custom to satisfy the guests,
0:12:23 > 0:12:27that's why I think a lot of our countries' people, 90% of people open the restaurant.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30That's the only thing they know they are good at.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Satisfying somebody else's desire.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35It's like we cook it, enjoying.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38And when you're eating and enjoying it, this is a pleasure to us.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Our customers prefer me in the kitchen,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47so that means you cannot be prisoner.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49You know, you have your own business,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51but at the same time you want to enjoy the life as well.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Spend quality time with the family.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57I think it's a time to step back,
0:12:57 > 0:12:59because the children are not getting any younger.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03They are growing, and they'll remember, "Oh, my daddy was always working.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05"And nobody gave us time."
0:13:05 > 0:13:08So I think this is the time, kids, pack your bags,
0:13:08 > 0:13:12let's go away and spend three months away from the business.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15My dad and the kids are all going to Bangladesh,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18so they'll be going for 11 weeks.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20So I'll just be managing the place.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25I'm 19, and I've been working with my dad since the age of 11.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29And then just really behind the tills and counters
0:13:29 > 0:13:31and then as I got older
0:13:31 > 0:13:35was when I was serving tables and greeting customers.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37She's faster there on the pricing.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40My brain is not functioning.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43'Working with family sometimes can be a bit challenging,'
0:13:43 > 0:13:45but, you know, it's mostly fine.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47He would do his own thing, I would do my own thing, and, you know,
0:13:47 > 0:13:49we've both got our own roles.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56I'd be the only one out of my friends group working, but I prefer to work,
0:13:56 > 0:14:00because I've grown up working and I actually prefer working than going out, to be honest.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02That sounds a bit sad, like, but you know.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Good girl. My beautiful girl.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09At what age do you start covering up?
0:14:09 > 0:14:14Hijab becomes compulsory after puberty.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19And so you just start teaching your child how to wear it at the age of seven,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24and then you start telling them that they should start wearing it at the age of ten,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28- and then it becomes compulsory after puberty.- Mama!
0:14:28 > 0:14:29I'm trying to get her into nursery,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32but unfortunately I was a bit late to apply for her.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34So maybe next year.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37It is really important for her to go to nursery,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39because I want her to communicate with people, you know.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Hannah's going to be bilingual, because we originally speak the Arabic language.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45And then we live in an English country,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48so she has to speak the language so she'll be able to communicate with people.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54What me and her dad have decided, that he speaks Arabic with her,
0:14:54 > 0:14:58and I speak English with her, and that's what actually happens.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12CALL TO PRAYER
0:15:13 > 0:15:18You start off breaking your fast with water or dates,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and after that you have fruit and then, like, now,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24everybody is getting, like, proper food.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30Fasting is good, it cleanses your body.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34It also gets you the experience of what's it like for other people who don't have food.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35How they deal with their day.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39It gets a wee bit hard.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43Like, see the first couple of days or so, it's pretty hard.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47But when you get used to it, it gets easier.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49And easier.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52You do worry, because there are children that do need food,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56but he's been coping really well.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59This is my, like, first time actually doing it.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02I've been waiting for this, for like, ages.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13This is a praying place.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16It's not a place where you want to meet a partner.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20There are some men who are really attractive to any woman,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24so standing beside a woman, praying beside a woman, can make him,
0:16:24 > 0:16:25instead of thinking about Allah
0:16:25 > 0:16:28and thinking about the prayers he's going to say,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32he's thinking about the woman he's praying right beside, you know.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35So I think that is the main reason,
0:16:35 > 0:16:39just to concentrate your prayers and pray properly to Allah.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45We pray first, and then, like, if you haven't seen a sister in a while,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49then you would go and talk, it's good to have a good wee catch up.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50It's good to socialise.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Right, I'm going to push together, you just pull the zip, all right?
0:16:56 > 0:16:57Pull it up.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00This is crazy. It's all starting to break.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04I'm a wee bit nervous, but very excited.
0:17:04 > 0:17:05Got it? Good lad.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07It's going to be a long journey.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Because we're going from the bus place to Dublin,
0:17:11 > 0:17:17and then from Dublin airport we're going to Turkey, which will take about,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20like, four to six hours or so.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23And then we'll be staying overnight,
0:17:23 > 0:17:28and then the next day we have to go at half five to Bangladesh.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30And Bangladesh is,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33like a seven- to eight-hour flight.
0:17:33 > 0:17:34So, yeah, a long trip.
0:17:40 > 0:17:45- Are you nervous now, coming...? - Yes.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51I think that the children will be more excited.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56They are going to spend time with the cousins and play with them.
0:17:56 > 0:17:57They are all similar ages.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00The same age as them.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01And they will learn some English,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05and they will learn... Exchange for the Bangla.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10I had a heart attack eight years ago.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17And then last year I was diagnosed with a cancer as well.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Since then I've decided, I think, we need to take it easy, you know.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26It's not all about the business, you know?
0:18:26 > 0:18:29When you actually are diagnosed with something like that,
0:18:29 > 0:18:31you know how important your family is.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Does anything happen to me...at least, you know, they remember me,
0:18:38 > 0:18:43to spend time with them, otherwise there'll be emptiness in their hearts.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47- I bet your heart is... - Yeah, it's like butterflies.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51- Have you got butterflies?- Yeah. I have butterflies...
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Do I look summery looking?
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Are you going to miss the Northern Ireland summer?
0:19:00 > 0:19:01No!
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Yeah, that's the one. We just leave it all here first.
0:19:23 > 0:19:29Well, today we are marking the end of Ramadan, and we call that Eid.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32The third pillar of Islam, which is fasting.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Well, unfortunately, the Islamic Centre is not big enough to hold large numbers of people,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41so we hire this hall, even this hall is not big enough.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44We are going to perform the prayer twice.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49This particular Eid is not actually for happiness,
0:19:49 > 0:19:55because to just two days ago there was a huge bomb in my home country, in Iraq.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57And more than 200 people was killed.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59That's breaking my heart.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02And we say, seven times, Allahu Akbar.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05My boys are nine, seven and five.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08You know, the beginning of today, they enjoyed it.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10We'll all go eat, then we'll go bowling.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Now they want to go somewhere else, and, you know,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17maybe get some fast food and enjoy the rest of the day.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Come on, there is a queue behind you.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22I am not supposed to do this job today,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25but because the other people are stuck in traffic
0:20:25 > 0:20:28I'm just... Suddenly I become in charge of it, somehow.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32- You want bowling?- Yes.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34You want two bowling?
0:20:36 > 0:20:42We are selling tickets for the activities, bowling or skating or Indiana Land
0:20:42 > 0:20:45We subsidise it. Because some people cannot afford to pay the full price,
0:20:45 > 0:20:50so we only charge them, you know, part of it, not the full price.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54Of course you have to pay. I pay for you, I pay for you.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57'It's become now tradition of the Muslims in Northern Ireland -
0:20:57 > 0:20:58'it's Eid, in the afternoon,'
0:20:58 > 0:21:00we go to the Dundonald Ice Bowl.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03It's become a tradition now.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Oh, I have lots of money, I can go to Barbados.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10- Is it enough?- I don't think so.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13- It's not enough yet.- Perhaps we can get you on the wing of the plane?
0:21:13 > 0:21:15I'll just go to Bangor, then.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23I have two wardrobes.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26This wardrobe here is for the clothes I go out with,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28which is my hijab, my abayas, and all.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30As a Muslim woman you don't have to wear niqab.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32All it says is modesty.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34A Muslim woman has to be modest.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Hijab is compulsory, so you would see all Muslim,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40or most Muslim woman wearing the hijab.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Obviously, different styles, different colours, different materials.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45So it's always different.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49This abaya here, I do like wearing this if I'm going to the park,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51if going out shopping, you know.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53It just feels relaxing.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57You know, it's a bit more sporty.
0:21:57 > 0:21:58I am educated.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01I studied English Arts.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04I know some people out there who would look at me and think,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07"Oh, she doesn't even know how to read and write."
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Do you think that covering,
0:22:14 > 0:22:19whether it's niqab or hijab, makes it harder for you to fit in to
0:22:19 > 0:22:20a non-Muslim country?
0:22:22 > 0:22:25To be honest, it's depends on your personality.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28My personality, as I think, is quite strong.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30I never feel embarrassed. I don't feel like I'm weird.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34I do get looks. I do get bad words said, people swearing at me,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37but I just ignore them, totally.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Or even if it's a question, I answer them politely if it is a polite question.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46- Welcome to Ireland.- Thank you. - Welcome.- Thank you.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50I believe 100% that my hijab and my scarf does protect me.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55So it's just to cover your beauty,
0:22:55 > 0:22:57keeping your beauty for only your husband.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03If I see a woman walking out there almost naked, obviously,
0:23:03 > 0:23:04this would attract men.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07And then that's how, you know, she's not protected.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09I think she is unprotected then.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Should men not learn to behave?
0:23:11 > 0:23:15Obviously. Obviously, and in Islam they are required to behave.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20It's compulsory for a man to lower his gaze and he gets punished if he
0:23:20 > 0:23:23looks at a woman in a bad way.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26But at the same time, you can't put it all on the men and tell them,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30"You have to lower your gaze. You shouldn't look. You shouldn't touch."
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Also the woman should be helpful,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36and she should cover herself to make it easier for him, you know.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Because it's the man's nature.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Do you think you need protecting from men?
0:23:43 > 0:23:44Yes, obviously.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49It's actually something that is so obvious, why are we running away from the reality?
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Not all men out there are really nice.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Can you see how some women would be upset
0:23:54 > 0:23:58and would see covering up as a backward step for women?
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Western people look at hijab in a different way than us.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06A Western woman would look at hijab, "Oh, the woman has her freedom,
0:24:06 > 0:24:11"now she's able to vote, she is able to go out, she's able to educate,
0:24:11 > 0:24:16"so she can actually be naked."
0:24:16 > 0:24:18We can see Playboy magazines,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21you can see a lot of, really about bad channels,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23the porn channels, whatever they are called.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28And they think this is freedom for a woman, when in Islam,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31we actually see the total opposite.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33What they are doing is they are going back.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36You're actually don't respect a woman when you're doing that.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40I don't see how the woman's freedom has to do with being covered or not.
0:24:40 > 0:24:41I've think people should be OK with it.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46Why force us not to wear hijab, and making us feel bad for wearing hijab.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49It's my free will to wearing hijab.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51To be honest, it's a bit confusing.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55I don't understand how they are saying, "Oh, a woman has her own free will,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58"the woman can do whatever she wants, and at the same time they are like,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01"Why are you covering? Why are men controlling you?"
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Men are not controlling us.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05I have my own opinion.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07I am covering because I like covering.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12I believe in covering. I think I'm getting more deeds, I think
0:25:12 > 0:25:14God is going to be much more happy with me when I cover.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16So why not?
0:25:20 > 0:25:23It's a small business, but there's a lot of things to do with it.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26You know, you've got about eight members of staff and then some people are
0:25:26 > 0:25:30wanting to take off, we need to find people to replace them.
0:25:30 > 0:25:31- Which one?- Table 10, it's already booked.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34If I need to be stern, I'll do it properly.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37You know, if someone's not doing something at a quick enough pace,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39then, yeah, I will put my foot down.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Why do you not wear hijab?
0:25:44 > 0:25:46I did wear hijab.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Yeah, I was about eight or nine.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50And I wore it up until I was about...
0:25:51 > 0:25:54..12.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56It was OK when I was in primary school,
0:25:56 > 0:26:00but when I went to secondary school people would call you things or look
0:26:00 > 0:26:04at you, or wouldn't want to team up with you in like a group activity.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08It was just, you were looked at as if you were something else,
0:26:08 > 0:26:09like you weren't human.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13And I remember coming home to my dad, I was first year,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16and I just broke down and I was really upset.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21And then I told my dad, please, I don't want to wear it any more.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24My dad said that's fine, at least you tried to wear it.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28I would like to wear it, and I've said after I married I would wear it,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30but now it's just knocked my confidence.
0:26:34 > 0:26:40Taking the kids to Bangladesh was good, bad, happy, exciting, all in one.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46That's in Chittagong.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50You know, and that's like we are going through the mountain, this road.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Tropical scenery, like Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam,
0:26:54 > 0:26:56they are pretty much the same.
0:26:58 > 0:27:04They got to meet relatives - aunties, uncles, their granny.
0:27:04 > 0:27:05Cousins.
0:27:06 > 0:27:07..Your lovely yellow dress.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12- Are you missing him? - Yes, it's embarrassing.
0:27:14 > 0:27:15There was some language barrier,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18but they come in the middle and we're communicating.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20We thought they are not communicating,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23but they seemed to be quite happy communicating.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28They got to actually see a different culture as well.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30How other country people live day-to-day.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36It was just really good for them to go there and experience the whole
0:27:36 > 0:27:39culture, where their dad comes from.
0:27:42 > 0:27:43That's delicious.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56When you walk into this room here,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00- you will have a nice big office space.- OK.- It will be like U-space.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04- So the majority of these walls will be all broken down.- OK.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09We got this week, the planning permission, for the new Islamic centre.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14We've been working on this project for the last five years,
0:28:14 > 0:28:19and this is the most important milestone in our journey of building
0:28:19 > 0:28:21a new Islamic centre in Northern Ireland.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25We are going to have a bigger place,
0:28:25 > 0:28:32and we'll have more areas for different cultural events and so on.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34We are very happy, excited.
0:28:34 > 0:28:35It's within our reach now.
0:28:42 > 0:28:47I would like to see people treating Islam fairly.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51Learning more about Islam, and I'm not telling people to convert to Islam,
0:28:51 > 0:28:53but at least know what Islam is.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Become friends with Muslims.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57Go to the Islamic centres.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01Just believe me, once you understand the real meaning of Islam,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04you will change your idea 100%.