Episode 1 Muslims Like Us


Episode 1

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This programme contains some strong language.

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On the surface, Britain's 2.7 million Muslims are united in faith.

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But behind closed doors in Muslim homes across the country...

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Damson jam and cream. Lovely.

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..there's a struggle to define what makes a good Muslim.

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Muslims judge each other too much.

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We kind of hold each other to these impossible standards,

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and it's not fair and it's not kind.

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I want the foundations of Islam laid out

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so that Muslims will be happy to say,

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"I am a fundamentalist Muslim."

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This religion is betrayed by the whole world, and especially

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by Muslims, because they are not applying it properly.

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Now ten Muslims from across Britain

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will live under one roof for ten days...

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I've never heard so much emphasis on Heaven and Hell.

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Don't tell me what I can talk about, go start with someone else.

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Can we ten people come together and understand each other?

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..to work out who embodies the spirit of Islam...

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We have huge amounts of racism and anti-blackness

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-in our communities, yes or no?

-I agree.

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We're so intellectually dishonest, we really struggle with looking

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at our own flaws and working on them.

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..what being a Muslim really means...

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When I say "Allahu Akbar",

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those are the best minutes of my life.

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-Another hug.

-HE LAUGHS

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..and how that fits with modern Britain.

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Muslims need to integrate more for their own sake,

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and that's an Islamic teaching.

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You must be where you are. Fully.

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-I'm a Muslim, in case you didn't know.

-Are you?

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-I'm part of the EDL...

-Oh, really? Give me a hug, then.

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I get why he was in Belmarsh.

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The city of York,

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founded by Romans,

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raided by Vikings, and rebuilt by William the Conqueror.

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Today, it's home to about 200,000 mainly white Britons,

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a population that's about to increase by ten.

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These Muslims,

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Shia and Sunni,

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Arab and Asian...

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Pakistani dress.

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..African and European.

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We need in this time to rediscover how to be human beings,

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because we're losing it.

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..have come together from across Britain to spend the next ten days

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living in one house,

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to work out what being part of the Muslim community really means.

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I'm scared that I'm going to walk in

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and Mr Sharia Law

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is going to see the hair and the heels, and attack.

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First to arrive is 27-year-old Mehreen,

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a schoolteacher from north London.

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Do you want your teabag in?

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Yes, please. You know my style.

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Growing up, I wasn't the most attractive child.

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I had a very, very big mono-brow

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and a moustache...

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and a beard.

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In year 10,

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I was allowed to remove my moustache and get my eyebrows done.

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And I actually looked pretty.

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A lot of Muslim people have a really warped view.

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They think that I'm the Muslim girl gone bad.

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But my religion is a very, very, very important part to me.

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I pray every single day.

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I'm your average, normal British Muslim person.

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They're in the majority, but our voice is the least heard.

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OK. And wait.

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What I am a little bit nervous about, so to speak,

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is the free mixing, obviously between males and females.

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Muhammad said that the best place

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for the woman is at the back row

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and the best place for the man is at the front row.

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Abdul Haq is a former professional boxer.

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Born Anthony Small and brought up in a Christian household,

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he converted to Islam 11 years ago.

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When it's lost, it means hellfire.

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He makes videos promoting his version of the faith

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and posts them online.

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Allah can command women to cover. No apologies.

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We must take heed of the separation between males and females,

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so I've got the evidence with me in paper form

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to give to the ten members of the house.

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Hi.

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It's nice to meet you.

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Nice to meet you, too.

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-What's your name, sorry?

-Abdul Haq.

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Abdul Haq. I'm Mehreen.

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-Nice to meet you, Mehreen. How are you?

-Like a submarine.

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I think I'll give you this to read,

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while you're sat there waiting, shall I?

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Ah, thank you.

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-Thank you very much.

-No problems. Alhamdulillah.

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Abdul Haq's evidence is a series of quotes

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he's taken from the Hadith, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.

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He's interpreted these to mean that unrelated men and women

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should not mix.

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Do you have any other handouts?

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-I have upstairs, just generally, but not at the moment...

-OK.

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-So the free-mixing one, you thought was the most important?

-Yeah.

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Obviously there's other issues that could arise, but from my

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point of view, the free mixing was something that affects all of us...

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-OK.

-..so I decided to address it first of all...

-OK.

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And do you hand these out at work?

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-I'm self-employed, so...

-Oh, right.

-I just work for...

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-What do you do?

-I'm an entrepreneur.

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Oh, right.

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Lovely.

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I mean, sometimes people who are religious can be quite zealous.

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Their way is the only way and is the right way,

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and if you're not a part of that, you're the wrong way.

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In fact, that's one of the very reasons I don't like to go

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into the religion, because it's too black and white,

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and life is full of many shades.

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Obviously after establishing the evidence,

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guidance comes from Allah...

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-Hey.

-Hello.

-Hello.

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-Nice to meet you.

-You too. What's your name?

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-Hi, Naila.

-Naila, good to meet you.

-Yeah, you too.

-I'm Mehreen.

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-Hiya.

-You smell lovely.

-Oh, thanks.

-Hi.

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-Hello.

-As-salaam-alaikum.

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Wa-alaikum-salaam. How are you doing?

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-I won't shake hands, but I'll give you that leaflet.

-Thank you.

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-OK.

-Abdul Haq.

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-Abdul Haq. Naila.

-OK.

-Hiya.

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OK...

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Abdul Haq also believes

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he should avoid making eye contact with women.

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I'll sit somewhere more comfortable, I think.

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-Yeah, I didn't really like the stools.

-Yeah.

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-Have you read that?

-Yeah.

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Yeah...

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-Hello.

-Hello.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you, too.

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-I'm Ferhan.

-Ferhan? Naila.

-Naila?

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-Hello.

-I'm Mehreen, like a submarine.

-Mehreen.

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I'm coming out of a

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sort of a stage in my life where I'm looking to settle down,

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have a family and I'm thinking,

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I wonder if there's a place for me in Islam.

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Sorry, can I... Not to be rude,

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I've given it to everyone so far,

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so I thought I'd give it to you just to be polite.

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As-salaam-alaikum.

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I hope it's nothing rude.

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THEY LAUGH

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How are you doing? Are you OK? I've just got this leaflet here.

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I am so old, I am old enough to be his mother.

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When the world is falling apart and people are being killed

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and fleeing for their lives, this is so pathetic.

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As the other Muslims arrive...

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-Hello.

-Would you like a chair?

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..and start to mix freely,

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Abdul Haq separates himself from the group.

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-Hi.

-What's your name?

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-Baraa.

-Where is this name from?

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-What do you think?

-I think Syria.

-Yes.

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-Hi, everyone.

-ALL: Hello.

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-As-salaam-alaikum.

-Wa-alaikum-salaam.

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-My name is Humaira.

-What's up?

-Hello. Ferhan.

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-Nabil.

-Evidence against free mixing. That's why I'm sat over there.

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It's all well and good praying five times a day and fasting,

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but it's also important to make sure that your neighbours love you,

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to make sure that you put a smile on people's faces.

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We are the only religion on Earth that believes that

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a smile is an act of charity.

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31-year-old British Nigerian Nabil lives in Croydon and is

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a stand-up comedian.

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It is a tough time to be English.

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Obviously, we just got booted out of the Euros by Iceland,

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voted out of Europe by people who shop at Iceland.

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LAUGHTER

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Recently, I have also started an organisation providing support

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and shelter for vulnerable homeless men.

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They're actually part of the same principle that I live my life by.

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If you see something that's wrong, you should change it with your hands

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and if you can't change it with your hands you should speak about it,

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and if you can do neither then feel the anger in your heart.

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These are Hadith from the Prophet Muhammad. As-salaam-alaikum.

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You guys have been great. As-salaam-alaikum.

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The group has been together for less than an hour...

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Where does it say in the Koran that mixing is not allowed?

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-Let me explain.

-It's a simple question. Does it exist, or not?

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We are talking about ABC Islam here.

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..and already they are queueing up to challenge Abdul Haq.

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I'll be honest, I have never seen anything like it.

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I've had someone who doesn't want to shake your hand.

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I've never had something where you are physically separating yourself,

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and you think that is a more appropriate distance

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than perhaps here or there.

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Nobody has assigned you in the group

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to decide what the way of God is.

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I have established the evidence.

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For me, I am free in front of Allah.

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Why did you choose to be here? Why did you choose to be here...

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-Let me finish.

-..with five other women,

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then bring us this and say we can't mix, we can't do this and that?

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To me, that's questionable.

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I am in two minds, right, because he says no free mixing.

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As far as I'm concerned,

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-as long as you're in this house, you're still free mixing.

-Exactly.

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However, we are taught, let there be a group

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from among you who go out

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and preach the haq.

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Now, if that's his expression of truth,

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then don't criticise him and tell him he's disrespecting you.

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You are disrespecting him. He didn't pull you to sit down with him.

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He sat down over there. So compromise. He is still talking.

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Abdul Haq, what would be comfortable for you in the house?

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-How do you see it working?

-There are two tables here.

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So why don't the sisters on that side, the brothers on this side?

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I don't want to do that. No way. I'm not going to do that.

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I think it is highly arrogant of you to want things just what

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-makes you happy.

-You asked my opinion, I've given you my reply.

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If you're all free mixing in here, I'll go out in the garden.

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Can I just hug you? Because everybody's being really hard.

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I am tough skinned.

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I think he's just a bit lost. All the quotations...

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Because, practically, what are we supposed to do?

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Am I supposed to cook and send him food and he eats somewhere else?

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I'm not doing that. There has to be some level of integration.

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Between me and you,

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this isn't even like a boy-man thing but they have a point.

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You knew there was going to be girls here.

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This is my first point...

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Before anything else,

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decisions need to be made about where everyone will be sleeping.

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It would be nice if brothers could be on one floor

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and sisters on another floor.

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-I think that's a great idea...

-She agrees with me.

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If it's possible with the way the house is set up.

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-Alhamdulillah.

-That would be great.

-We are not hardcore.

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I have got your bag. Put my mind at rest.

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We need to hurry so we can choose.

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-She is adamant she wants this room here.

-It is so cool.

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I think what she'd really like is to share a room with you.

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Astaghfirullah.

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HE LAUGHS

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I have no time for religion, I need a way of life.

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To be a Muslim means simply to take on certain practices which

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give your life a kind of support.

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It is like tomatoes on a trellis.

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Instead of flopping around on the ground, you're held up.

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-I call it the skeleton.

-You don't want to share a room with me?

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No, no, no. It's just that the sisters are quite...

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-They are fine, and we can have very interesting conversations.

-OK.

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It is not a shell, Muslims turn it into a shell,

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which is just...they become like a tortoise.

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Ideally, there would have been complete separate floors.

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It's funny how that happens to converts in particular.

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Yes, because they become overzealous.

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One, two...

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I am down to collect people and then everyone can...

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Yes, I just want to do as I am going to do. Two minutes.

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-Yeah.

-No pressure.

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HE PRAYS

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Ferhan is sharing with Mani.

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He is practising the azan,

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the call to announce each of the five daily prayers.

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-Perfect. Amazing.

-Was it OK?

-No, it was great.

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-It's quite emotional, actually.

-Let's have that as our azan.

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-You are perfect for it.

-I've never done it before.

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You are so good at it. You must have done that growing up?

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No, I haven't, not the azan part.

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You did it really well and you memorised it.

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-You've memorised it so well. Well done.

-Another hug.

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I think there's going to be lots of hugs here.

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I'm a very huggable person.

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-Absolutely. I think that is great.

-Exactly.

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Are we allowed to? Are you sure?

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Mani is 32 and lives with his mum in Manchester.

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He recently got married in Pakistan.

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My mum, my nana and my sister got together and thought,

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"We'll sort him out." I got a phone call,

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"You're getting married, by the way." "OK, really?

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"Thank you.

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"Boy or a girl?"

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I could get a lot of style tips off you.

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Of course.

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'She is a cousin of mine so even if the marriage doesn't work,

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'you'll still related, right?'

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You can still tag each other on Facebook.

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His wife is waiting to receive her visa

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before she can join him in England.

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Is a difficult having a wife but not having her around?

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The time I'm spending now talking to her over the phone, I think

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your husband-and-wife relation should be a friendship anyway.

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So, for that reason, I think it's worked out better.

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-Shall I do it from here?

-From this floor here.

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Where everyone else can hear it.

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I feel a bit special now because

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I'm going to obviously speak to him and I'm ready.

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-Are you going to join the prayer?

-No.

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Because I don't pray traditionally like that.

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Guys, Mani is going to do our azan.

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I write letters to God at night where I share what I want to share.

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I've got my own ways. I think there is space for everyone to find that.

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-Kaaba is this way, right?

-The Kaaba is that way, I believe.

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This way, wasn't it?

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First, they need to work out the correct direction for prayer.

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-I think it was this way.

-OK.

-So, I'll do it...

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Towards the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site in the city of Mecca.

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HE RECITES

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Mine's nicer. I'm joking.

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What does being a Muslim mean to you?

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To be a Muslim is someone who submits to God.

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We believe in one God,

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we worship one God

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and, by extension, we fear one God.

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Praying together...in my school, when we pray together,

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for me, it gives you a really, really magical feeling.

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I can't explain it, but it's a moment of peace.

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As I've got older, I feel like you need that time to get away

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from the world and the stresses,

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so, for me, now, it's more a form of meditation more than anything else.

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Right, I am joining.

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Having a connection with God, I feel spiritual when I do it and

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sometimes, I feel like moved emotionally by it.

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The word Muslim in Arabic comes from salam, Islam,

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peace, love and compassion.

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That's the way I see it and this is the way I think

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I should live my life.

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-NEWS REPORT:

-This was not a hi-tech attack, but the brutality

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and the banality of the method make it all the more terrifying.

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The previous night,

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a man drove a truck through a crowd of people in Nice killing 86.

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So-called Islamic State said it was a response to their call to action.

0:18:100:18:14

I am angry with the people that did it.

0:18:140:18:17

I'm angry with people that told them it was a good idea

0:18:170:18:20

but I am also angry with the people who will now victimise me for it,

0:18:200:18:24

angry with the people who think I need to explain those

0:18:240:18:27

people's actions, just angry all the way through.

0:18:270:18:30

-NEWS REPORT:

-The vehicle accelerated right into the middle of the crowd.

0:18:310:18:35

We are the face of terrorism for the world at large.

0:18:350:18:38

But we also see what they're doing in the West,

0:18:380:18:42

how they are treating countries and what they've done in the past

0:18:420:18:44

and that is not sexy to talk about.

0:18:440:18:47

'The police surrounded the car and he kept shooting him...'

0:18:470:18:51

It's the same cycle that happens again and again and again.

0:18:510:18:55

'Bodies were falling like skittles...'

0:18:550:18:58

Something is done in the name of Islam, Muslims are blamed,

0:18:580:19:01

there are reprisals attacks.

0:19:010:19:03

These reprisal attacks and Islamophobia in general is not

0:19:030:19:06

dealt with by our law enforcement and by government.

0:19:060:19:10

'Another saw parents throwing their children over fences...'

0:19:100:19:14

That catalyses radicalisation because people feel like they

0:19:140:19:17

aren't being heard, and when people feel like they're not being heard,

0:19:170:19:21

that leads to more violence.

0:19:210:19:24

So I am heartbroken...

0:19:260:19:28

..because they are human beings.

0:19:300:19:32

It doesn't matter what religion they are,

0:19:320:19:34

they are just human beings going about their business.

0:19:340:19:37

They're children. And we care about them.

0:19:370:19:41

We care about them.

0:19:410:19:43

And I think that the world at large does not see that.

0:19:430:19:47

They go, we're Muslims so we're cut off, and they tarnish everybody

0:19:470:19:51

with the same brush and they decide

0:19:510:19:53

that we're all bad, that we're heartless.

0:19:530:19:56

We're all affected by this.

0:19:560:19:57

I felt the pain for the Muslims who have been killed,

0:19:570:20:00

-that's what I felt.

-But why must we separate?

0:20:000:20:03

You don't think that Muslims lives are worth crying more tears, do you,

0:20:030:20:06

than non-Muslims? You just think they don't get enough recognition.

0:20:060:20:09

-Which we agree too.

-Of course, every life is sacred, but as a Muslim...

0:20:090:20:13

-Just stop there!

-Let him answer.

0:20:130:20:16

Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him,

0:20:160:20:18

said that Islam is superior and will never be surpassed.

0:20:180:20:21

Our communities are disgusting in many ways,

0:20:210:20:24

we have a huge amount of racism

0:20:240:20:25

-and anti-blackness in our communities. Yes or no?

-I agree.

0:20:250:20:28

We have huge issues with domestic violence

0:20:280:20:30

-and sexism in our communities, yes or no?

-I'm not aware of it.

0:20:300:20:33

So on what most basis are we best nation at the moment?

0:20:330:20:35

Exactly, we are still the best nation because we believe in Allah.

0:20:350:20:38

That's not enough me. I think there is more to it.

0:20:380:20:41

I simply cannot say, because I believe in a God,

0:20:410:20:43

that I am morally superior because of that.

0:20:430:20:46

-NAILA:

-I'm not waiting for the hellfire,

0:20:460:20:48

I want to live a decent life here and now.

0:20:480:20:50

Allah said he created us to worship him,

0:20:500:20:53

-not to just live a fun life.

-You deserve to eat too.

0:20:530:20:56

-I'm going to come...

-I'll give you a quote,

0:20:560:20:59

"For every human deserves to eat."

0:20:590:21:01

-Come on.

-Why do you think people are responding to you in this way?

0:21:010:21:04

People have their own opinions about what Islam is.

0:21:040:21:08

So, when they hear something contrary to this,

0:21:080:21:10

it's like, "You're telling me that what my father told me,

0:21:100:21:12

"what my grandfather told me

0:21:120:21:14

"and my mosque teacher told me is not true?"

0:21:140:21:16

Does anyone know whether vinegar is?

0:21:160:21:18

If people leave the room because I'm speaking from the divine text

0:21:180:21:22

and it doesn't sit with their own desires, then I am happy.

0:21:220:21:25

-I have got one.

-Thank you.

0:21:270:21:29

As the Hadith goes, don't harm yourself and don't harm others.

0:21:290:21:32

I've put it in the fridge.

0:21:320:21:34

Abdul Haq, a real cutie.

0:21:340:21:37

He's one of those Muslims, it seems like, who are quite

0:21:380:21:40

bogged down by the literal meaning of words and quotations.

0:21:400:21:44

Do you think you are not even allowed to try it?

0:21:440:21:47

Allah says, do they not know I will question him about everything?

0:21:470:21:50

He comes, says a statement,

0:21:500:21:52

quotes a verse or a Hadith and thinks it is right.

0:21:520:21:56

Islam has got nothing against culture,

0:21:560:21:58

as long as the culture doesn't disagree with Islam.

0:21:580:22:01

Scholarship is very poisonous and very dangerous medicine,

0:22:010:22:05

because it can give you the illusion of knowledge.

0:22:050:22:08

The great quality of the Muslim should be humility.

0:22:080:22:12

He was sitting by himself, I didn't want him to be lonely.

0:22:160:22:18

Earlier, he was about four metres away,

0:22:180:22:20

now you're a little bit closer, so...

0:22:200:22:22

It's the exact same difference, brother.

0:22:220:22:24

Did you bring your ruler to check?

0:22:240:22:26

How many metres does it become free mixing?

0:22:260:22:29

Allahu Alim.

0:22:290:22:31

The aspect of segregation is something that should be distinct.

0:22:310:22:35

-MEHREEN:

-Saying that, he smiles at me when he looks at me.

0:22:350:22:40

I wonder if he is married. I didn't ask. I should ask that.

0:22:430:22:47

Shoulder chin.

0:23:050:23:07

-Morning.

-You look so good.

0:23:070:23:10

Mehreen has received a religious leaflet.

0:23:100:23:14

-Who gave you that?

-Abdul Haq.

0:23:140:23:16

Abdul Haq has given me a leaflet on how to wear the jilbaab correctly,

0:23:160:23:24

and it says it's based on clear-cut evidences

0:23:240:23:27

and not open to interpretation.

0:23:270:23:30

The jilbaab is a floor-length gown that loosely covers

0:23:300:23:34

the whole body.

0:23:340:23:36

-ABDUL HAQ:

-A Muslim woman should cover her hair.

0:23:360:23:39

She should dress modestly, not showing all of her ornaments,

0:23:390:23:44

the shape of her body,

0:23:440:23:46

the best way to say is obviously the shape of her body.

0:23:460:23:49

Tear it up and fling it in the bin.

0:23:490:23:51

-Round one, fight.

-Abdul Haq. You give me space to talk.

0:23:510:23:56

Why are you sitting here drinking your water and not helping us

0:23:560:23:59

in the kitchen? It is serving the people is a higher level.

0:23:590:24:03

This is not representing Islam.

0:24:030:24:04

I am older than you, you should listen to me.

0:24:040:24:06

-I'm leaving this conversation.

-You don't work, you sit and dictate.

0:24:060:24:09

-What you're doing is not Islam.

-You sit and dictate.

0:24:090:24:12

You are giving people the impression that's all right.

0:24:120:24:15

Your actions are very rude and abrupt and I'm going to leave.

0:24:150:24:17

You're talking about yourself when you say that.

0:24:170:24:20

You're talking about yourself.

0:24:200:24:21

To come in and insult us by doing this at us when you're only...

0:24:210:24:25

You were in diapers when I said Shahadah, probably.

0:24:250:24:28

He hadn't even become a Muslim probably.

0:24:280:24:30

It gets too much, and he's done that ever since he got here.

0:24:300:24:34

Why doesn't he, instead of doing all that, go in the sink and clean up,

0:24:340:24:37

clean up all this mess here which he was party to create?

0:24:370:24:40

It gives a bad impression of Islam,

0:24:400:24:42

the very impression that is so prevalent, that this is what men do.

0:24:420:24:45

They go, "Vrh-vrh-vrh!"

0:24:450:24:47

and the women have to wear this black hideous thing

0:24:470:24:49

and that's the Sunnah.

0:24:490:24:51

I'd much prefer if he was just a complete arsehole

0:24:530:24:57

and someone who was making me angry and making me want to fight,

0:24:570:25:01

but because throughout the first day

0:25:010:25:03

I probably dealt with him the calmest and the nicest,

0:25:030:25:07

and I was the most forgiving -

0:25:070:25:08

I gave you water, I gave you your food

0:25:080:25:11

and I make sure I lowered my gaze while I handed you your food,

0:25:110:25:13

and then that whole time, you've been sitting there thinking,

0:25:130:25:17

"I've got to give her this leaflet, I've got to give her this leaflet."

0:25:170:25:20

That's made me feel let down.

0:25:200:25:23

I was really going out of my way to care for him.

0:25:230:25:27

Is it more important to look like a Muslim or feel like a Muslim?

0:25:280:25:32

My mother is the most pious person I have ever come across.

0:25:320:25:38

She doesn't wear a hijab.

0:25:380:25:40

-And they think that's who a Muslim woman is.

-Yeah.

0:25:400:25:43

Not stylish women, like us.

0:25:430:25:44

No, Muslim women aren't allowed to be stylish.

0:25:440:25:47

At 16 you had to cover your legs.

0:25:470:25:50

We wore a pyjama-legging-type thing.

0:25:500:25:52

You can't drink, you can't go out with boys -

0:25:520:25:55

and if you went out with a boy, that would make you a prostitute.

0:25:550:26:00

I wear it predominantly as an act of worship.

0:26:000:26:02

Your hijab is about haya -

0:26:020:26:04

remembering about modesty, in Islam, is for both men and women.

0:26:040:26:07

What that looks like now is very different

0:26:070:26:11

to what would have been in 7th-century Arabia.

0:26:110:26:13

All of the Muslims have come to the house

0:26:150:26:17

to show how they bring Islam into their daily lives.

0:26:170:26:21

For one of them,

0:26:220:26:23

this means overcoming one of the biggest cultural taboos of all.

0:26:230:26:28

Growing up, I didn't particularly desire any relationship with a girl.

0:26:280:26:32

What I desired was a relationship

0:26:320:26:34

with, you know, a nice boy.

0:26:340:26:37

Ferhan is from Glasgow, and now lives in London.

0:26:400:26:43

I'm here with my bears.

0:26:430:26:45

We have a group called Bearminton.

0:26:450:26:46

Mostly it attracts guys that are bears, which is...

0:26:460:26:50

they have beards, they're big and hairy, and they like to have fun.

0:26:500:26:55

My dad had mentioned that he wasn't fond of gay people at all.

0:26:550:26:58

My mum struggled to understand what that meant for the future.

0:26:580:27:01

My mum and dad do want to see me married,

0:27:010:27:03

but it's hard to explain that that might not happen

0:27:030:27:06

in the traditional way.

0:27:060:27:08

He's decided to tell the group he's gay...

0:27:090:27:11

while they're having breakfast.

0:27:110:27:13

I am scared about people's opinions,

0:27:130:27:16

and what they'll say.

0:27:160:27:17

This is something you can't change.

0:27:180:27:20

It's in your fitra.

0:27:200:27:22

ALL CHATTER

0:27:220:27:24

Abdul, come and take a seat.

0:27:240:27:26

I just have an announcement to make.

0:27:260:27:28

It's something that, er, you may or may not have already picked up on.

0:27:280:27:32

It's something I've sort of struggled with,

0:27:320:27:34

and it's part of the reason I kind of felt ostracised from my culture,

0:27:340:27:37

but now I'm realising I didn't have to feel

0:27:370:27:39

ostracised by my faith, necessarily.

0:27:390:27:42

And it feels quite, erm,

0:27:420:27:44

difficult to kind of share it with you right now,

0:27:440:27:46

but you might already know,

0:27:460:27:48

you might already have picked up on it.

0:27:480:27:49

I mean, does anyone want to hazard a guess

0:27:490:27:52

as to what I might be talking about?

0:27:520:27:54

You're gay.

0:27:540:27:55

HE LAUGHS

0:27:550:27:56

Yeah. No, I am gay. Today, my friends are coming over.

0:27:560:27:59

-They're a couple, a gay couple.

-Mm.

0:27:590:28:02

And I'm just looking forward to you meeting them all,

0:28:020:28:05

and I hope you'd make them feel welcome.

0:28:050:28:07

Can I just ask you, when you say you're gay,

0:28:070:28:09

do you believe that, Islamically, you're allowed to be gay?

0:28:090:28:12

-Well, so, that's the thing, so...

-No...

0:28:120:28:14

..culturally, I've been ostracised for being gay,

0:28:140:28:17

but now that I'm coming back into my faith,

0:28:170:28:19

it's because I've realised

0:28:190:28:21

that actually being gay and being Muslim

0:28:210:28:23

are not mutually exclusive things.

0:28:230:28:25

From my point of view, that takes you out the whole of Islam,

0:28:250:28:28

cos that is so against the divine texts.

0:28:280:28:29

-This is how God designed me.

-This is so clear...

0:28:290:28:32

It's written in my fitra, which is my nature.

0:28:320:28:34

-Yeah, fair enough.

-I've established the evidence,

0:28:340:28:36

I've got nothing more to say.

0:28:360:28:37

I'm not arguing. You... Lakum deenukum waliya deen -

0:28:370:28:40

to you is your religion and to me is my religion.

0:28:400:28:42

Yeah, he... I haven't seen him that angry.

0:28:420:28:44

No-one has a right to tell you that you're not a Muslim,

0:28:440:28:47

because you're calling yourself a Muslim,

0:28:470:28:49

and if they think you're doing something haram,

0:28:490:28:51

I'm showing my hair, I'm sure THAT'S haram.

0:28:510:28:53

I've been to a club, I'm sure THAT'S haram.

0:28:530:28:55

So, am I not a Muslim either?

0:28:550:28:57

-Are you... Are you OK?

-I...

-Can I speak to you? Come on.

-Yeah.

0:29:050:29:09

I said, "Do you believe you are allowed, Islamically, to be gay?"

0:29:130:29:16

and he said yes.

0:29:160:29:17

What's Allah going to say to him on the Day of Judgment?

0:29:170:29:20

Obviously we've always known.

0:29:200:29:21

We've never discussed it, but it was kind of...

0:29:210:29:23

No. I'll tell you why I didn't know. The reason I didn't know

0:29:230:29:26

was because the first conversation I had with him

0:29:260:29:28

was that he was looking for a wife.

0:29:280:29:30

You laugh! That's the...

0:29:300:29:32

I mean, that's the first conversation he had with me,

0:29:320:29:34

is that he was looking for a wife.

0:29:340:29:36

Nah, nah...

0:29:390:29:40

I mean...

0:29:410:29:43

Bismillah.

0:29:440:29:45

HE LAUGHS

0:29:480:29:50

He told me he was looking for a wife, brother.

0:29:520:29:54

What do you want me to do?

0:29:540:29:57

He said, "I'm looking for a wife," innit?

0:29:570:29:59

Alhamdulillah.

0:30:000:30:02

He might be the most outspoken,

0:30:020:30:04

but Abdul Haq is not the only one in the group

0:30:040:30:07

struggling to accept Ferhan's claim that it's OK to be gay and Muslim.

0:30:070:30:13

Is being homosexual something biological, natural, genetic?

0:30:130:30:18

I should question it first.

0:30:180:30:19

'Obviously I don't have a problem with Ferhan at all,

0:30:190:30:22

'but, when asked, "Is it allowed in Islam to be gay?" '

0:30:220:30:25

I wouldn't want him to say it is allowed in Islam YET,

0:30:250:30:28

until we can make 100% proof of science -

0:30:280:30:31

if it was a scientific, biological thing or not.

0:30:310:30:34

I remember Ferhan told us that he was raised with his mother

0:30:340:30:38

and three sisters, which is a female environment -

0:30:380:30:40

I can't say that it's 100% psychological,

0:30:400:30:42

but this could be one of the reasons - and it was proven.

0:30:420:30:45

I don't think that it's something

0:30:450:30:47

that we shouldn't be taking in consideration.

0:30:470:30:49

Male homosexuality is much more of an issue than female one, actually.

0:30:490:30:55

Female homosexuality is...

0:30:550:30:57

They can't actually do it, physically, you know?

0:30:570:30:59

Men, the penetrating capacity is with the man,

0:30:590:31:03

and I feel that's why it's more of an issue.

0:31:030:31:07

-Hello!

-Hello!

0:31:070:31:09

-So good to see you!

-OK!

0:31:090:31:11

In my view, the procreative fluid is flowing

0:31:110:31:15

towards the wrong organs, you know?

0:31:150:31:18

Where Saba and Baraa take issue with Abdul Haq

0:31:190:31:23

is how he makes his argument.

0:31:230:31:25

They way you're revealing your thoughts is very harmful for Islam.

0:31:250:31:28

Stop, stop - by saying that homosexuality is not allowed

0:31:280:31:31

in Islam, I'm harming Islam?!

0:31:310:31:32

-Are you a qualified alim?

-It doesn't take a qualified alim...

-It does.

0:31:320:31:35

-..to say that homosexuality isn't allowed.

-It does.

0:31:350:31:38

It takes a qualified alim to say that homosexuality isn't allowed?

0:31:380:31:40

-No, it takes...

-Do you think homosexuality is allowed in Islam?

0:31:400:31:43

No. Do you think it's allowed in Islam?

0:31:430:31:45

But that isn't the question.

0:31:450:31:46

What you do in private, whether it's drinking...

0:31:460:31:49

And he's come out in public...

0:31:490:31:50

So, you're just going to go whack, like that?

0:31:500:31:53

You mentioned about private, but he's come out in public...

0:31:530:31:55

-It's not the Islamic way.

-I tell you what happens in life -

0:31:550:31:58

when people can't attack the message, they attack the messenger.

0:31:580:32:01

The same thing happened to all the prophets.

0:32:010:32:03

You are still guilty...

0:32:030:32:04

-Hi, everyone!

-Hello, Ferhan, how are you?

0:32:040:32:06

-I'm good.

-Give me a hug, my friend.

0:32:060:32:08

-ABDUL HAQ:

-I'm not really comfortable

0:32:080:32:10

being around a homosexual.

0:32:100:32:11

That's probably just my Afro-Caribbean background.

0:32:110:32:14

So, how do you guys all know Ferhan? Like, how did you guys all meet?

0:32:140:32:17

-We played rugby together.

-Oh!

-Yeah.

0:32:170:32:19

-Played rugby for a gay team in London.

-Ooh.

0:32:190:32:23

-Gay inclusive, that's what...

-Yeah.

0:32:230:32:25

Because they're not only gay people, a gay man playing,

0:32:250:32:27

-but also straight men. Like, a few.

-Yeah, a few.

0:32:270:32:30

-NABIL:

-It wasn't really an issue for me. You live and let live, no?

0:32:300:32:34

But what do I know? I'm not a scholar or anything. That's just...

0:32:340:32:37

When in doubt, don't be a dick.

0:32:370:32:38

That's what I go to every single time.

0:32:380:32:40

-Lovely.

-Let's have a toast to our friendship...

-Oh, lovely.

0:32:400:32:43

Thank you for having us.

0:32:430:32:45

Yeah, thank you for being so hospitable. Thanks.

0:32:450:32:47

-Thanks very much.

-Cheers.

0:32:470:32:50

A lot of people probably would have already guessed anyway,

0:32:540:32:57

but to actually formally kind of say it,

0:32:570:32:59

it's quite a big step.

0:32:590:33:01

It's not one that someone from my culture often does make.

0:33:010:33:04

I think it's really, really important to be visible,

0:33:060:33:09

otherwise you reach the state of denial

0:33:090:33:11

that sort of exists within my culture.

0:33:110:33:13

If you leave that unchecked,

0:33:150:33:16

it can just lead to some really, really dark situations, I think.

0:33:160:33:20

I think that the Muslim community drowns in shame.

0:33:230:33:28

So, when I was growing up, I saw a lot of hypocrisy around me,

0:33:290:33:34

a lot of two-faced behaviours,

0:33:340:33:36

by the very people who were, you know, preaching Islam.

0:33:360:33:41

There isn't the conversations to allow people to open up

0:33:430:33:47

and to live normal, healthy lives.

0:33:470:33:49

They put on fronts.

0:33:490:33:50

I think that that's the consequence

0:33:500:33:53

of that kind of repressed way of living.

0:33:530:33:56

-FERHAN:

-I mean, marriage is one of the most visual aspects

0:33:580:34:01

of that, I think, and that's why

0:34:010:34:03

being gay seems like it's an attack on faith, but it's not.

0:34:030:34:07

Naila, are you a good Muslim?

0:34:110:34:13

Hah! I don't know what a good Muslim is.

0:34:130:34:17

I don't really think about whether I'm a good Muslim or not.

0:34:170:34:20

I'm a...a normal Muslim. I have my days.

0:34:200:34:24

There have been moments where I've struggled with my faith,

0:34:240:34:26

and I've questioned.

0:34:260:34:28

According to how a good Muslim is defined,

0:34:290:34:32

I would very much fall in the bad Muslim category.

0:34:320:34:35

If you think there should be a greater emphasis on your inside...

0:34:380:34:42

..Is kind and considerate of all people...

0:34:420:34:45

..I think I'm doing a pretty decent job.

0:34:450:34:47

..I fall into a good human being.

0:34:470:34:49

The role of the Muslims living amongst non-Muslims

0:34:560:34:59

is one of spreading the message - the one of da'wah,

0:34:590:35:02

calling and inviting people to embrace al-Islam.

0:35:020:35:05

Abdul Haq has decided to perform da'wah - preaching Islam -

0:35:060:35:11

on the streets of York,

0:35:110:35:13

and wants the rest of the house to help.

0:35:130:35:15

That would be really fun - I like a dawat.

0:35:160:35:18

Da'wah.

0:35:180:35:19

Oh, da'wah? Oh, I don't know...

0:35:190:35:21

-Dawat is when you throw a big dinner, I love those.

-No, no, no.

0:35:210:35:25

-Oh, it's different! Oh, right.

-Da'wah is...

-I got excited.

0:35:250:35:27

It's invitation towards the Islamic side of things, if that makes sense.

0:35:270:35:31

OK.

0:35:310:35:32

-He's going to give us some lectures and Hadith, so...

-OK, OK.

0:35:320:35:36

OK, that'll be good. That'll give us some context.

0:35:360:35:39

I find it incumbent upon myself to call people to embrace Islam

0:35:410:35:45

to save themselves from the hellfire,

0:35:450:35:47

to accept God as the Creator, the one who gives life and takes.

0:35:470:35:50

Here's the leaflets - a general call to al-Islam,

0:35:500:35:53

which is Why Should I Bother Embracing Islam?

0:35:530:35:55

Obviously the problems in society

0:35:550:35:57

and the Islamic solution to those problems.

0:35:570:35:59

What Sharia Law Is, that word that people are scared of,

0:35:590:36:02

and the final one, What Is The Islamic State?

0:36:020:36:04

-Well, I'm out.

-OK.

-So, I won't be coming. I'll just tell you that.

0:36:040:36:07

-No problem, that's fine.

-I'm trying to separate these leaflets

0:36:070:36:10

into things I think have inaccuracies

0:36:100:36:11

-and things I think are just wrong.

-OK.

-So, I won't be coming with you.

0:36:110:36:15

I won't be coming with you.

0:36:150:36:16

There is so much humanity in Islam which, I'm sorry to say,

0:36:160:36:20

is not coming through you.

0:36:200:36:21

For that reason, I'm out.

0:36:210:36:23

-MIMICS AL PACINO:

-The people like you

0:36:250:36:27

need people like me,

0:36:270:36:29

so you can point your fingers and say, "That's the bad guy."

0:36:290:36:33

What film's that from?

0:36:330:36:34

Scarface!

0:36:340:36:35

The lessons we're taking from that film

0:36:350:36:37

is the man came to live the American Dream,

0:36:370:36:40

but what was his end? Did he find happiness?

0:36:400:36:42

In that same scene I mentioned, what's he saying?

0:36:420:36:45

He said, "Is this what it is?"

0:36:450:36:46

I didn't make the sahabas just sahabas just for the sake of it.

0:36:460:36:49

'And how many people are like that?

0:36:490:36:51

'Cos they reached the point in their life,

0:36:510:36:53

'like Scarface, Al Pacino,'

0:36:530:36:55

"Is this it? What else is there?"

0:36:550:36:57

As a Muslim, we know this is not it.

0:36:570:36:59

-MIMICS AL PACINO:

-OK, you want to play rough?

0:37:010:37:03

You want to go to war? I'll take you to war, man.

0:37:030:37:06

Say hello to my little friend!

0:37:060:37:08

Yeah, if we just turn right, and then left...

0:37:150:37:17

# You say you want a revolution

0:37:170:37:21

# Well, you know

0:37:210:37:25

# We all want to change the world... #

0:37:250:37:28

What's the worst that can happen?

0:37:280:37:29

Oi, don't answer that!

0:37:290:37:31

Learn about Islam today, don't delay.

0:37:310:37:33

Save yourself from the hellfire.

0:37:330:37:34

Learn about Islam. We invite you to al-Islam.

0:37:340:37:37

Learn about Islam, we invite you to Islam.

0:37:370:37:40

There you go, take it. Have a nice day, yeah?

0:37:400:37:42

# ..But when you talk about destruction... #

0:37:440:37:48

I looked at just what's on the outside of the flyers.

0:37:480:37:51

They all seem to have that whole "under an Islamic State",

0:37:510:37:54

and because I am not comfortable with the ideology,

0:37:540:37:56

I think I might have to leave.

0:37:560:37:58

Embrace Islam today, don't delay. Save yourself from... You sure?

0:37:580:38:01

As a Muslim, I reject human rights.

0:38:010:38:02

-Human rights are letting you hand out that.

-No...

0:38:020:38:05

-FERHAN:

-Adult shop!

0:38:070:38:08

Why don't you go in and ask them,

0:38:080:38:09

"Can I have a halal vibrator, please?"

0:38:090:38:12

So, we look to the sharia and an Islamic State...

0:38:140:38:16

-Do you know what a bear is?

-No.

-You are one, my friend!

0:38:160:38:19

I hate to break it to you. You're a bear!

0:38:190:38:21

The one who commits fornication, they get the death sentence, also.

0:38:210:38:24

Homosexuality is an abomination.

0:38:240:38:26

I was born gay.

0:38:260:38:27

-I love hugs.

-I can tell you do!

0:38:300:38:33

-It's the best form of saying something without saying it.

-Totes.

0:38:340:38:39

Islam is the prevention for that.

0:38:390:38:41

Learn about Islam, we invite you to Islam.

0:38:410:38:44

The call to Islam is here.

0:38:440:38:46

Is it OK, in your religion,

0:38:460:38:49

for me to maybe wear my top up here, like this?

0:38:490:38:53

Maybe like that?

0:38:530:38:55

Learn about Islam, we invite you to Islam.

0:38:560:38:58

Is that OK?

0:38:580:39:00

If I walked around the streets like that?

0:39:000:39:04

I will not look you in the eye.

0:39:040:39:05

I feel you're treating me less than a man.

0:39:050:39:07

I have looked at you, in fact, but not too much.

0:39:070:39:10

Yeah.

0:39:100:39:12

Oh, it's good to see some positivity.

0:39:120:39:14

It's just about the way, man.

0:39:140:39:16

Learn about Islam, we invite you to Islam.

0:39:160:39:19

You sure? No probs. Have a nice day, anyway.

0:39:190:39:22

-ZOHRA:

-I think all of those leaflets were talking rubbish.

0:39:220:39:25

They were factually incorrect, and they were rubbish.

0:39:250:39:27

I can't even smile about it. They were just rubbish.

0:39:270:39:30

We invite you to Islam, the call to Islam is here.

0:39:300:39:32

Learn about Islam today.

0:39:320:39:34

-HUMAIRA:

-I would not trust the sources of Abdul's information

0:39:340:39:37

in the slightest.

0:39:370:39:38

At best, it's coming from people who are incredibly misinformed...

0:39:380:39:41

Learn about Islam, we invite you to Islam.

0:39:410:39:43

..and at worst, it's coming from people who have, you know,

0:39:430:39:46

very malicious intentions and are violent people.

0:39:460:39:49

Learn about Islam, we invite you to Islam.

0:39:490:39:51

No probs, have a nice day.

0:39:510:39:52

If you imagine you are Abdul, and you have this ideology,

0:39:520:39:56

and this ideology is saving you, it will save your life.

0:39:560:39:58

There's a challenge to that

0:39:580:40:00

that means that actually maybe you have a doubt about that -

0:40:000:40:02

you lose a lot, psychologically,

0:40:020:40:04

and so I don't know what's underneath that,

0:40:040:40:06

I'm not going to claim to know him at all,

0:40:060:40:08

but I can see why he's holding on to it really, really strongly.

0:40:080:40:13

Tell us about where you grew up.

0:40:150:40:17

What was it like when you were growing up?

0:40:170:40:19

Growing up, I had something called little man syndrome -

0:40:190:40:21

especially with the name Anthony Small!

0:40:210:40:24

I went to secondary school in the same area

0:40:240:40:27

where Stephen Lawrence was murdered.

0:40:270:40:29

We were being chased after school by members of the National Front.

0:40:290:40:33

It must've been Nabil tying this one up, innit?!

0:40:330:40:35

'A close friend of mine presented a book to me

0:40:350:40:37

'called An Illustrated Guide To al-Islam.'

0:40:370:40:39

When I embraced Islam, it felt like I had the ultimate purpose to life.

0:40:390:40:43

-You think today was good?

-Yeah, masha'Allah. Very good day.

0:40:430:40:46

-How did you feel about it?

-It was good.

0:40:460:40:47

'Muhammad said, "The peak of our religion

0:40:470:40:50

' "is to love and hate for the sake of God." '

0:40:500:40:52

I know of an individual who was killed in Pakistan.

0:40:550:40:58

Another individual who was killed in Syria

0:41:010:41:04

by an American drone.

0:41:040:41:06

It brought happiness to my heart,

0:41:080:41:10

because, Islamically, the one who's killed for his belief system

0:41:100:41:13

is considered a martyr.

0:41:130:41:15

Abdul Haq's views have brought him to the attention

0:41:150:41:18

of the British security services.

0:41:180:41:21

In 2014, the Home Office confiscated his passport.

0:41:210:41:25

He obtained a false one.

0:41:260:41:27

Why did you forge your passport?

0:41:290:41:31

Because it was incumbent upon me to leave the country.

0:41:310:41:34

-Why?

-For personal reasons. Someone in my...

0:41:360:41:40

One of my family members was in a really bad situation.

0:41:400:41:43

The police didn't believe him.

0:41:470:41:48

He was accused of trying to join so-called Islamic State in Syria.

0:41:480:41:53

I spent nine months inside of Belmarsh on remand.

0:41:530:41:57

I stood trial at the Old Bailey,

0:41:570:41:59

and I was found not guilty, and I left from the Old Bailey...

0:41:590:42:02

through the front door.

0:42:020:42:04

In a black cab.

0:42:040:42:06

Would you go to Syria today if you had your passport?

0:42:080:42:11

I would go to Syria.

0:42:110:42:12

I have no leaflets, I have no evidence, but I guarantee you

0:42:160:42:19

a good time.

0:42:190:42:21

Naila has planned a night out.

0:42:210:42:23

For light relief, to have a laugh, we are going to karaoke tonight.

0:42:230:42:28

Oh, my God! So good.

0:42:280:42:31

Are you going to come?

0:42:310:42:32

It's not necessarily my thing but I'm not against it either.

0:42:320:42:36

Are you scared to have fun with us?

0:42:360:42:38

You're a married man and you're going to look like you're

0:42:380:42:40

having too much fun.

0:42:400:42:42

-For me, it's not...

-It's...fun.

0:42:420:42:47

I wouldn't want my wife out with guys

0:42:470:42:50

that aren't from our family doing that.

0:42:500:42:52

And I wouldn't do that either.

0:42:520:42:54

So, tonight, guys, we're going out to do karaoke.

0:42:540:43:00

Thank you so much, really. Just in time. You're a star, man.

0:43:010:43:05

Muhammad said that music is the handiwork of the Shay'taan,

0:43:050:43:10

and just to go out

0:43:100:43:12

for the sake of entertainment and dancing obviously

0:43:120:43:14

is not something that I would agree with at all.

0:43:140:43:16

-You are more than welcome.

-Cheers. No problems.

0:43:160:43:19

I'm of the opinion that music is forbidden,

0:43:190:43:22

at least the type of music that you would get in a pub.

0:43:220:43:24

But I think it's important for me to go so that people realise

0:43:240:43:28

that I'm a human and I'm not always a representative of my religion.

0:43:280:43:32

Don't laugh at me but my favourite kind of music is country music.

0:43:320:43:37

I like Bob Dylan, you know, the sort of protest singers like that.

0:43:370:43:41

I'm surprised that Nabil's not coming because I know Nabil

0:43:420:43:46

very much does listen to music.

0:43:460:43:47

I'm familiar with Metallica.

0:43:470:43:49

Tell me about your favourite Metallica songs,

0:43:490:43:52

or your favourite songs generally?

0:43:520:43:54

They're not my favourites any more because music is haram.

0:43:540:43:57

Favourite country singer is Dolly Parton. She is my role model.

0:43:570:44:00

I think she's a fantastic example of "don't judge a book by its cover".

0:44:000:44:05

I can imagine Mani doing a bit of I Will Survive.

0:44:050:44:10

Or It's Raining Men.

0:44:120:44:15

MAN SINGS

0:44:150:44:17

Tonight, I think with Naila, for example,

0:44:200:44:22

I'd love to just sit down and have a cocktail.

0:44:220:44:25

That would be a great thing to do.

0:44:250:44:27

But I'm a bit apprehensive about talking too openly about drinking,

0:44:270:44:30

simply because my mother really disapproves of alcohol...

0:44:300:44:33

quite strongly.

0:44:330:44:35

She's never touched a drop in her life

0:44:350:44:37

and she's be very disappointed to know that I've tried it.

0:44:370:44:41

Very much so.

0:44:410:44:43

THEY CHATTER

0:44:470:44:48

# What they're going to say

0:44:550:44:59

# Let the storm rage on... #

0:44:590:45:03

# Do you know what you started?

0:45:030:45:05

# I just came here to party

0:45:050:45:07

# And now we're rockin' on the dance floor, acting naughty

0:45:070:45:10

# Your hands around my waist

0:45:100:45:13

# Just let the music play

0:45:130:45:15

# We're hand in hand, chest to chest and now we're face-to-face... #

0:45:150:45:18

I was very restricted by the religion.

0:45:180:45:21

"Don't do this, don't do that. This means this, this means that."

0:45:210:45:25

I felt the Muslim god, as I was exposed to,

0:45:250:45:28

was a very punishing god.

0:45:280:45:31

There was a lot to be guilty and ashamed of.

0:45:310:45:33

# Weren't you the one who tried to break me with desire?

0:45:330:45:36

# Did you think I'd crumble?

0:45:360:45:38

# Did you think I'd lay down and die? #

0:45:380:45:40

That's not exclusive to Islam.

0:45:400:45:42

Wherever you've got religion,

0:45:420:45:44

you've got mass control and you find a way to humiliate people.

0:45:440:45:50

# I will survive

0:45:520:45:54

# I will survive... #

0:45:540:45:56

You condition them enough and they will humiliate themselves

0:45:560:46:01

in the privacy of their minds.

0:46:010:46:03

# You're beautiful

0:46:030:46:05

# You're beautiful

0:46:060:46:08

# You're beautiful, it's true. #

0:46:090:46:11

CHEERING

0:46:140:46:16

It was so much fun. It was exactly what we needed, in fact.

0:46:160:46:20

I think it was such a nice release from all the tension

0:46:200:46:24

of the last couple of days.

0:46:240:46:26

# You're beautiful

0:46:260:46:28

# You're beautiful, it's true. #

0:46:280:46:32

My religion doesn't say,

0:46:320:46:33

"Don't smile or you will burn in the hellfire."

0:46:330:46:37

Even Abdul Haq has a laugh when girls aren't around.

0:46:370:46:41

I'm Baraa. Nice to meet you, mate.

0:46:410:46:44

While the others head home, Syrian-born student Baraa

0:46:440:46:48

has stopped to chat to one of the locals.

0:46:480:46:50

-What's all this about?

-This is a TV show about Muslims in the UK.

0:46:500:46:55

-I'm a Muslim, in case you didn't know.

-Oh, yeah?

0:46:550:46:57

-I'm part of the EDL.

-Wow, really?

-I run with the EDL.

0:46:570:47:00

-Give me a hug, then.

-No.

-Give me a hug.

0:47:000:47:03

-Come on, give me a hug.

-English Defence League.

0:47:030:47:05

I know EDL, man.

0:47:050:47:07

You've never marched with them, so you don't know.

0:47:070:47:09

You are the very first EDL person I've met in person.

0:47:090:47:11

I'm really, really interested.

0:47:110:47:13

Tell me any misconception, any wrong information.

0:47:130:47:16

I'm not prepared to disclose nothing about the EDL.

0:47:160:47:19

Just tell me anything you have about anything you think might be wrong

0:47:190:47:23

or anything you'd like to know from me.

0:47:230:47:25

-I'm really interested.

-Isis, formed by Muslims.

0:47:250:47:28

-OK, fair play...

-Terror.

-Yeah.

0:47:280:47:31

You talk about World War III, World War III's already started.

0:47:320:47:35

I'll tell you something,

0:47:350:47:37

I'm a person and I'm a Muslim, I lived all my life in Syria.

0:47:370:47:40

Believe me, I promise you, I can do anything to make you

0:47:400:47:42

believe that I hate Isis as much as you do.

0:47:420:47:45

I know EDL and I've heard a lot about them and their activities but

0:47:450:47:49

I want you to know I'm on your side. I'm not coming here to spread Islam.

0:47:490:47:53

I'm not coming here to take people's jobs or scare them or take

0:47:530:47:56

the British colony, take over. I'm not here to do anything.

0:47:560:48:00

I came here to do my Masters, I came here to enjoy my time and

0:48:000:48:03

to meet interesting people like you who can understand

0:48:030:48:05

and give me a chance to speak.

0:48:050:48:07

Some people don't even want to give me a chance to speak.

0:48:070:48:09

They're just, "Fuck off, you're fucking Muslim."

0:48:090:48:11

No, that's not the case, man.

0:48:110:48:13

I'm your brother. Look, we are the same, aren't we?

0:48:130:48:15

We are the same, right?

0:48:150:48:17

-Leave it be. Goodnight.

-Goodnight, mate. Enjoy your time.

0:48:180:48:22

'I think he represents the mentality

0:48:230:48:25

'that doesn't really accept foreigners,

0:48:250:48:28

'doesn't really accept people from different cultures.'

0:48:280:48:31

I think it was thought-provoking for him.

0:48:310:48:34

That's why he waved his hand and he said goodbye,

0:48:340:48:36

otherwise he would have just turned his back and left.

0:48:360:48:38

But he was kind of thinking or processing things or... Yeah.

0:48:380:48:42

Elated at his first encounter with the EDL,

0:48:430:48:46

Baraa has returned home to share the story.

0:48:460:48:50

Guess who I just spoken to now when we were coming back home.

0:48:500:48:53

Somebody you gave da'wah to earlier today.

0:48:530:48:55

No, somebody who I gave da'wah to in another way.

0:48:550:48:57

But guess from which views he holds.

0:48:570:49:01

-Was he a Muslim?

-No.

0:49:010:49:02

-Left wing, right wing...

-Yes, the second one. EDL.

0:49:020:49:06

-So you just bumped into an EDL guy?

-He asked me a couple of questions.

0:49:060:49:10

I told him it's about Islam and then he smiled and said, "I'm EDL."

0:49:100:49:14

I said, "Oh, really? Come give me a hug."

0:49:140:49:16

It was the very first EDL person I've seen in person, live.

0:49:160:49:19

Have you spoken to EDL before?

0:49:190:49:21

Yeah, but my interaction with the EDL are different from you

0:49:210:49:24

and I don't think I would stand and smile or laugh with anybody

0:49:240:49:27

that belongs to the party that's responsible for the amount of

0:49:270:49:30

attacks on Muslims and mosques that the EDL are responsible for.

0:49:300:49:34

I wouldn't hug or shake hands with an EDL member.

0:49:340:49:36

-Do you want to include them all in one label?

-Are you mad?

0:49:360:49:40

-Do you actually know what the EDL is?

-I know the EDL...

0:49:400:49:42

It's not a few of them have racist views and most of them are good.

0:49:420:49:48

The party is founded on the principle of Islamophobic

0:49:480:49:53

and xenophobic views.

0:49:530:49:55

These guys are bigots and you shouldn't be

0:49:550:49:58

proud that you just hugged

0:49:580:50:00

an EDL guy who told you he was from the EDL.

0:50:000:50:02

-I was excited, not proud.

-Why would you be excited to hug an EDL member?

0:50:020:50:06

You could have challenged him on his views.

0:50:060:50:08

You could have done something there but instead you wanted to be

0:50:080:50:10

-his buddy.

-No, no, no, I swear not.

0:50:100:50:12

Can I just cut in? Sorry to be rude, but this is the result of

0:50:120:50:16

when you go around trying to make Islam pleasing to everyone.

0:50:160:50:19

You don't know how to stand against those who are enemies to Islam.

0:50:190:50:22

You just treat everyone the same.

0:50:220:50:23

You could have asked him, "OK, you're in the EDL.

0:50:230:50:25

"You're a fascist party. You attack and you harass innocent people.

0:50:250:50:29

"If you keep attacking young Muslims,

0:50:290:50:31

"if you keep harassing young Muslims

0:50:310:50:33

"and desecrating mosques, people will get angry and want revenge."

0:50:330:50:36

That's why we have the problem that we have.

0:50:360:50:38

These guys are part of the cycle of radicalisation.

0:50:380:50:40

But he came to this party because he is misled, he's misinformed,

0:50:400:50:44

he's an idiot. I made him provoke his thoughts.

0:50:440:50:47

How? By telling him that you hate Isis and hugging him.

0:50:470:50:49

OK, I was wrong. Thank you for correcting me.

0:50:490:50:51

I'll try my best to be better.

0:50:510:50:53

You're welcome. You want to high five me and hug me too,

0:50:530:50:55

or is that reserved for fascists?

0:50:550:50:57

I'm not liberate enough to hug you and high five you.

0:50:570:50:59

-That's relieving.

-Thank you.

0:50:590:51:01

Every time my wife is out, if she's even ten minutes late and her

0:51:060:51:10

phone doesn't ring, I start to get scared.

0:51:100:51:12

So many stories don't make it to the news.

0:51:140:51:16

One of my relatives got punched in the face after Lee Rigby.

0:51:170:51:21

Someone tried to attack my wife in front of me.

0:51:210:51:24

It was the Irish before and now it's us.

0:51:240:51:27

As-salaam-alaikum.

0:51:370:51:39

-You might be wondering why we're up early in the morning.

-Yeah.

0:51:390:51:42

So, a lot of you might know what I do for a living.

0:51:420:51:45

I co-founded a non-profit organisation,

0:51:450:51:48

and through this organisation we give support and shelter to

0:51:480:51:51

vulnerable homeless people.

0:51:510:51:53

We will be going to a soup kitchen and we will be cooking for

0:51:530:51:56

over 100 homeless people.

0:51:560:51:59

Masha'Allah.

0:51:590:52:00

I don't care what religious views you have. We do God's work first.

0:52:040:52:08

When I say God's work, not literally creating or anything like that.

0:52:090:52:13

LAUGHTER

0:52:130:52:15

Let's first just do the good, Inshallah.

0:52:150:52:17

-We welcome it.

-Thank you.

0:52:170:52:19

For the first time, everyone's putting their differences aside

0:52:230:52:27

and joining in together.

0:52:270:52:29

To me that is what a good Muslim is.

0:52:290:52:32

Nobody can be perfect,

0:52:320:52:33

but what you can be is a person that tries their best in every

0:52:330:52:37

single situation to be the best person they can be to others.

0:52:370:52:41

And that's Islam in a nutshell for me.

0:52:410:52:43

Whatever else they may disagree on,

0:52:450:52:48

all Muslims understand the importance of charity.

0:52:480:52:51

Nabil has brought the group to a soup kitchen

0:52:530:52:56

at the back of a church in Leeds.

0:52:560:52:58

Alhamdulillah.

0:52:580:53:00

Abdul Haq was showing me photos of his family.

0:53:000:53:03

He was just washing up in the sink next to me and I said, "I'm coming,"

0:53:040:53:08

and he didn't move.

0:53:080:53:10

Would your life have been a lot better if you lived in

0:53:130:53:16

a society where alcohol wasn't allowed?

0:53:160:53:19

I think it would be a lot healthier.

0:53:210:53:23

So Smirnoff, Tennant's, Strongbow have agreed to pay tax

0:53:230:53:26

to the government. The government is saying,

0:53:260:53:28

"If I'm getting money out of this,

0:53:280:53:30

"no matter what it does to society, then let it be."

0:53:300:53:33

-That is the straight bigger picture there.

-Exactly.

0:53:330:53:36

It's a bizarre sight, seeing them all around the table bonding.

0:53:360:53:40

-You wouldn't ever think you'd see a sight like that.

-No.

0:53:400:53:43

God is going to say, "I will save you from the hellfire."

0:53:430:53:45

Do you see the importance of being a Muslim?

0:53:450:53:47

I would rather we just let them find out that all the people that did

0:53:470:53:50

this for us were Muslims.

0:53:500:53:52

That is more, I think, than "Hey, convert now! Have some soup."

0:53:520:53:57

You know what I mean?

0:53:570:53:58

Thank you, God, for the food that you have given us and thank you,

0:53:580:54:01

God, for bringing these great people to our doors and providing us

0:54:010:54:05

-with this beautiful curry.

-It's been a pleasure.

-Amen.

0:54:050:54:07

-Hiya!

-Are you doing seconds or no?

-I think we can.

-Yes.

0:54:110:54:14

Food is gorgeous.

0:54:140:54:16

I think the best da'wah is that which touches your heart naturally.

0:54:180:54:23

Just a reminder, you know,

0:54:230:54:25

we complain when our food isn't nice enough.

0:54:250:54:28

Enjoy your meal.

0:54:280:54:30

But these people don't have anywhere to eat but here.

0:54:300:54:33

And what makes it worse is that they are the lucky ones, you know?

0:54:330:54:36

-I ate it all.

-Did you go for seconds?

-No.

0:54:450:54:49

I haven't started yet, so you take this,

0:54:490:54:51

I'll get more for myself.

0:54:510:54:53

What are you doing today?

0:54:550:54:58

One of my friends, so the guy over there, he has the charity

0:54:580:55:03

where he goes and helps people in trouble, homeless people, etc.

0:55:030:55:07

So he asked us all to come along today to help him cook.

0:55:070:55:11

It's the influx of economic migrants coming to our country, yeah?

0:55:110:55:16

Taking our places. Why am I on the streets?

0:55:160:55:18

I shouldn't be on the streets.

0:55:180:55:20

Do you think you're on the streets because of immigrants?

0:55:200:55:22

Partly because of myself but also due to lack of housing spaces.

0:55:220:55:27

I've seen the face of Leeds change completely.

0:55:270:55:31

-What do you mean?

-Like, Polish shops all over.

0:55:310:55:34

A lot of Asians in Leeds that do help.

0:55:340:55:38

OK, so we don't have a problem with the Asians?

0:55:380:55:41

Asians have got a problem with themselves.

0:55:410:55:44

Because a lot of people now, right,

0:55:440:55:45

look at young Asian lads as groomers and rapists and stuff like that.

0:55:450:55:51

When you're done we need help at the back here. We're just cleaning.

0:55:510:55:55

I don't want to stop the conversation.

0:55:550:55:56

It was nice to meet you. I'm Asian but I'm definitely not a groomer.

0:55:580:56:02

If it wasn't for immigrants I wouldn't be here today

0:56:020:56:05

and if I wasn't here today,

0:56:050:56:07

you wouldn't have a glass of milk to make you feel better.

0:56:070:56:09

So that makes me a little bit sad, but nonetheless, I've got to go

0:56:090:56:12

and help in the back. It was lovely to meet both of you.

0:56:120:56:16

We didn't mean any offence. We were just speaking openly.

0:56:160:56:20

-I'll see you later.

-See you.

0:56:200:56:21

It was a surprisingly good day.

0:56:290:56:31

I think it's the first day no-one's objected and everybody got involved.

0:56:310:56:36

It is a big part of our faith, charity and whatnot.

0:56:360:56:40

Really, what kind of an arsehole would you have to be to not

0:56:410:56:43

want to feed the homeless, you know?

0:56:430:56:46

I think this has been really positive for my faith.

0:56:490:56:51

Because I'm in the middle and I constantly have to give

0:56:510:56:54

that third radical-moderate opinion,

0:56:540:56:57

I think that's kind of ignited the intellectual passion that I had.

0:56:570:57:01

Allah!

0:57:010:57:04

I went away from being religious nearly 30 years ago.

0:57:040:57:09

I'm surprised that 30 years down the line the younger generation

0:57:090:57:13

has still got lots of hang-ups, and then it's got more extreme,

0:57:130:57:17

so it's like, oh, it's even worse.

0:57:170:57:19

I've been very surprised at the degrees of how people

0:57:220:57:26

understand the religion of Islam.

0:57:260:57:28

I'm not sure the majority of people in this house would say,

0:57:280:57:30

"I am a practising Muslim."

0:57:300:57:32

You speak to them, "I'm on my own road, I'm on my own journey."

0:57:320:57:35

They don't want to hear what Allah has got to say and what

0:57:350:57:38

the Prophet has got to say.

0:57:380:57:39

I've got such a soft spot for Abdul Haq.

0:57:400:57:43

You can tell a nasty man from a mile away

0:57:430:57:45

and Abdul Haq is not a nasty man. He's a messed-up man.

0:57:450:57:50

I just can't accept he's a monster and turn away from him.

0:57:500:57:55

-Next time, talk turns to identity...

-I come from a Shia background.

0:58:030:58:08

If someone says, "I'm a Shia," they are kuffar.

0:58:080:58:12

-Five-star, grade A kuffar.

-What does that mean?

0:58:120:58:14

-That means they're going to go to the hellfire.

-Holy Moley.

0:58:140:58:16

..Britishness...

0:58:160:58:18

British values for me, colonialism, institutional racism,

0:58:180:58:21

theft and genocide.

0:58:210:58:23

-..and race.

-For God's sake, listen to me.

0:58:230:58:26

You told me not to mention my experiences.

0:58:260:58:28

-The race thing.

-The race thing.

0:58:280:58:30

The majority of racist abuse I've ever taken in my life

0:58:300:58:33

has been from other Muslims.

0:58:330:58:35

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