British Muslim Magazine - Autumn / Winter 2016

british

www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

muslim Autumn/Winter edition 2016 ÂŁ2.99

m a g a z i n e

Escape to a Retreat in Southern Spain

Wellbeing Special

An Escape to Ireland

Honeymooning in Vietnam

The British Heritage Centre

Spring Wedding ideas plus much more 1

ISSN 2056-3159

9 772056 315001

Credited Shutterstock.com

The City of Nottingham

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Editor’s Letter Assalamu Alaykum I hope we are keeping well and looking forward to 2016, hopefully looking forward to the snow, or keeping cosy indoors for those of you that don’t.

Contents Volume 1 issue 3

Features

We have been looking at winter holidays and new year retreats to visit during 2016, with the weather being so unpredictable especially in the UK and with the events of Paris recently, it’s tricky trying to find safe and suitable holiday destinations.

We pay a regional visit to the cultural city of Nottinghamshire in this issue and have included a historical indepth feature about “The Reign of Magna Carter” Page (18). We have taken a trip to experience a serene Sufi Retreat in the mountains of Southern Spain (Pages 22).

Again, our focus is on British heritage sites to visit and for this issue we have actually found The British Heritage Centre and find out what it has to offer. There is a glorious world of Islamic Arts and Culture (see the Performing Arts interview on Khayaal Theatre page 44). Following on from the last issue I am exceptionally happy to feature a key piece about the voices of Young Muslims in Britain and also in celebrating women with creativity we talked to the ‘Pearls of Islam’ a group of an inspiring female nasheed artists.

We will be looking at increasing the wellbeing content and have handpicked essential topics about the benefits of honey and the importance of sleep which people often forget about.

As promised, we have incorporated a special on dossier on weddings and you will continue to see this section full of new and creative wedding ideas and honeymoon destinations. (See an Escape to Galgorm, Ireland (page 83) and The Beauty of Phu Choc Island Vietnam (page 86) Finally, not to forget, The team behind Desi Mag and The British Muslim Magazine were honoured to be voted ‘The best up and coming website/blog 2015’ at The Pakistani Music and Media Awards in September, (page 62). So thank you for all your support and wishing you all a blessed and prosperous new year.

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Meditating in the Mountains of Spain

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The British Muslim Heritage Centre On average five hundred people attend the Friday prayers

By Tahira Khan (Editor)

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The reign of Magna Carta 2015 marks the anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta

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Personal experience A Spiritual Enlightening Retreat in Southern Spain

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Nottinghamshire: A Place of Medieval Charm

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Murder Mystery Tours A growing trend

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Artist Interview:

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The best source of quality raw honey

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Get frozen Discover luxury ski adventures in the French Alps for all the family

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sleep talk The average person spends a third of their life sleeping

The Pearls of Islam

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Bee my honey

Truthful encounters with Muslims of Britain I asked her one day how do you wear a scarf on your head

Holiday Shopping A must have list of the essentials to the quirky fun items

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Cruising on the high seas an ideal way to unwind, relax and visit new places.

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downton abbey Locations used in the series are proving to be extremely popular with visitors

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Q&A with Khayaal Theatre A form of entertainment that is orientated around Islamic wisdom and literature.

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Preseli Ventures

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british

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Pakistani Music & Media awards

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The Nawaabs experience All-you-can-eat buffets always bring out the fat kid in me

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Where to Go in 2016 the experts have gazed into their crystal globes to foresee new hotspots

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Creative and Inspiring Wedding Ideas We explore some quirky and fun wedding concepts of Glamping.

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Spring Woodland Weddings

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British Muslim Magazine is published by Syed PR

Email: info@britishmuslim-magazine.com OR info@syedpr.com

British Muslim Magazine provides inspiration and advice for Muslims in Britain looking for unforgettable and luxurious travel experiences, the Muslim history and heritage to food, fashion and style.

Editor Tahira Khan Writers Tahira Khan, Angela Youngman, Huma Baig, Omar Shahid Design Carl Morris Publisher Syed PR Commercial Director Natasha Syed Advertising Manager Shumaela Syed Digital Production Manager Dene Conway Digital Marketing Coordinator Cherie Ann Conway

We’ve all been swept away in a land of fantasy Managing Director Muk Rajah Events Director Abbas Syed Subscription Manager Safi Khan

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The Beauty of Phu Quoc Island- Vietnam

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Wedding shopping Whether it’s a wedding gift or some quirky little touches for the big day!

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City Wedding Venues The Ballroom features gold interiors

Printed in England by CBF Group, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Subscriptions Email: subscription@britishmuslim-magazine.com British Muslim Magazine is a quarterly publication Published by Desimag LTD in London, United Kingdom

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An escape to Galgorm

© Syed PR All rights reserved.

I was greeted by Paul who collected me in a white range rover

The information found in British Muslim Magazine is published in good faith. However you are strongly advised to check prices, dates and opening times before making final arrangements.

Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission of the publishers.

The opinions expressed by contributors to British Muslim Magazine are not necessary those of the publisher.

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Nottinghamshire

A place of medieval charm

Whenever you think of Nottinghamshire,

the rich and gave to the poor, helping

one image immediately comes to mind.

people against the evil King John and

This is the man who is forever linked

Guy of Gisborne, Sheriff of Nottingham,

with the great forests of Sherwood, and

is one which has captured people’s

of battles around Nottingham Castle –

attention over many years. Countless

Robin Hood. This medieval outlaw clad

films have been made, including one

in Lincoln Green, wielding a bow is the

by Disney in which all the characters

perennial image of this Midlands county.

were portrayed as cartoon animals. The stories of Robin Hood and his Merrie

No one knows if he really existed or

Men, such as Little John, Friar Tuck

whether the legend is a conglomeration

and Will Scarlet are etched into English

of many different characters, spread

culture, and recognised globally as a

over the years. What is certain is that

result of all the films that have been

the story of this outlaw, who robbed

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made.

the Sherwood Forest Nature Reserve

basis in truth, for this is the largest

near Ollerton. Pathways lead between

Oak tree in England. The inside of

When exploring Nottinghamshire,

trees and open glades. Children

the trunk is completely hollow, and it

there are many fantastic places to

invariably chase around pretending

measures 2m in diameter. The tree has

visit, where this story comes vividly

to be Robin Hood. In the centre of

a circumference of 10 metres and its

to life. By far the most atmospheric

the reserve is The Major Oak (also

branches spread out over 85 metres

is Sherwood Forest itself. This forest

known as the Thieves Oak). According

of ground. The lower branches are

once stretched for miles from the edge

to the old stories, this was where

now so heavy and so large that they

of Nottingham, almost up to Yorkshire,

Robin hid to escape from the Sheriff

have to be propped up. Walking along

spanning more than 100,000 acres of

of Nottingham. It was also the site

the forest paths, away from the Major

trees and heathland. Large remnants

of one of the regular meeting places

Oak, it is easy to imagine Robin Hood

still remain, allowing visitors to

for Robin Hood and his Merrie Men.

striding through the greenwood.

experience what it must have been like

Such legends could well have some

back in Medieval times especially in

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In August, there is an annual Robin Hood Festival, which attracts people from far and wide. You can watch knights jousting in a grassy arena; follow in the footsteps of Robin Hood around the park; enjoy period music and stories; watch a falconry display; try your hand at archery, whilst encountering strolling players and medieval characters.

The Saturday evening festival show is always a sell out, and highly entertaining. When I took my kids, there were fireeaters, musicians, medieval comedies, dancers and much more. It was bright, breezy, and incredibly atmospheric, especially when darkness fell and the shadowy figures of ‘outlaws’ began to clamber around the roofs of the adjacent buildings and trees in an attempt to defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham.

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Nottinghamshire

Not far away in the village of Edwinstowe, within walking distance of the Major Oak. According to legend, Robin Hood and his beloved lady, Maid Marian, were wed at the church door in the village. A bronze statue of Robin and Maid Marian can be seen in the high street.

Elsewhere within the boundaries of old Sherwood Forest, you can explore the beauties of Thieves Wood, which has many Robin Hood connections. It is said that Robin Hood met Friar Tuck in Fountaindale, receiving a ducking in the stream during the encounter. Likewise Robin and Little John fought on a bridge over the stream.

Nottingham is the largest city within the county and during Robin Hood’s time it would have been surrounded by Sherwood Forest. The castle is still very much the centrepiece of the town, standing high on a sandstone ridge. Much of the castle was rebuilt in the eighteenth century, but you can still see remnants of the great walls that surrounded it. Nottingham Castle was the favourite home of Prince John (before he became King of England) and was also the headquarters of the Sheriff of Nottingham. In 1194, Richard the www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

Lionheart reclaimed the castle from his brother, Prince John, by storming the castle walls.

One of the most fascinating features of the castle lies below ground. The mound is a honeycomb of passageways and tunnels. It is said that these tunnels were used by Robin Hood to get in and out of the castle without being seen. Today, you can book tours of the tunnels travelling from the top of the mound down to street level.

Fascinating and sometimes gruesome tales are told along the way, for this was also the dismal prison of King David of Scotland and the Earl of Mortimer.

Close to the exit of the tunnels is ‘Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem’ pub.

This is one of the oldest taverns in the country, having stood there since 1189. Unusually some of the rooms are actually built into the rock itself.

The Galleries of Justice Museum, Nottingham, bear witness to what would have happened if anyone had successfully captured Robin Hood. Based in the former Shire Hall building, there is a fascinating exhibition about the Robin Hood legend, and film memorabilia.

Wait for a pre-booked tour to start and enjoy the repartee between

Robin Hood and the Sheriff within a Victorian courtroom, then explore the dismal stories of prisoners and the transportation that occurred during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Yet Nottinghamshire is much more than just Robin Hood. It is a county with a long history and some little known gems. At the far end of the county, almost into Derbyshire, lies Cresswell Crags. A nature reserve in a limestone gorge set around a lake, it houses some very unexpected secrets that are worth exploring.

Numerous caves are hidden in the rock. Thousands of years ago, during the time of the last Ice Age, hunters used to travel to these caves and here they have left an indelible reminder of their existence. It was only in 2003 that archaeologists discovered Britain’s only known Ice Age rock art hidden in one of the caves; this includes hand paintings and depictions of animals. Access to the caves is only via guided tour – hard hats and head torches are needed, for this is a cold, dark environment with uneven floors and low ceilings. According to legend, another famous inhabitant of these caves was Robin Hood – who used it as a place to take shelter.

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Housing of a different kind can be seen at Worksop where Mr Straw’s House shows how an ordinary family would have lived during the mid twentieth century. Mr Straw was a grocer who moved here in 1920. The family never threw anything away and chose to live without updating the house in any form. The small rooms are just as their owners left them, with treasured possessions and domestic items on display.

Just on the edge of the Sherwood Forest Visitor centre is Clumber Park. Owned by the National Trust it is a massive estate covering 3,800 acres. A walker’s dream, it is full of pathways through woods and open land perfect for exploration. There are other unusual features too.

The Walled Garden is a blaze of colour all summer and if you explore the ground near the lake, you can trace out the site of what was once a great house owned by the Duke of Newcastle. Also

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hidden in the landscape are the signs of Winston Churchill’s WW2 prototype weapon known as Nellie. A network of ditches was constructed within the park to test out a massive 77-foot long hybrid tank, which never actually went into production. Churchill came up to see the trials for himself.

Further south in Nottingham is Wollaton Hall, an Elizabethan House set in beautiful grounds and parkland. Anyone who has seen the 2012 Batman film Dark Knight Rises may find it a little familiar, as this was the building used as the setting for Wayne Manor. Apart from exploring the mansion and deer park, other facilities on site include a Natural History Museum and an Industrial Museum.

Nottingham is also home to a sporting legendary duo – ice dancing champions Torvill and Dean. The ice-rink in the south of the city was where they

began their training and spent hours every day perfecting their routines. Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean grew up in Nottingham. A small display at the ice rink bears witness to their stunning skill as it contains the purple costumes that the couple wore when they gained those magical ‘6’s’ marking total perfection in their chosen sport.

The Great Central Railway of Nottingham is one place that should not be missed by any visitor. Heritage trains, including steam trains, regularly run on the 10 mile track through the beautiful Midlands scenery, all the way to Loughborough. The station at Ruddington, near Nottingham, contains a pretty display of model railways and a collection of buses.

Murder mystery train rides are held at intervals throughout the year with opening scenes of the mystery played out on the station at Loughborough prior to more events taking place en route.

There is a further claim to fame at Ruddington. This is the site of a unique collection of restored cottages and workshops focusing on the hosiery industry, which was once so strong in this area. You can try knitting on a nineteenth century sock machine, and watch live demonstrations of craft skills.

The collection of hosiery is now over 200 years old and has some exquisite examples. Set around a garden courtyard, it is a pleasant place to stroll and relax.

Yet as the nearby Southwell Workhouse indicates, for many people during those years, life was very harsh. If you were poor and had no source of income, the workhouse became the only option. Southwell Workhouse is the most complete workhouse still in existence and shows just how hard life would have been. The harsh regime used at Southwell became a blueprint for workhouses throughout the country. Families were split up, children taken from their parents, even husbands and

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wives had to stay totally separate hardly ever seeing each other. It was a non stop daily grind of mind numbing tasks, such as picking oakum and doing the laundry.

The rooms are bleak and cold, whitewashed, echoing and empty.

Listen to the audio trail as you go round and the terrible stories of the people who lived there are brought vividly to life. Living history days are held at periodic intervals throughout the year, with costumed re-enactors carrying out tasks and living just as people would have done over a hundred years ago.

On a lighter note, Southwell is where the very first Bramley Apple grew. The original tree still bears fruit annually in a private garden within the town. The story goes that a local girl named Mary Ann Brailsford planted some apple pips in the family garden. The house was later sold to Matthew Bramley The trees grew and flourished, giving spectacular crops. A local grower sought permission to

take cuttings and grow the trees commercially. Permission was granted as long as the trees bore the Bramley name. Bramley Trail leaflets are available from the tourist information centre in the town, enabling visitors to discover the places associated with this doyen of British apples.

Every year in October, a special Bramley Festival is held, which attracts visitors from all over the world. There are opportunities to taste fruit and apple related products, discover the Bramley Apple heritage, and see crafts people at work. It is quite simply everything Bramley related from photography to baking.

Nottinghamshire is a county of contrasts: from ice age cave paintings to Robin Hood; hidden Second World War history to a legendary outlaw, combined with stunning forests and countryside – there is truly something for everyone.

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The British Muslim Heritage Centre We have a huge problem with the accessibility of local Mosques for the budding British Muslim generation. In some areas the leaders from Mosques are employed from abroad whilst some other leaders are of a different generation that have had a completely different upbringing. Not that there is a problem with either of them, the problem lays where the leader cannot understand, envisage or empathise with the difficulties young British Muslims face nowadays. In effect, this means the youngsters draw away from the secure social network of Muslims and more towards the temptations of modern day living. We all want our children to be doctors and engineers but how many parents will happily encourage their children to become Imams at mosques? An Imam is not only a leader of the communal prayer; he is the promoter of positive change, a public personality that encourages community progression and an inspiration for individual character refinement.

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The British Muslim Heritage Centre

The British Muslim Heritage Centre (BMHC) is one of very few establishments that strive to address contemporary issues affecting the Muslim community. For example, in the weekly Friday sermons at the BMHC, issues such as the prohibition of forced marriages, how to be better Muslims in society, or the dangers of extremism are often delivered. Furthermore, the centre also likes to raise donations for local

charities and has most recently raised funds for the Francis House Children’s Hospice charity that supports terminally ill children of all faiths. The diverse range of trustees means that it attracts people from different walks of life who receive a tailor-made service from the centre. It is well known for celebrating cultural and religious diversity as well as promoting community cohesion.

The British Muslim Heritage Centre is a grade II building constructed in the nineteenth century. It was originally built as an independent college for nonconformist Christian ministers who were excluded from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge at the time. In 2006 the historic building was bought by a group of Muslim Businessmen, academics and

community leaders.

The BMHC was established in response to the growing concern in the UK and the world about the perception of Islam and the growing polarisation between Muslims and non-Muslim, especially in the West, following major atrocities and conflicts.

The mission of the BMHC is to, “promote the rich and diverse Muslim heritage and make it accessible to all,” thereby helping to create a more harmonious relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims in the UK and the world. In doing so, especially through bringing people of different faiths and backgrounds together, the BMHC hopes to create better understanding and more cohesive communities. The BMHC aims to achieve this through some key objectives, such as, developing pioneering initiatives that promote Muslim heritage in an inclusive and accessible manner.

This building is situated within eight beautiful acres of scenic greenery. The design is similar to Oxford Colleges in its, long, very impressive, Gothic front.

The wings on either side culminate in a tall and fanciful tower, with a two storey Gothic window. The outdoor green space hosts a variety of events but it is the state of the art banqueting marquee that attracts many people.

The marquee is a lavish facility which has been open since summer 2014 and can accommodate over fifteen hundred people. It has become a popular wedding venue as the free parking for almost three hundred vehicles is a winner. The Marquee is also used to house the weekly Friday prayer gathering. On average five hundred people attend the Friday prayers but this varies from seven hundred to one thousand during the holy month of Ramadan and school holidays. One other use for this extravagant space is that it provides an arena for premier conferences and events - Zain Bhikha has performed, Sheikh Sudais has visited and Ebrahim Rasool has spoken in this beautiful area.

The rooms are very charming with a variety of Gothic fireplaces, ceilings and door cases. The inside halls are frequently used for conferences, meetings and banquets which accommodate from forty to over a hundred people. A fully equipped kitchen and serving area is also provided. Many renowned personalities have also visited the centre; such as the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and James Caan from the Dragon’s Den. Other uses of the inside halls are for the night time taraweeh prayers through Ramadan.

This hosts up to four hundred people on weekdays and seven hundred people on weekends.

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The future is bright for the BMHC. Emma Cark, an international garden designer who specialises in Islamic gardens and had designed gardens for Prince Charles, has been consulted on a project to decorate and transform the open green space to reflect Islamic patterns and geometrical designs.

The management at the centre plans to raise two million pounds for a luxury apartment project which can be rented or used as short holiday accommodation perfect for a relaxing family short break! The developments of the centre also include plans for a new purpose built Mosque, Exhibition Hall and a new digital library. This will be a space open to everyone which homes an extensive library full of authentic classical literature. Some may like to use it to complete their academic work while others may like to use it to as a quiet place for reflection.

The activities that currently take place at the BMHC are of a large variety and open to people of all faiths, backgrounds and ethnicities.

Amongst these are matrimonial events that provide space for private meetings; charity events; and even daily five times prayers at the centre. Activities aside, the centre acts as a communal hub that hosts many events. This includes Cupping clinics, and the Muslim Timeline exhibition which once ready, will allow visitors to explore the contribution made by Muslims throughout history in the fields of science and technology.

The BMHC are also currently working on an exhibition entitled, ‘100 Stories of Sacrifice’ which illustrates the sacrifices made by Muslims through World War One. The centre also holds regular heritage workshops on Islamic calligraphy, Ebru Paper Marbling and Glass Painting. The events are open to the whole community and through the month of Ramadan the neighbouring residents are invited for a free three course Iftaar meal

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at the centre. Last Ramadan, eighty people attended this and were fascinated by the activities that take place at the centre.

However there are some selected activities that are just for women.

This includes a Qur’an exegesis class which is attended by over three hundred women on a weekly basis. Half the class is delivered in Urdu to allow the older Asian generation to feel comfortable and more connected to the content of the class; whilst the other half is delivered in English to allow the younger Asian generation and all other people from different backgrounds to attend and understand. Not only does the BMHC work to provide Islamic classes for women, they also concentrate on teaching them life skills. Amongst these skills are kickboxing classes that are led by a young Muslim female who is a

black belt and a member of the England Kickboxing Team, and proves to be a great role model both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

There are other activities that are more specifically for children and young teenagers; for example, scouts club, weekend Arabic school and a girls youth club. Not only does this selection instil a good moral grounding it also creates a knowledgeable Islamic foundation.

Further developments of the activities at the BMHC incorporate the Heritage Radio. This will be a twenty-four hour radio service after BMHC was granted a five year license from thirty eight other applicants. The radio will have transmissions covering legal advice, entertainment and children’s’ educational programmes that include Islamic stories and quizzes. Shafiq Siddiq, who is the General Manager of British Muslim Heritage Centre mentioned how the staff leading and hosting this £150,000 radio project will have regular reviews and professional development programmes to ensure that the highest standards of quality and broadcasting are maintained.

All in all, the work of the BMHC is outstanding, the setting is breathtaking and the staff are extremely hospitable. This is exactly what

is needed in today’s society - a well organised establishment that caters for individualistic needs and is accessible. It’s an added bonus that the setting is serene.

For all those that live in and around Manchester, you’re very lucky!

And for those who live a little further away, it is of paramount importance that you visit this place in the near future, especially once the exhibitions and Heritage Radio are launched later on in the year.

VISIT A PRIVATE

PALACE OF ART

12 Holland Park Road London W14 8LZ Open 10am - 5:30pm, closed Tuesdays For exhibitions & public events visit: www.leightonhouse.co.uk Untitled-18 1

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15/12/2015 14:31

PHOTO: © Angela Youngman

The reign of Magna Carta

It was a turning point in history and

the Magna Carta. During the English

became a cornerstone of the British

Civil War of the seventeenth century,

Constitution. So many of the liberties

the Parliamentarians used the Magna

that we enjoy today, the right to justice

Carta to regulate royal authority.

and a fair trial amongst them, were

When King Charles I was put on trial,

enshrined, for the first time, in this

it was suggested that his actions had

document. It states quite simply ‘to no

contravened the requirements of the

one will we sell, to no one deny or delay

Magna Carta. The key elements in the

right or justice.’ Taxes could not be

Magna Carta have since appeared

imposed without Parliament’s consent.

in most constitutional documents, including the United States Bill of Rights

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Ever since then, supporters of political

and the Universal Declaration of Human

freedom have consistently referred to

Rights.

2015 marks the anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta – the first time that a king was forced to recognize that he was not all powerful. King John experienced a tumultuous reign culminating in civil war and a revolt by his barons. He was forced to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymede, near Windsor in June 1215

Unfortunately there was no peace.

managed to lose all the Crown Jewels

two are in the British Library in

Within a short time of signing the

and his treasury during a march across

London. The copy at Lincoln is housed

document, King John attempted to

marshland near Kings Lynn. When the

in a new visitor centre, built specifically

regain control by laying siege on

news of the loss was brought to him

for the anniversary, within Lincoln

numerous castles, such as Rochester

in Newark Castle, he died of a fever in

Castle. A key feature of the centre is

in Kent and Framlingham in Suffolk.

a room above the gatehouse. His heir

a stunning ‘wall of words’, with each

The 1215 Rochester siege is being re-

was a child and, as a result, a council

word of the document translated

enacted next summer.

of lords governed the country for the

into modern English. There is also a

next few years.

special cinema presentation telling

Whether King John may have

the document’s story, as well as the

succeeded in overturning the Magna

Copies of the original document still

opportunity to see the famous Magna

Carta, no one will ever know. Fighting

survive and can be seen today. One is

Carta itself.

his way up through East Anglia, he

in Lincoln; one in Salisbury Cathedral;

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Celebrations surrounding the commemoration of the signing of the Magna Carta take place throughout 2015.

There are special events being held all over the country.

At Salisbury, an eight month long programme will explore different aspects of the Magna Carta, including a flower festival with giant panels of flowers, depicting each of the barons present at the moment when King John fixed his Great Seal to the document and it became law. Other displays reflect the chaos experienced within England prior to the signing of Magna Carta, and the peace that should have come afterwards. In total over 500 flower arrangers have been involved in the project, making it one of the largest such festivals ever to be held in the UK. Other spectacular events include the Magna Cara Mayhem and Merriment Re-enactment day at Hereford Cathedral and the Magna Carta Medieval Weekend at

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Durham Castle in August. Westminster Hall, London has been at the centre of British Parliamentary life for centuries and will be holding a Mock Trial of Barons and Bishops in a bid to discover whether they committed Treason! Cartmel Priory Magna Carta 800th Anniversary festival in September involves a week of events including a flower show, Son et Lumiere and a Medieval Tournament.

Perfect for children is the Barons’ Charter Trail at Salisbury. Visitors can follow a trail of modern sculptures of barons, all brilliantly painted and decorated with different messages and images, spread around the town. A map provides a guide to finding the various barons and offers a fun way to explore the city.

The reign of Magna Carta

Also in Salisbury a series of plays are being performed which have been specially written by leading playwrights using the Magna Carta for their inspiration. Some of the plays are historical, while others include a mystery involving the theft of a copy of the Magna Carta and one set in Africa, where a visionary President is being challenged by a non stop rainstorm lasting 97 days and an angry mob led by an unknown leader.

September sees the Lincoln Book Festival in which authors explain the importance of the Magna Carta throughout our history and within the legal systems of today.

There are numerous talks taking place throughout the year,

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including the Lincoln Magna Carta Lecture series at Lincolns Inn, London, and Liberteas at Worcester Cathedral, with a lecture On Slavery by Professor Suzanne Swartz. Several towns are holding Legal Walks.

These are sponsored walks bringing together legal and local communities and include local places of interest. Among the towns involved are York, Canterbury, Exeter, Newcastle, Birmingham, Carlisle, Belfast, London, Bristol, Oxford, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester. All the monies raised from the walks will go to the Access to Justice Foundation, which provides justice to the most vulnerable in society via Legal Support Trusts throughout England and Wales.

It might be 800 years old, but the Magna Carta still has tremendous relevance in the modern world. Without it, we would not have the legal systems and government that we have today which is the reason that so many organisations, from all sides of society, have joined together to commemorate it.

It is not just happening in the UK – there are commemorations taking place worldwide as a result of the recognition of the way that it has had such an impact on people’s lives, liberties and methods of government. Details of all the events surrounding the Magna Carta commemoration can be found on a special website magnacarta800th.com

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Personal experience

A Spiritual Enlightening Retreat in Southern Spain

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Some people travel far and wide to find the place that will reinvigorate them, refresh their minds, relax their bodies and give them a sense of detachment. People search in all sorts of destinations – Dubai, the Bahamas, Brazil, Miami – but the sun, sea and sand doesn’t always cut it. Far too often, there’s something missing from luxury resorts.

I happened to encounter exactly what I was looking for in the south of Spain this Summer. The trip was a combination of relaxation, fun, good company and spirituality. In a sense, it offered a bit of everything.

It was, as far as I can tell, the perfect holiday. And that’s why retreats like Ghazali Week, a one week course, are making people come back year after year.

Tucked away in the remote mountains north of Granada, Alqueria de Rosales, or, more simply, Rosales, is one of the first madrasas in western Europe to offer a curriculum based on the revival of Islamic intellectual thought. Established almost 20 years ago, and first opening its doors to students in 2002, the centre is led by a small group of Spanish converts who are working towards reviving the rich intellectual tradition. Ghazali Week is not a random name the founders came up with. It’s named after the famous Muslim theologian and mystic of the 11th century, Imam al Ghazali, who is widely accepted as the Mujadid of his time, the one who revived the faith.

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Personal experience Based on a rural farm with 127 hectares of land, Rosales boasts a large Mosque, ample accommodation, classrooms, a library with over 6000 books, a restaurant, sports activities, swimming pool, a cinema room and much more - it has pretty much everything you need. The course is both rigorous and relaxed. Classes start after the early morning Fajr prayer (and let’s not forget this is all during Ramadan when you’re particularly weaker and deprived of sleep). Strangely, though, just like when you’re on the Hajj pilgrimage, you feel that extra bit of energy, motivation and only four hours of sleep is sufficient when normally you need eight. Indeed, one of the friends I made, a smiley and jolly chap from Lebanon, managed to go the whole week with only two hours sleep per night! (I do hope he didn’t faint when he went home!)

There was also plenty of time for relaxation – between classes there were often intervals of 3-4 hours where you could go for a swim, go for a stroll with resident dog up in the mountains or, for the movieholics, watch (ethical and clean) films in the cinema complex.

What’s particularly interesting, though, is the history of Rosales.

The owner of the plot of land, Dr Abdussamad, born Antonio Romero Roman – a convert to Islam, who embraced the faith in 1980 and later went on to study Islamic Studies and Arabic in the university of Umm al-Qora, Saudi Arabia – decided to convert his farm into what it is today. He felt his farm could be put to much better use then simply growing crops and, after a lot of hard work and sacrifice, it’s now one of the most popular retreats in Europe for Muslims

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His efforts have definitely been worth it and anyone who goes there will testify to this. The trip was wonderful and, at times, enchanting. For the very first time in a long while, I was able to relax. Seriously, like really relax. I left my phone and laptop at home so that my heart wasn’t distracted by worldly affairs.

And also so I could, as it were, switch off from things.

But, above all else, it was a trip that fused together knowledge and beauty, which is often missing in our world. We had the chance to learn about sacred texts on divine love and studied the nature of speech and silence in the Islamic tradition.

Over the past 15 years, these types of retreats for Muslims have become more and more ubiquitous, as

they attempt to cater for young people of faith who need to spiritually detoxify themselves. The retreats at Rosales are definitely among the best. Immersed in the scenic and beautiful grounds, you can read books by the mountains, watch the stars at night and go for peaceful strolls. Connecting with nature is not something we do much anymore, we’re disconnected with the natural world. So it was a real blessing to be there. Even the food we eat was healthy, organic and a lot of it was grown within the land we were residing.

Some on the trip had been at least two or three times before and it won’t be surprising if they go again.

Rosales offers the students a peaceful and calm environment where they can relax and recharge.

Personal experience

Young Muslims are increasingly flocking to these types of spiritual retreats that are being offered. They are, in a sense, a sanctuary from the traumas of the modern world.

With everyone there of a like-minded nature and attending for the same purpose - to learn and seek God - it’s more than a worthwhile experience. I really believe these trips are necessary from time to time. It made me realise that there’s something etherial about faith when you experience it among the splendor of nature. I just wish more people did.

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F

N TH E OW

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OW US LL

BBIT HOL RA

ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN

WONDERLAND

The English Classics, Reinvented series by St. James’ Court, A Taj Hotel, London commissions exciting, contemporary artists to re imagine cover designs for some of our best-loved classics. Kicks off with the 150th anniversary edition.

VISIT WWW.STJAMESCOURTHOTEL.CO.UK/ENGLISHCLASSICS Untitled-13 1

www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

21/12/2015 14:54

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Pearls of Islam

PHOTO: © Angela Youngman

In the limelight

I’m going to talk about two things- women and creativity in Islam.

With regards to women in Islam, an idea has spread that their primary role is within the home.

Without deducting from the value of a woman in the home, this in no way should stop her from maintaining a

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positive identity in society, being an inspirational role model or playing an active role in community development.

When thinking of creativity in Islam, minimal creative avenues are utilised to instil Islamic principles; to convey an engaging portrayal of Islamic heritage or to promote interfaith cohesion.

Battling stereotypes are two young African Caribbean Muslimahs’ who go by the name of, Pearls of Islam.

Pearls of Islam are acoustic dynamic duo that performs traditional Islamic songs, rap, poetry and spoken word

in Arabic and English, with the use of Darbouk, Djembe, guitar and Daff.

They have been established since 2005 under the management of Mecca to Medina and perform in front of Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The intention behind each composition is to ignite the love of God, His religion, His Prophet and those who follow Him; in the heart of listener. The duo has travelled from the Netherlands, to Switzerland, to Germany, to Norway, enthusiastically spreading a message of divine love.

How did Pearls of Islam start up?

“We first started Pearls of Islam about ten years ago; it was not something we set out to form- we fell into it. It was tradition to perform nasheeds every Eid and share some poetry. On one of the Eid events, a bunch of the brothers were really impressed with our poetry and from there we were invited to do the same poem, called ‘the Muslim woman’ at another event.

From there some more people saw us

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and they invited us to different events and so forth. From there we realised we enjoyed it even though it was nerve wrecking, and it was nice to be able to share something that people could relate to. So eventually it turned into something a little more formal.

Initially there were five of us, and then it went down to three... and Pearls of Islam was set up. It does take a lot of commitment and it’s not easy, but it’s given us the opportunity as individuals to spiritually grow, personally enhance ourselves and connect with so many different people from all races, faiths

and backgrounds. This has been a huge and blessed experience, and it’s all from Allah. The support we get from our family, parents and teachers around us is one of the crucial parts of Pearls of Islam moving forward and keeping together.”

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us of the source of beauty, which is Allah. This is why positive creativity should be supported.”

What advice would you give to British Muslimah’s?

Being women, do you ever feel hesitant to go on stage?

“I think it’s normal and healthy to be nervous about going on stage, especially if you’re doing an art performance because it’s a little bit of yourself that you’re sharing with an audience. Even if it’s a traditional nasheed or poem, it’s still very personal. So majority of the times we have been very nervous about going on stage and I guess in addition to that is the nerves of being Muslim women.

There’s differing opinions when it comes to Muslim women being on stage and for a while when we initially started that was a big concern for us; but I think a lot of it was down to us than people.

The non-Muslim audience have never had any nervousness about it, in fact they are very intrigued about what these Muslim women are about to say. Unfortunately the idea of Muslim women being oppressed and silent is very current because of what’s going on in the media, what they see and some misunderstandings. With the Muslim community we are very nervous about it, and they are very apprehensive about female presence on stage. However, when they see us perform they realise it is by no means un-Islamic. We are reciting nasheeds. Everything we are reciting and doing is a reminder for us the love of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the love of Allah, glory be upon Him. This puts them at ease and

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it helps us a lot to realise that this is a beautiful art form and it goes beyond the nervousness because it is so beautiful.”

How important is creativity?

“Creativity is that it is an integral part of us as individual person, souls and humans and how we connect to the world, the Creator and the cosmos. Creativity is very important and is needed in our society; everything is through creativity. This is why we set up the Rabbani project organisation. It is based on the idea that creativity is such a powerful vehicle to spread a message and everyone will agree with this. It is just about the message you choose to spread with that creativity, and that is why for some people creativity is a grey area as the message is negative and destructive. Historically within Islam we can see that creativity was important in spreading Islam and preserving traditions. This was done through different art forms that are used within the Islamic tradition to praise Allah and His beloved Prophet. Even beyond Islam, every single culture, culture and religion has used creativity as a means of worship, to remember and remind. The importance of creativity is reminded to us when people approach us and say our work helped them be more focused in their prayers or come back to Islam. As humans our sense of beauty is powerful. If where we look and we see beauty, it reminds

“For those who are struggling to find that balance between British values and the Islamic principles, the most important thing for us is to seek knowledge. The lack of knowledge is the most destructive thing in the Muslim community. We must do this as we will bring up the next generation, irrespective of gender. We have a lot of access to proper knowledge from authentic sources like that from Al-Ghazali.

When we study, we also need to share. A lot of Muslims have a lot of knowledge but when it comes to sharing it we become shy. . Sakina studied with a lot of female teachers in Syria. One of the teachers taught a book about the female companions of the Prophet peace be upon him, but made her promise that the knowledge would be passed on. So with this intention, the Ladies of Light tour was initiated in 2009 and we started doing events. This brings together the aspect of creativity and the importance of knowledge.

The more knowledge you seek, the more you realise the beauty of Islam. It also supports women who are on the platform and this is my third piece of advice- recognise proper scholars and support them regardless of their gender.”

I love this duo and the work they do. I pray Allah, glory be upon Him, increases their rank in this life and the next. I also pray that Allah, glory be upon Him, opens our hearts and fills it with His love.

So, in the words of Rumi, ‘Woman is the light of God’... Shine bright, ladies!

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Get frozen

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AGE THREE MONTHS TO THREE YEARS

AGE THREE YEARS AND ABOVE

Crèche in Montchavin Les Coches

Imp Run: Plagne Montalbert is now

– with engaging activities on offer to

can follow carved wooden sculptures

keep babies and toddlers entertained

situated at different points along the

during the day, parents can make

blue slope on skis, before heading

the most of the varied slopes and

back to the village. Five group lessons

restaurants in La Plagne in peace. Prices

with Oxygène ski school (maximum 10

cost from £98 per child (for a half-a-

children per instructor), from 10 am to

day) to £190 per child (for a day) –

12:30 pm, Monday to Friday, cost from

maximum age three.

£132 per child.

home to a new ‘Imp Run’, where children

Discover luxury ski adventures in the French Alps for all the family La Plagne, in the French Alps, is full of wonderful and wacky surprises. Where else can you slide down the mountain on an inflatable body board, climb a 22-metre high ice structure with 45˚ overhangs, or enjoy a kid’s party at altitude?

However, age and height restrictions often thwart the best-made plans. So here’s a list of activities divided into age groups and approximate heights, to make the next outing on snow a success.

Snow-shoeing track – with your family, why not fix some snow shoes to your feet and explore the new snowshoeing track? Beginning at the top of the new Montalbert Gondola, waddle like a duck along the three kilometre trail, which starts at an altitude of 2,070 m, and admire the characters cut into the surrounding woodland (similar to those on the Imp Run) en route.

Hire a pair of snowshoes (that can be altered to fit different shoe sizes) for a half day from £2 per person. For more

33www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

information, visit la-plagne.com.

AGE EIGHT YEARS AND ABOVE Freestyle skiing – follow British

which includes teaching the basics of ski acrobatics in the snow parks and on the big air mattress in Plagne Centre. (Maximum age 12.) The course costs from £234 pp.

freestyle athletes such as James ‘Woodsy’ Woods, Katie Summerhayes and Rowan Cheshire, and head to the half-pipe and the snow park on the slopes. Learn the skills in safety, with top instructors and airbags. ESF ski school runs a six-day programme,

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Get frozen

AGE 10 YEARS AND ABOVE

AGE 14 YEARS AND ABOVE

AGE 16 AND ABOVE

Ice Tower –

Ski touring project –

Airboard –

pull on a harness, grab an ice axe and tackle La Plagne’s impressive Ice Tower with professional climbers. Situated in the Champagny le Haut valley, the 22-metre high, man-made construction is created each season by watering the steel structure from above using snow cannon and letting the ice form in successive layers, including tough 45˚ overhangs. Try scaling the tower from £4 per child and £7 per adult.

follow the blue jackets of the cool Oxygène instructors and dive off piste and explore the new ski touring itineraries, located across La Plagne’s 10 villages. Oxygène ski school will be offering guided trips for small groups of skiers before the slopes open (7-8:30 am) and again after they close (5:30-7 pm). A morning or evening session with Oxygène ski school costs from £26 per person.

A week’s ski touring with Oxygène ski school costs from £237 per person. Skis, skins and boot hire are included, if needed. All levels of skier are welcome.

when the final skier has left the mountain, take to the slopes on an airboard. As the sun sets, slide down the slopes using your feet, body weight and handles to steer. Taking up to an hour, whizz down the empty pistes and weave through trees with a qualified instructor (who will demonstrate some clever tricks). Available every Thursday and Friday during the winter season, experience a descent on an airboard from £20 per person, including a helmet.

Speed Luge & Bob Racing – follow in the footsteps of the competitors in the 1992 Albertville Olympic Games, and summon up the courage to ride in the bobsleigh with a professional pilot, or to go it alone on the speed luge. Reach speeds of 120 km/hr and experience G forces up to 4 G. Open from mid-December until April, the Speed Luge costs from £80 pp per descent and the Bob Racing costs from £90 pp per descent.

AGE 13 YEARS AND ABOVE NEW: Zip wires – eightnew zip wires, from 50 m to 200 m in length, have been installed and run from Belle Plagne to Plagne-Bellecôte, two high-altitude villages. Make the most of this new area – complete with spider nets, wooden bridges and a final nine-metre base jump.

The wires will be open all winter and offer a fun, new slope-side activity, and a different take on traditional après-ski events. A 90-minute session on the zip wires costs from £13 per child and £20 per adult.

HEIGHT 1M 30CM AND ABOVE Bob Raft – grab three friends and brave an 80 km/hr descent down an ice flume in a bob raft. Unique to La Plagne, the self-driving and selfbraking machine (which takes four passengers) is ideal for a first experience. Wearing a helmet, lean into each corner and enjoy the rapid ride. Book the bob raft from £33 pp per descent. For more information, visit la-plagne.com.

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Superluge derby – equipped with a helmet and a head torch, zoom down 450 m of slopes on a Superluge sledge, from Aime La Plagne (2,000 m) to La Roche (1,550 m) for an unforgettable après-ski session.

At the end, enjoy a warming mug of chocolat chaud or, with parental permission, a smooth vin chaud. Available from Tuesday to Saturday throughout the winter season, start the 90-minute descent at 5 pm from £20 pp.

HEIGHT 1M 60CM AND ABOVE Swap your skis for a fatbike – hire a brand-new fatbike from the village of Montchavin, board the last gondola to the top of Plan Bois (1,800 m), and speed down the groomed tree-lined runs while wearing a helmet. The thick, under-inflated tyres are designed to grip the snow, and the disc brakes mean that, even in the wettest conditions, the descent is still controlled. Hire a fatbike and helmet from £21 per person.

FOR ALL THE FAMILY Subli’Cimes festival – boasting six peaks with six experiences, the free event taking place from 3-15 April 2016 – offers wonderful late-season entertainment. Situated between 1,970 and 2,700 m, it’s ideal for every kind of mountain lover.

Families can sit back, relax and enjoy mocktails on the private beach at Zen Altitude, dance to the music and play with balloons at a Kid’s Party, and summon up the courage for a bungee jump in the Mix & Adrenaline zone.

For more information visit: (www.la-plagne.com)

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Holiday Shopping A must have list of the essentials to the quirky fun items

Travel Bottle Set £5.99

Kitsch Kitten Travel Cup £14.95

The Oak Room

Berry Red

www.oakroomshop.co.uk

www.berryred.co.uk

Travel Laundry Bags £34.99 Annabel James

www.annabeljames.co.uk

Dragon Single Travel Hammock £31 IN-SPACES

www.in-spaces.com

To Travel Is To Live notecard £2.40 IN-SPACES

www.in-spaces.com

Man with a plan - Travel Wallet £25 The Contemporary Home

www.tch.net

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Upcycled Tote £155 Upcycle STUDIO

www.upcyclestudio.com.au

Personalised World Map Print £14.50 Of Life & Lemons

www.oflifeandlemons.co.uk

Black Charlie Bag £95 Mini Hippo Imports

www.minihippoimports.com.au

British Isles Flask £13.50

Airwheel Airboard £599.95

Bum Bag – Horses £17.50

RED5

Milly Green

www.red5.co.uk

www.millygreen.com

Jan Constantine

www.janconstantine.com

Picnic Rug with Waterproof Backing £99 The British Blanket Company

www.thebritishblanketcompany.com

Rome map phone case £25 Bombus Ltd

www.bombus.co.uk

Revlon 2in1 Hairdryer £39.99

Induction Duo Speaker White £24.95 Folk Birds Roll Out Washbag £36

RED5

Collier Campbell

www.red5.co.uk

www.colliercampbell.com

37www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

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Cruising on the high seas Cruising on the high seas is an ideal way

of weeks before flying back

to unwind, relax and visit new places.

to the UK.

Once you have boarded the ship, there is nothing more you have to do, beyond

The big advantage of

enjoying yourself. You are effectively

cruising is that it takes a lot

staying in a floating hotel, which takes

of the hassle and difficulty

you to new places, without any need to

out of travelling. You

worry about transport.

only have to unpack once, yet you can visit several

Not surprisingly, cruising is extremely

different countries within

popular. The UK is the second largest

the space of a few days.

cruise market in the world, with around

While cabin space may be

2m people from the UK taking ocean

sometimes on the small side,

cruises last year alone.

each cruise ship is like a big floating city containing every facility

Cruises can take you anywhere in

you could possibly want.

the world that you choose, be it a trip around the Mediterranean, the

Relax in the swimming pool; sit on

Caribbean or even around the world.

the promenades and watch the ocean

Potential locations are certainly

drifting by; try a new sport; watch a

dramatic and appealing, involving ports like Monte Carlo, Cartagena, Rome, Barcelona, Vigo, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Bruges, Copenhagen, Madeira and Stavenger, and sights such as the crystal clear waters and white sands of Caribbean ports or the pretty Tolkienish

film or show; enjoy live entertainment; use the gym; enjoy the finest cuisine in the main dining rooms and buffets and dance the night away – all for one overall cost. Sometimes even drinks and shore excursions are included in the price.

If you want to spend more, you can.

New Zealand.

There are numerous facilities on board: shops, special classes, spas and beauty salons, as well as a la carte and speciality restaurants. Guests can keep track of their extra spending by checking their accounts daily in the privacy of their own cabin, or at guest services.

Themed cruises are increasingly popular. There are lots of variations such as food & wine, art &

By far the most popular cruises are

crafts, history, world affairs, TV and

to the Mediterranean and Northern

film, fitness and wellness and sport -

Europe, especially the Baltic fjords

especially golf cruises where guests

The South Pacific and the Middle East around Dubai and Abu Dhabi are beginning to attract increasing numbers of cruise liners. Passengers to these places tend to fly to a specific port, join the ship and stay on board for a couple

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dinners with the host chefs. But it is not compulsory to take part in all these events – if one person in a group wants to do the activity, they can, whilst other members, family or friends, can happily enjoy other facilities on board. Even children can be kept busy with fully supervised activities and sports events, whilst parents follow their own interests, making cruising a perfect family holiday.

When choosing a cruise it is worth looking for the unusual ones, as these can sometimes offer something

film locations of

and cruises to see the Northern Lights.

part in cookery classes and to attend

different. A maiden voyage on a newly commissioned vessel can provide an incredible opportunity to experience the extravagance of the golden age of cruising from the early twentieth century, as guests can enjoy welcoming parties, deck top galas and watch spectacular christening ceremonies.

Relaxing and totally hassle-free, cruising has a lot of offer for all the family. It is travelling made simple, enabling budgets to be closely maintained whilst exploring several countries during one holiday.

(Emerald waterways provides great ideas for the type of cruise you require the best riverside cruises)

can visit a selection of top golf courses around the world. The newly launched P&O cruise ship Britannia is running a series of cookery cruises with celebrity chefs such as Vivek Singh, one of the most successful Indian chefs, proprietor of three top London restaurants. These cruises offer the opportunity to take

Please visit : emerald waterways.co.uk

www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

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downton abbey

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Fans of Downton Abbey, with its riveting storyline involving the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants, are flocking to experience the Downton Abbey style for themselves. Locations used in the series are proving to be extremely popular with visitors, as are classic country house hotels geared to creating the Downton Abbey atmosphere.

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Visitors to Highclere Castle, Berkshire will immediately recognise the site. This is the real castle that takes the role of Downton Abbey in the series. It is still a family home, for this is where the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon live. The house has been in the ownership of the Earl of Carnarvon since 1679, and it is well known to Julian Fellowes, author of the series, because he has been a friend of the family for many years. He has acknowledged his debt to Highclere, saying that he had the site in mind as he wrote the series. Some of his characters, such as Lady Catherine, who bears a distinct resemblance to Lady Almina who actually lived here!

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Often described as being one of England’s most beautiful Victorian castles, Highclere offers an opportunity to explore the maze of wonderful rooms and servants’ quarters, as well as the spectacular Egyptian exhibition.

This exhibition is based around the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamum by the Earl of Carnarvon and archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. Replicas of many of the items from the tomb are on display, as well as some of the real items that the Earl brought back with him. Outside the castle walls are over 1,000 acres of spectacular parkland, many features of which are also instantly recognisable.

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Q&A with Khayaal Theatre Khayaal Theatre Company provides a form of entertainment that is orientated around Islamic wisdom and literature.

Huma Baig speaks to them about how this resonates with the British Muslim community.

Can you tell us a little about the Khayaal theatre group?

Khayaal is a theatre company but it’s a little bit more than a theatre company it’s a socio-cultural enterprise. Through our work in the theatre we look to transform perceptions about Islam in the wider society. It gives people the opportunity to broaden their horizons about the wealth and richness of Muslim literature, culture and heritage.

We specialise in adapting tales and stories from the length and breadth of the Muslim world for contemporary audiences. Sometimes we are creating period adaptations where our dramatic interpretation of a story takes place in the past, and other times we are presenting modern day adaptations of classic tales. Our work has two aspects.

The first is helping Muslims get better acquainted with their heritage within a contemporary cultural context and idiom, and consequently empowering them with a sense of cultural validation; especially those living in the West. The other aspect is helping people from outside the Muslim community to really appreciate the beauty and wisdom of Islamic art, heritage and aesthetics.

What was the intention behind setting up this type of cross-cultural theatre?

The intention was to create a real inclusive point of social and cultural convergence for Muslims and people of other faiths or secular affiliations; as there’s very little opportunity for Muslims to converge in a deep engagement with wider society. Historically the three sociocultural hubs were the church, the pub, and the theatre. The theatre has always been a place for real substantive, varied and influential social commentary and discourse in Britain. The first depictions and representations of Muslims in the public sphere took place on stage.. So our intention was to try to pre-empt a lot of the negative perceptions of Muslims and Islam that have formed over the past

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17 years. We had a feeling back in 1997 that there would be problems due to this lack of public place.

Another aspect of our intention revolves around Khayaal, which means imagination. Imagination, according to Einstein and numerous Muslim sages, is more important than knowledge as it offers us a wider horizon of perception and discovery. One can only have so much knowledge at one given time, whereas imagination is much broader in its reach and scope. In one vein of Muslim intellectual tradition, imagination is described as the metaphysical substance of existence itself. So, a lot of the problems that we have today are as much a failure of imagination as other issues.

What does Khayaal aim to achieve?

We aim to help Muslim communities and societies around the world to rebalance the equation between exclusive dogma and doctrine on one hand, and inclusive story and dream on the other. We believe that recovery of this balance will help Muslim communities to successfully negotiate a lot of the challenges and crises that we face, and find contemporary solutions within our own tradition for complex problems.

For this we have to conceptually unlock the underlying philosophical formula for success in life. This formula revolves around balance, unity, integration and reconciliation of things which appear to be in conflict.

Besides this deep philosophical aim, our other aim is to be a contributor to a visible, tangible and substantive public representation of Islamic art and culture in wider society, especially in the West. We will only address a lot of our social problems when we have a positive identity represented in the public sphere. Because then, young Muslims in particular, will find a sense of value, self-esteem and validation with which

they can construct and build a happy and prosperous future for themselves.

According to a Lancaster University study of coverage of Muslims in the British press between 1998 and 2009, the ratio of negative stories positive stories is 21:1. As long as negative representations prevail in this way, a lot of our young people will internalise that negativity, which is in turn internalising invalidation.

This can only lead to more polarisation between communities amongst many other problems. Every human being needs a positive story to be inspired by, in order to nurture a sense of belonging and purpose.

Can you tell us a little about the national and international success of the theatre company?

Yes. We have worked across the country delivering in theatres, schools, libraries, museums, municipal institutions and community centres, especially between 2007 and 2011. Over that period, we toured intensively and extensively, reaching over 25,000 people from all sorts of sectors. Our evaluation of this work has shown that we were successful in transforming thousands of young people’s ideas about citizenship and positive identity. We have performed in the House of Commons, as well as in the British Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe and on the premises of the Department for Communities and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office. We have received a number of awards including the Alhambra Award for Excellence in the Arts and have been cited as a best practice case study by the Department for Education and the European Union.

In 2007 we’ve delivered workshops in Pakistan, training teachers in the use of storytelling within education.

In Washington D.C. we worked with students from American University who produced and staged their own adaptation of ‘Hearts & Minds’ our most successful theatre in-education

play. Khayaal has also been successful in mentoring and advocacy. Many emerging Muslim theatre companies and amateur dramatic societies have been inspired by us and have come to us to be mentored in how to set up similar arts organisations. We have supported groups in South Africa, Germany, America and other parts of the world.

Where do you think are the roots of the Islamic intellectual and artistic history?

They lie in the very inception of the faith.

Historically, the best Islamic art is that which is inspired by the Divine qualities of majesty and beauty. The core of Islamic art is the transformation of the human being into a work of art that is not only beautiful in her or himself but also does what is beautiful. This is why the ultimate objective in Islam is to be a Muhsin, a beauty-maker. So art in Islam has as much to do with the art-maker, as it has to do with his or her works of art.

I was having this discussion with friends who suggested that art couldn’t be that important. Why? Because the question might be posed as to whether the Prophet was an artist? I responded by saying that the premise was completely false. Creating art in Islam cannot be separate from the beautification of one’s character. In effect, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was the greatest canvas of art in itself. Telling stories of virtue is an Islamic art, and one that actually preceded calligraphy because the society was more literate in the oral tradition than the written. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was a master storyteller and Allah (Glorious and exalted is He) commanded him to tell stories to the people. The art of calligraphy and the written tradition came later. There was an understanding in both the Divine sunnah and the Prophetic sunnah that if you want to transform people, the first thing you need to set about doing is to transform the stories that they are telling themselves.

The first canvas for creating beautiful art, therefore, is the canvas of the artist herself or himself and this art is not marginal to human life; art is something integral to life both physically and spiritually. If you are not striving to beautify the canvas of your own character, then you are not really interested in Islam. Traditions come to mind such as ‘Verily Allah is Beautiful and He loves beauty’ and the Prophet declaring that his mission is to ‘perfect the nobilities of character’. So the history of our intellectual tradition and art lie at the very unfolding of the revelation of the Quran and the example of the character of the Messenger.

Are they geographically more concentrated from one area?

The stories and tales from Muslim heritage that we work with come from

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right across the historical Muslim world, both Muslim majority regions as well as from regions where Muslims are in the minority. The only difference is the accessibility of those literary resources.

The reasons vary from the difficulty of translating sub-cultural languages or because they exist in oral traditions that have not been fully preserved. In the case of the latter, the only way to access them is to go to those countries and interview people. So it is not that there’s a concentration in a particular area but just that the level of accessibility of those resources in original form differs from region to region. The resources we have as Muslims, however, cross all the hues of the world: Right from China to South Africa, to Yemen right up to Kazakhstan… so it is broad.

knowledge as to who we really are.

Do you think this form of expression successfully enables the mainstream culture to celebrate the literary traditions of the Muslim world?

Yes, I do because this is the way that British people have explored cultures from all over the world for centuries.

Theatre is a powerful metaphor for life itself. In a metaphorical sense all of us are characters and this whole life is a play on a stage, as eloquently described by Shakespeare. We are all playing roles on this stage but we know we will go back to our real selves. As the theatre has an unmediated direct relationship with audiences, it offers a much more holistic experience to theatregoers. From my point of view this is an advantageous way to have Islamic literature, heritage and culture appreciated by mainstream audiences across class, faith and cultures.

We have seen this happen. Our successes and impact, and how they have positively changed perceptions, have heightened sensitivities and empathy; elevated aspirations; improved relationships between Muslims and wider society…. this is why 18 years later we are still working.

What are the hurdles to such reconciliation between the East and the West?

What is your favourite story and why?

A simpleton, used to living quite a lonely life in the wilderness, once arrived in a very busy city full of people and was quite disoriented by the hubbub and multitudes he encountered everywhere.

As nightfall approached he became very unsettled and nervous and thought to himself: ‘If I fall asleep in this city with all these people around, I won’t know which of them is me when I wake up.’ In order to avoid this terrible mishap, he found a gourd and tied it to one of his legs before he went to sleep.

A certain man of spiritual intelligence who was a native of that city had taken note of the stranger’s odd behaviour and once he had gone to sleep, he took the gourd off his leg and tied it to his own.

The next morning the ignoramus awoke seeking the gourd that would tell him who he was only to become distraught at not finding it tied to his leg. Frantically, he looked around for himself and saw the gourd tied to another’s leg.

He immediately flew into a rage and remonstrated with the man saying: If you are me, then who am I? I love this parable because I think that the gourd represents all those false and superficial identities we append to ourselves rather than engage in the all-important business of gaining self-

The main hurdle has to do with negative stories of polarisation that are fuelled by fear - people tend to respond very quickly to suggestions of threat. Unfortunately, today storytelling industries utilise the emotive nature of fear to make money. We have to move away from the idea that a strong story is one that has to do with fear, low human nature and conflict. It is true that conflict is inherent in real life, and we all have to fight against our internal selves in a certain way to be successful. In spiritual traditions the aim is to transcend conflict.

We are not celebrating conflict; we are seeing conflict as a means to an end. So the greatest hurdles to reconciliation we have to grapple with are fear, cowardice and ignorance. And going back, it has a lot to do with imagination - we have devolved our imagination to the media. The prism of our imagination is dictated by what we see on television, which seriously disfigures it in a way that has not been fully interrogated or understood. This locks us into negative stories of fear, ignorance and prejudice.

The only way humanity as a whole is going to deal with this is by positively transforming our relationship with stories; then the global issues can be solved.

Who is the target audience for this type of entertainment?

The target audience would be all people who have an interest in wisdom, and inter-cultural understanding, in selfknowledge and virtue led character. So it

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is a very broad audience. Commercially you are required to segment the market audience, but I have always had a problem with that. We are trying to appeal to people who are still interested in their hearts, and how do you segment that? People who have an articulate and receptive heart exist in all types of demographics. If I were to put it in shorthand, our target audiences are all people who feel with the inclusive intelligence of their hearts and want to experience beauty that rises above differences. Our experiences have shown that these types of people are of all faiths, races and nationalities.

Are children included in the audience?

Yes. In practical terms, we have different products that have different target audiences. Sometimes we are producing plays whose target audiences are young primary school children, whilst the likes of ‘Hearts and Minds’ was for young people in secondary schools. We have theatre productions which are a little bit more adult and targeted for the more mature audiences. Ultimately the authors

of the stories we work with were not thinking about audiences of a specific age; they were writing stories which could be appreciated at different levels by intergenerational audiences. So on one hand, a young child will understand certain things from a story but a 70 year old will see deep meaning behind the metaphors of the story. We do not subscribe to the idea that children need children’s theatre and adults need adult’s theatre; this polarises families and in turn society. Learning and exposure of cultures should be inter-generational because then the cohesion of a family is maintained. This is what stories were traditionally about.

To what extent does this benefit the British Muslim community living in a multicultural society?

Firstly, I think it provides an arena for racial, social and cultural engagement with one another and with people from outside Muslim communities. It also unlocks huge assets of conceptual understanding that we need to craft a British Muslim identity. When you go to Indonesia, you find Islam but with its own hue; when you go to Africa it is the same Islam but with its own cultural hue.

People get very defensive about what is meant by British Islam. Islam is Islam but throughout history there have always been cultural particularities. The Prophet

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peace be upon him, understood that Muslims from different parts of the world, will express Islam through a cultural hue of that place and time. Speaking in the cultural language of a given time and space is a Prophetic sunnah. So I think it will help British Muslims to reconcile between what it means to be Muslim and what it means to be British; in a compelling, aspirational and positive way that is inclusive of others.

Khayaal offers the opportunity for those from outside the Muslim community to understand the values and principles of Islam. So it will allow people from outside the Muslim community to get a sense of understanding that will break down any perception of threat. Why might they perceive Muslims as a threat? People see

us as a threat because they do not really understand what Muslims aspirations and aims are for their presence in Europe.

Their understanding comes from the media and they think that Muslims aim to take over their country. You cannot change that perception of threat unless you share what your dream is for this time and place. Also, it is proven by studies that Muslims are one of the most patriotic groups in this country. I think theatre can provide a means for Muslims in Britain to share a very inclusive, humanitarian story with a wider society, which will help to diffuse perceptions of threat and antidotes the narratives of the media. So that’s how I think we can benefit the British Muslim community.

Do any of your plays combine the British culture and the Muslim culture?

I think all of our plays combine British culture and Muslim culture due to the medium itself. Although we are working with stories from Muslim literature, we are working with British theatre practice. The medium of interpreting the skills, craft and art is a British theatre practice. The medium itself is always a hybrid of cultural expression because it is integrating British culture as British theatre practice with Muslim literature, heritage and culture. All of our work exemplifies this reconciliation and a positive aspirational identity is created, which is about bringing a British Muslim culture to coalition. So I couldn’t single out one production; absolutely all of them combine the two cultures and this has been the intent from the beginning.

The two are not separate, they go together. And the message we are

trying to send out through this is that integration is profitable and lucrative for Muslims, for people of other faiths and for British society as a whole.

What is the greatest challenge to Khayaal and the realisation of its ambitions?

Oh that is easy. Creating theatre requires a lot of financial resources.

Unlike most other communities in the UK, the British Muslim community has no foundations or institutions set up specifically to support art and culture.

This means that if one works in an art form that is dependent on subsidy, as is all theatre in the UK except West End commercial theatre, finding support is a huge challenge. We’ve struggled with this ever since the beginning.

We need support to fulfil the demand that we receive from within Muslim communities and from wider society - right from government, through major cultural institutions, to schools and grassroots communities.

With the right support, we’d be reaching 50,000 people a year rather than 3-5,000.

Ultimately, we need Muslims to understand that cultural capital is as important to the prosperity of our community as financial capital and therefore warrants investment. In the present climate, this realisation is actually a matter of life and death because we can no longer afford that people not understand us.

Lastly, if you could sum up in three words British Muslim cultural heritage, what would they be?

Story-telling… Coffee… and enlightenment.

For more information, log onto www.khayaal.co.uk

Murder Mystery Tours A growing trend Very few of us can resist the pleasure of a good crime story or TV drama, which makes it no surprise that weekends away, where you can take on the role of a detective in a murder mystery, are booming.

The basic idea of a murder mystery event is quite simple: Actors perform a mystery of some kind – usually involving one or more murders. There are clues provided and you have to try to work out a solution. This can be done individually or by discussing the clues with fellow guests. At www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

the end of the event the solution is revealed.

The concept began back in 1981 when Joy Swift held a murder weekend in Southport. The results were spectacular. Demand for the weekends rapidly grew throughout the UK and overseas.

She had created a new form of tourism – for which she has since been awarded an MBE. Joy Swift’s Original Murder Weekends continue to thrive.

They are now held over most weekends in hotels nationwide.

An event begins on a Friday night, when participants are introduced to the mystery scenario during an evening reception. More sessions are held throughout the weekend with new secrets emerging, more clues being provided and 3 or more murders taking place! The actors stay in character throughout the event and you can question them at any point, even if you meet them

casually in the hotel grounds or visiting the local shops. Clues are provided in many different ways. They may be verbal clues, or come from official reports, maps, diagrams or photographs.

Sleuthing continues unabated until the final denouncement on the Sunday afternoon. This is undertaken much in the style of an Agatha Christie Poirot or Miss Marple book. The guests gather in the drawing room or library, and listen while the ‘detective’ sums up all that has happened, looks at all the solutions that have been provided by guests and gives the right answer. Trophies are given to everyone who has come to the correct conclusion.

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Following the creation of Joy Swift’s Original Murder Weekends; other companies quickly followed suit. You can now enjoy a murder mystery event in castles, historic houses, windmills, steam trains or simply via a trail round a beach.

Sessions can last for a weekend, a day or just for the duration of a meal or steam train ride.

People come time and time again to these events. Joy Swift’s Original Murder Weekends release a new plot every four months.

So far over 100,000 people have attended one of her weekend events – and many more have attended murder mysteries held by other companies. It is not merely for the public that these activities are proving popular.

Many big businesses use murder mystery events as part of their training programmes. Simon

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Deighton of the Murder Mystery Company says, “We typically organise murder mystery events for corporate groups and other organisations. Our most popular format is a murder mystery evening taking place over a three course meal, typically at a hotel, country house or other unique private space. It provides an intriguing ice breaker, encourages participants to think on their feet, helps build relationships between colleagues and can also stimulate problem solving and creative thinking. Most of all

they are always a huge amount of fun, making a truly memorable experience that people will be talking about for a long time to come.”

Murder Mystery Tours: A growing trend

How much detecting each person does, is a personal choice. They can take an active role, or just sit back and enjoy the fun. The subject matter for each murder mystery is incredibly varied.

Much depends on the individual company involved. There are classic country house mysteries, James Bond style experiences, Sherlock Holmes style mysteries, WW2, hotels, lords and ladies, science fiction, historical events and even TV or film themed events such as mysteries surrounding St Trinians, Pirates of the Caribbean, ‘Allo, ‘Allo and Fawlty Towers.

Steam train murder mysteries are great fun. The setting is very atmospheric with the rattle of wheels over the rails, the old fashioned carriages, steam drifting www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

past the windows and meals taken at a leisurely pace as the train gently rolls through the countryside. A typical event is the 1950’s style Murder Rattle and Roll on the Bluebell Railway. With the evening in full swing, events take a turn for the worse when the lights go out. There is a scream and when the lights return – someone is dead – but who is the culprit, how did they do it and what did they use? Everyone begins to ask questions immediately, discussing the scenario with their neighbours and trying to come up with a solution.

Christie Festival in Devon, where an all day drop in event is held at Oddicombe Beach. Entitled ‘Man Overboard’, it is suitable for all ages and takes the form of a treasure hunt. Participants have to hunt for clues and interview characters such as a scientist.

Alternatively there is a historical murder mystery event at Torre Abbey entitled ‘A Dark Night at the Abbey’. A murder occurs and visitors explore the Abbey, talking to characters about different aspects of the plot before settling down to discuss it over dinner.

Enjoyable, entertaining, challenging and stimulating, these are murder mystery events which will stay forever in the memory.

This is where TV crime dramas and detective stories come vividly to life, and where everyone can be a detective with a chance of solving the crime.

Smoke & Mirrors runs events which include lots of special effects. Typical of these events are Malice in Wonderland incorporating an Alice in Wonderland theme or a ghostly supernatural thriller entitled ‘Back with a Vengeance’ involving a swimming pool. These events can be very authentic - one bloody ‘death’ at a public event led to the involvement of two off duty police officers!

For something a little gentler, try the annual International Agatha

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Bee my honey With more and more people looking for alternative herbal medicines, a lot of research is being carried out into the properties of natural products. Sticky, fragrant honey is nature’s most interesting sweetener but new research confirms that the most beneficial honey is not what’s available on our supermarket shelves. Throughout history it is raw honey that has been seen as a valuable treasure, and cave paintings found in Spain, dating back fifteen thousand years, depicting honey being harvested, confirm this. Raw honey is the real deal.

Where can I get it from?

Bee Mercy is a trader of raw honey. They were established in 2010 for the purpose of finding a cure for ulcers in the large intestine. The best source of quality raw honey was sought in flawless regions for the developments of an exquisite substance.

The honey is produced by cold extraction of the product straight from the beehive without infusing flavourings or additives, making it completely natural. This is different from the large variety of honey available in supermarkets which is most often pasteurised, flavoured and preserved using refined sugars. Bee Mercy keeps all the beneficial components natural and pure to supply honey like you have never tasted before.

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Bee my honey

What is so good about raw honey?

Raw honey has many valuable properties that vary from essential vitamins, to antioxidants and vital enzymes. These cannot be found in a non-raw honey as the pasteurisation process eradicates the nutrients through heating.

The cold extraction technique also results in the raw honey containing yummy bee pollen.

Many people take this in the form of supplements as it is considered to be one of nature’s most nourishing foods. It is composed of forty percent protein, amino acids that are easily absorbed into the blood stream and all the nutrients that the human body needs.

What effect does this have on the body?

Raw honey has a long list of positive effects on the body. It

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can be applied externally to treat infection as well as ingested to treat internal infections.

The properties of raw honey make it an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substance. Let us look at these in more detail to understand the magical effects it has on our body.

cell membrane in the cells of our bodies is protected against free radicals. Ultimately this protects the body against auto-immune disorders like arthritis; controls the growth and size of cancerous cells; and prevents neurodegenerative diseases like dementia.

Raw honey is an anti-bacterial

The body’s natural response to injury or harmful pathogens is inflammation. The signs of inflammation are swelling, heat, pain and redness. Scientific experiments illustrate that raw honey is just as effective in reducing inflammation as any chemical treatment that is prescribed but these may be combined with many harmful side effects. This is because raw honey provides energy to the white and red blood cells in the immune system so the signs of inflammation can be reduced and the cause rectified.

substance because of the low water content, low pH level and high sugar content. The raw honey enzyme produces hydrogen peroxide at a very low and consistent rate which kills and prevents the growth of bacteria.

However, this agent is destroyed by light and heat thus it should be stored in a cool and dark place.

The high concentration of vitamins and nutrients that we discussed previously, results in an increase of the body’s antioxidant capacity. This means that the

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Who can have raw honey?

Raw honey is nutritious for each and every one of us. There is also great news for those who suffer from diabetes - a scientific content analysis of raw honey has proven that its consumption controls blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. For those who are allergic to honey or pollen, there is also good news, experiments confirm that they are less likely to be allergic to the raw form of honey. In a group of one hundred and seventy three people who represented these allergies, only a minimal 2.3% showed allergies to raw honey, and that was attributed to the origin of the bee. Last but not least, raw honey is beneficial for infants over the age of twelve months too. Not only does it assist blood formation, it improves skin colour and inhibits digestive problems.

Raw honey is truly an essential for every household cupboard!

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Why choose Bee Mercy raw honey?

First of all the taste is unlike any other honey you will find on the super market shelf- the flavour is delicious! Secondly, Bee Mercy is a producer of organic honey which is a difficult task to execute, as they are limited to where bees will fly, so they can gain access to pollen. For this to happen, Bee Mercy settle bee hives in extremely remote locations where they only have access to a certain type of flower, such as wildflowers, in the English countryside. Bees are extraordinary creatures and whatever food they take in, as well as the climate, affects the flavour and colour of the honey.

This means that they may produce honey that varies in colour and taste. Their remote location, utilised for this, however, means that it maintains consistency in taste, texture and pollen content; Bee Mercy ensures that seventy

percent of the honey comes from the same flower. Lastly, this healthy honey is also organic!

The organic nature means that it is free from pesticides and any chemicals that may harm the body. There is some research that indicates that due to the unfiltered nature of the honey, there is a bacterium that survives in the honey as it does not go through the sterilisation procedure.

Nevertheless, on the Brightside, this type of bacteria does not produce toxins in the honey so it is still safe to eat.

You can order your own honey from www.beemercy.com . It is a super duper product and I am sure you will not revert to commercial honey once you have tried this.

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Sleep talk

Can you tell us a little about the Khayaal theatre group?

wake up from deep sleep, so you’ll feel refreshed, energised and ready to go!

can be covered, and you can have the first part, which is SU-BA-TA.

Statistically, the average person spends a third of their life sleeping. Sleep consolidates the information you have accumulated throughout the day; it replenishes metabolic processes and maintains healthy functioning of the brain. Being unable to manage your sleep can have harmful side effects. These include imbalanced hormones, comfort eating, increased muscular pain, and even an increase in white hair!

Matt Mullenweg - a social media entrepreneur - elaborated on some of his productivity hacks, including his “Uberman” polyphasic sleep schedule.

Polyphasic sleep simply means more than one sleep period per day. Instead of just two cycles, Mr. Mullenweg had six sleeping periods a day (of about forty minutes each), with roughly two and a half hours in between each nap. He saw this period of his life as the most productive as he wrote the whole of WordPress in that time.

This implies that sleep was made to take place during the night. Modern day research of schizophrenia patients confirms that their mental illness occurs during? the day. So the biological benefits of sleeping through the night as recommended in the Quran are evident.

So think about it… by saving an hour and a half of extra sleep a day that we don’t need, we would save five hundred and forty-six hours of sleep a year. That’s over a staggering sixty-eight days of work!

So once we accomplish the first key to success of praying fajr on time, we are advised to stay awake and make use of the blessings in this time. You could finish your homework, memorise verses of the Quran or even learn new skills. You will find that the peaceful silence and your well-rested brain will allow your brain to absorb information like a sponge.

Effective sleep management is entwined with effective time management.

Al-Ghazali - the great philosopher, theologian and psychologist - brought to our attention that it is indeed animals that go wherever they see green grass; they do things as they come and without planning. When activities are done at their allocated time, the blessings of God will then fulfil that very time.

The more data you collect about yourself and your sleep, the easier it will become for you to manage your sleeping pattern. Analysing the data and understanding your sleeping pattern will result in optimal levels of energy and productivity. The first thing you need to know is that everyone has a unique sleep cycle that is made up of Rapid Eye Movement (REM’s). A full REM cycle can last between one hour and one and a half hours. The average person requires between two to four REM’s. So the quality of our sleep is not dependant on the number of hours we are sleeping but rather, the number of REM’s we are completing. If you wake up once your REM cycle is complete, you won’t

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In Islam, why is it important to manage your sleep? Well, for starters, our prayers will be asked about on the day of judgement. If you can’t manage your sleep, you can’t manage your fajr.

In Surah An-Naba, it says: ‘And made your sleep [a means for] rest. And made the night as clothing’ 78:9 - 78:10 The word that is used for rest is SU-BATA; this refers to something that covers you in complete comfort and calm. The word that is used for clothing is LIBA-THA. When you wear clothes they become part of your physical body. God is saying that He has made the night similar to the cloth that you wear so you

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: “Allah made the early hours blessed for my Ummah.” (Ahmed)

It would be easier for you to stay awake if you applied the following tips to your morning routine. Firstly, roll up your blanket, put it in a cupboard and close it.

This way you know you won’t be going back to sleep. Secondly, plan your day the night before and make preparations for it. So if you’re going to work then iron your clothes the night before. Lastly, have a shower, get ready and then pray fajr. If you step on to the prayer mat in your sleeping pyjamas then you’ll still be in your sleeping mode. The quality of your prayer will be affected, and so will the likelihood of you feeling motivated to stay awake after the prayer.

If you succeed in the first two tasks of praying fajr on time and staying awake afterwards, you’re faced with your next dilemma, which is a decrease in energy levels between noon and 3p.m. This is where the second key to success comes in the equation - the winning Qailoolah. ” Take a nap, for verily, shayateen do not observe Qailoolah” (Tabrani) In order to be prepared to wake up for fajr the next day it is essential to have a power nap. According to the way of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, this was done after zuhr prayer. A power nap is anything between twenty minutes and half an hour. After this you have prime energy levels, as it turns off the nervous system to recharge the whole body. Medical researchers claim that it reduces levels of stress, helps to lower blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease. It also increases alertness and intelligence, and promotes creative thinking.

incorporates exercising three times a week, a healthy nutritional diet, and recreation. Having a heavy carbohydrate meal one to two hours before sleeping will make it incredibly hard to wake up the next morning.

5. Stop all the stimulants in your life. Your intake of coffee will greatly interfere with the quality of your sleep. Coffee has a half-life of seven hours. So if there’s 50ml of caffeine in a cup of coffee, it’ll take seven hours for the caffeine levels in your blood to reduce to 25ml; for it to become 12.5ml of caffeine in your body will take another seven hours; and so forth. In effect, this decreases the quality of your sleep as it makes you restless, as the hormones that are produced to help

you sleep, therefore slowing down of the brain cannot translate.

6. Trial and error- you have to experiment! Keep a record of how you feel at fajr time. If you have overslept you’ll be drowsy, but if you’ve under-slept then you will feel lethargic. Thereafter add or deduct fifteen minutes from your sleep and record how you feel for a week. A day will come when you will be extremely fresh. Congratulations, this is your unique amount of optimal sleep.

Good luck with implementing these easy and effective tips in your life. The initial change may be hard but I guarantee that the effects will be worth it.

So what can you do to wake up with the; ‘Wow! I’m good to go.’ feeling?

1. Stay up after fajr. You can try and get a buddy to do this with?, which will make it easier.

2. Start doing Qailoola. The same way you wouldn’t miss your lunch, don’t miss your midday nap.

3 Have a consistent pattern for at least six days during the week.

4 Pick the right lifestyle that

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Truthful encounters with Muslims of Britain

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I asked her one day how do you wear a

to speak to someone. I called a young

scarf on your head, is it not hard? She

local scholar and explained that I would

said to me that at one time she couldn’t

like to take my shahada but I don’t know

imagine being a Muslim but came to

how to pray neither have I got a guide

a point in her life where she couldn’t

to tell me how to do everything in the

imagine being a Christian. She explained

right way. That conversation made me

that she thought Islam was a stronger

realise no obstacle was big enough to

belief and she was closer to Allah

keep me from what I wanted- I wanted

because Muslims remember religion

to be a Muslim. At 8:40 p.m. just before

and God all the time. I started thinking

sunset on 30th June 2011, I took the

some more. I couldn’t decide what to

shahada. Now, I’m the happiest I have

do so I thought it would be a good idea

ever been.’

Maryam Renata- ‘I worked with Muslims and saw a Muslim colleague praying at work. I wondered why he was doing that. I had heard a few things about Islam in Poland through the news but it was never a good portrayal. But I started reading about it in books; and the more I read the more I became attracted to it. Some people influenced me too… I have a Polish friend who is a Muslim.

Jan- ‘It was a month or two before

I went because I had nothing else to

and I cried so hard that women around

college finished that I told my first

do. The first thing the teacher said

me had to console me while I prayed.

really bad big lie and I lost my

was to be brave enough to hand Him

It was as if, for the first time, my heart

friends because of it. My friends were

our hearts and trust that He’ll give

and soul were talking. I felt so much

everything to me back then. It was

it back to us clean. It felt impossible

sorrow but it was the comforting type.

the first time my family thought I

but that’s all I wanted- a clean heart

I was happy that I could still feel guilt.

was a bad egg. After some teenage

again. I listened intently to everything

I was happy that I was not a bad egg

angst and slight rebellion came the

he said. He then started advising us to

and God still remembers me. It was

days of silence and numbness. My

pray each prayer like it was our last. I

genuinely a cleansing experience and

sister decided that she’d take me to

began looking at the clock wishing for

I will always have that weekend of

an Islamic class about purifying the

Asr to come quickly after the detail he

classes to be thankful for.’

heart. I rolled my eyes at the idea but

was unfolding. Prayer time finally came

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Abdul Samad‘24th July 2005 (Karachi) – I was fourteen and it was the beginning of the summer holidays from school. I and my cousins, Asif and Rizwan, planned a road trip around Karachi and the Punjab.

The first spot was the beach in Karachi. We were having so much fun that we lost track of time and the night was upon us. We left the beach in a hurry whilst discussing excuses to tell our families why we were late. Asif began riding the motorbike at a high speed. He lost control and we collided with a lorry. Rizwan had jumped off before the collision.

He was shocked when he saw us unconscious. Four hours later, Asif had passed away and I was in coma. Our families were totally distraught- some of them were screaming from the sorrow and others were silently suffering the pain. I regained consciousness a fortnight later and kept asking everyone where Asif was. I wasn’t told the truth until I returned to England. There was nothing I

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could do for him besides pray. I prayed and I prayed and I prayed.

I became closer to Allah. I started appreciating life. I knew I was given a second chance. We all talk about how much we love Allah but how many times do we think about how much Allah loves us? Nine years later on 24th July, I graduated. Some may call it a coincidence some may call it destiny; but I know I only experienced the joy of graduating because Allah loves me a lot.’

Mona Warsaame‘Everyone’s journey to Islam and to enlightenment is different. I recently realised that if you do not feed your iman (faith) everyday then your iman will die. Feeding your iman however is a constant fight and up until now I have done a terrible terrible job at fighting. If I was a boxer, I would be limping around the edges of the ring in the 12th round. The only thing that has kept me going was that I truly believe in Allah and Islam, and I have a deep spiritual nature about

me, that was Allah’s rope that I held on to which kept me up. I am not sure if this is protection from Allah simply for my sake or (most probably) protection from Allah due to my mother’s du’a (prayers/supplications). To live a spiritually clean life, I have to feed my iman correctly, so that I can be a better fighter and overcome the obstacles Allah may put in front of me to test His servant. Do not punch yourself out by indulging in meaningless things, that’s like eating or drinking empty calories whilst preparing for the biggest fight of your life. It has become simple for me- if it does not benefit me, I leave it and if it harms me I definitely leave it.’

Captain‘A friend of mine was working in a recruitment agency and told us about how much money they were making. So, my business partner and I set up a recruitment agency delivering workers to factories. We used to sleep in the office at the start and paid for

Truthful encounters with Muslims of Britain everything out of our own pockets.

We had a bunk bed in there but we had to assemble it every night and dissemble every morning for six months. We used to call it the big lift as we had to lift the whole top bunk and fix it on top. We were living away from our families but were determined to get a contract and make some money. We used an old van to get to places but never had enough money to put diesel in it, so going down a hill we used to turn the engine off and coast for as long as possible to save on fuel consumption. We had no money to even shower as there was no washing facility in the office for it. We used to use the local swimming pool to wash but we had to spend £4 for it.

One day we didn’t pay and got caught. One the staff asked us if we had membership and we tried to wriggle out of it by saying it was in the post. He wasn’t convinced to say the least. A year and a half after that we were turning over one million and ten years on we have employed ninety people to work with us. We were determined and that’s the only thing that got us through the difficulty.’

50 different countries. For instance, I mix Malay velvet Songkok with embroidered Afghan Kaftans and fuse it with a Senegalese wax (type of West African material) waistcoat and chinos. My fashion sense aims to be unconventional, quirky and unorthodox reflecting the vast cultural complexities of the Muslim world and the intricately complicated person that I am. By January 2016, , I will be launching my fashion brand, where I will be showcasing my lookbook of men’s traditional and modern fashion styles from across British Muslim diaspora and expatriate communities. These include shoots at Rumi’s Cave, SOAS and Regents Park. Also, my upcoming blog and

youtube channel, ‘Fashionistan’ aims to provide an exploration of Muslim cultures through the medium of Muslim men’s fashions.

Islam’s cultural flexibility with regards to clothing underpins my whole ethos. I want to show to the world, Muslim and nonMuslim, that Islam , despite some restrictions, is no restriction to creativity and clothing artistry. I liken this to the beauty of Islamic calligraphy, despite restrictions not to draws or humans, has produced an unparalleled artistic aesthetic.

As Muslims, we should not see our rules as barrier, rather an informer of a unique creative style. ‘

By Huma Baig

Salahuddin Mazhary‘While Muslim women’s fashions are gradually inching its way towards global mainstream exposure, there is a telling dearth of Muslim male fashion narratives.

This is where I come in to occupy that untapped space. I want to be the male version of Hijabi-H&Mmodel Mariah Idrissi, Dina Tokio and Hanna Tajima. My fashion sense is reflective of a mosaic of different cultures derived from my Syrian-Pakistani background as well as my travels that equate to www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

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Preseli Ventures

The Perfect blend of Adrenalin and Tranquility

Preseli Venture is located on the Pembrokeshire coastline. Families and other groups incuding couples, work colleagues visit and stay at a 5 star eco lodge, and get

to enjoy healthy home cooked and locally sourced food, and get the chance to experience adventure activities including coasteering, sea kayaking, surfing, and biking.

There is also a chance for families to explore the Pembrokeshire National Park coastline at their own pace chilling out at the local sandy beaches and experiencing activities from beachcombing and

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rockpooling to safe swimming.

Local attractions include dolphin spotting boat trips around offshore islands, fishing trips, horse riding on sandy beaches, through to bat detecting and badger watching!

‘There is so much in the media about the need for families to move more and eat better; this is a great opportunity to take some exercise in an amazing environment. At home kids might spend a lot of time in front of their playstation this holiday will give

the whole family the chance to get close to nature, have a great workout in the wild, and it’s pretty much the perfect way to renew and refresh family bonds and experience some quality family time’ said Claire Carlile, Preseli Venture marketing manager.

Day 1 Leaving from London upto the end of the Pembrokeshire coastline wasn’t a short journey, it took about five hours in total.By the time we arrived it was coming upto midnight. The arrival all in all was a bit scary driving up windy mountains in the dark. We arrived at the venue and settled into our cosy eco- lodge.

Day 2

We had the use of separate bathrooms and our room was settled with single beds.

We walked across to the building opposite where we could ate our meals, had access to tea/coffee and lounge about. There was access to wifi, tv and games in that building but in surrounding areas it was difficult to get a signal, so that is useful to bear in mind. The Geo- dome was outside and the owners friendly pony named Joy gave company to my daughter who bonded with it.

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This was a jam-packed day. We started the day with a hearty and organic breakfast and headed off for the first activity, which was kayaking to the nearest coastline at 10am. It was cold, let me tell you that much, but we overlooked the weather and got changed into our outfits and drove out in the van with the kayaks. It was the first time so it took used to getting used to the kayaks and the techniques, the instructor was understanding and great she ventured out with us and the more confident we got the more further we went out to sea, the tides were stable and got more higher as we launched deeper. We even managed to explore some of the deep hidden caves, which was awesome.

We were offered to try out coasteering afterwards, but we were soaking wet and jumping off cliffs into the sea, I decided to give that a miss at this moment in time; and quite clearly, the chill in my spine couldn’t let me go ahead even though a part of me wanted

to. We were feeling adventurous but this was pushing it all I know you need to be brave to try it out.

I wasn’t feeling brave at all that day.

We got back just before lunchtime. We had a shower and relaxed before we headed out to a six-mile hike. We were handed a map of locations, dropped off at a starting point and told where to finish. It took us most of the afternoon and early evening to complete the hike. We stopped off at a beach to have a break.

But by the time we got back we were literally ready to collapse. It was amazing walking across the cliffs taking in the amazing view of the ocean and the scenery. Again tiring but a great explorative trek.

In the evening we took a drive out to the local town centre and browsed around for nearby shops, but nothing seemed to be open so we came back to the eco lodge and lounged for the evening, played games etc. We had to leave the next day so we packed our things in order to avoid panic last minute.

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Preseli Venture: A Cocktail of Adrenalin and Natural Tranquillity

it, you can have a combination of activities arranged for your needs, whether its adventure or relaxation. There is everything for everyone, whether you are a family, friends or couples, expect natural adventure this is not glamorous or for the faint hearted.

Day 3 We had horse riding sessions booked for day two at a local stables so we drove out and even got a lesson on grooming a horse.

It wasn’t the everyday thing where you can do easily in London, the rural countryside location, natural settings and most of al the oxygen, fresh cold air, water and food seemed to do wonders for our health. We explored a few town shops on the way back to London for souvenirs and gifts.

The feel of the place seemed somewhat like Balamory; childrens TV programme, it seemed abit surreal actually. I would have loved to glamp out in the Geo Dome if it was the summer months.

My evening would be complete with a hot drink and sit around a warm lit camp- fire. Maybe it’s another chance to come back in the summer months and try the coasteering.

Alternative things to do Archery is offered as an evening activity during the family holiday and Jet boat trips around Ramsey Island. Young childrens “adventure parks” such as Folly farm and zoo and Heatherton park both within 40 mins driving of Preseli Venture.

Families can either buy family adventure holiday packages or they are flexible and people can stay for a shorter time.

Normally the eco-lodge and accommodation plus adventure half-days range from £62 per person for one night, plus £52 for a half-day adventure. £52 per child (under 16) for one night, and £42 per child for a half-day adventure, prices include all 3 meals.

Preseli Ventures has everything that you want to make out of

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BEST UN-SIGNED ACT Hussnain Lahori

BY PUBLIC DEMAND Shide Boss

Sports Category Winners Best Cage Fighter 2015 Blue Tooth Kiani Best Kickboxer 2015 Qasim The Dream Baig Best Upcoming Boxer 2015 Qais Kess Ashfaq Best Upcoming Cricketer Moen Ali

Winners BEST RADIO PRESENTER – MALE Ray C (Asian Star Fm) BEST RADIO PRESENTER – FEMALE Noreen Khan (BBC Asian Network) BEST UPCOMING RADIO PRESENTER Imran (Radio XL) BEST RADIO SHOW Saima Ajram (BBC Asian Network) BEST TV PROGRAM Bina Khan (Venus TV /Sunrise TV) BEST YOUTUBER/V.BLOG/ COMEDIAN Guzzy Bear

Committed to the scene 2015 Zack Khan BBC Asian Network

Music Category Winners BEST SONG OF THE YEAR 2015 Imran Khan (Imaginary) BEST VIDEO OF THE YEAR 2015 Imran Khan (Imaginary) BEST MALE SINGER 2014 Imran Khan BEST MALE SINGER 2015 Zack Knight BEST FEMALE SINGER Sakina BEST DJ DJ Yasser (BBC Asian Network)

BEST WEBSITE/ BLOG desimag.co.uk

BEST URBAN ACT Zack Knight

BEST NEWSPAPER/ ONLINE/ MAGAZINE The Asian Today

BEST RAP ARTIST Tazzz

BEST MAKEUP ARTIST Lubna Rafiq BEST HAIR STYLIST Aamir Naveed

BEST DUO ACT Bonafide (Maz & Ziggy) BEST BREAKING ACT – 2014/ 2015 Asif Khan

LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

BEST PRODUCER Bilal Saeed

Muhammed Ayyub – Oriental Star Records

BEST SONG WRITER Imran Khan

Best Event 2015 Big Johns Eid Mela

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT 2015 Bilal Saeed BEST INTERNATIONAL ACT 2015 Falak

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Achievers Award Atta Ul Haq

Music Awards

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The Nawaabs experience

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All-you-can-eat buffets always bring out the fat kid in me. This inner child set out to compare the wellestablished Royal Nawaab in Manchester with its recently opened branch in the capital city of London.

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Manchester

London underground. The interior

tender whilst the pakoras were, much

of the restaurant is elegantly and

to my surprise, not too oily. Each dish

Manchester is home to Nawaab

simply decorated to create a relaxing

in the main course brought many

- a premier buffet restaurant and

ambience.

idle taste buds to life; especially the

banqueting venue for over ten years.

There is plenty of parking at a short distance from the actual restaurant, attended to by a member of staff.

The faux-marble entrance welcomes everyone to affordable luxury, as the fragrance of the glorious food tickles your taste buds. The front hall is elegantly decorated with images

The Manchester experience

national Pakistani dishes - Nihari and Haleem. The lamb curry, however, was not up to the standard of the

Nawaabs Manchester is a busy

other dishes. Small milk based balls,

restaurant that provides a large variety

deep-fried in sugar syrup, known as

of tasty dishes from around the world;

gulab jaman, that were served with

catering for all tastes at an award

vanilla ice cream, rounded off the meal

winning standard. Their speciality,

pleasantly.

however, is in Indian cuisine. So, if you’re a ‘Desi’ who is away from the

So, delicious food; comfortable

homeland and craving home-cooked

atmosphere; friendly staff; and good

delicacies- Nawaabs can help you out.

value for money would rate Nawaabs

All the food is Halal and no alcohol is

Manchester at a high 9 out of 10 for

served at this buffet restaurant. The

me. It would be nicer if the seats were

best part of the deal is the affordable

not so tightly packed and it offered a

price of £15.95 per adult, excluding

little more privacy, leg room and space

drinks, and £7.00 for children between

for children in high chairs. But, does

regularly checked.

4 and 11 years old.

the new branch in London match up to

London

As soon as we entered we were swiftly

of Bollywood stars from bygone eras, and has a comfortable yet large seating area. The water feature is an eye catcher for many visitors who are waiting for family or friends to arrive and this serves as a beautiful backdrop for photographs. Much to my relief, the toilets were clean, well-kept and

this standard? greeted by a member of staff asking

The London experience

Nawaab in Perivale is one of the

how many were dining and were

newest Pakistani/Indian high-

quickly escorted to a table. Visitors

The rectangular dining area itself is

quality buffets on the block. It gets

formed long queues to experiment

spacious, with smart décor and the

quite busy, and it has become so

with food combinations which they

layout is well organised. The food is

in the short space of time it has

wouldn’t otherwise have done in a

displayed over two perpendicular

been open. This is due to its high

standard mono-cuisine restaurant.

walls and offers sixty different types of

reputation and popularity. It caters

Their meat dishes are exceptional, and

dish, so the variety was just as broad

for thousands of customers every

you can see fresh dishes being made

as Nawaab Manchester. They also

month, many of whom choose to

through the open fronted kitchen.

adopt the same Halal meat concept, no alcohol policy and a large number

utilise the banqueting area for special occasions and corporate events. It

The buffet style dining naturally meant

of dishes from international cuisine. It

is set in an iconic building and this

that my plate was full of carefully

caters for all your eatery needs but at

luxurious venue has ample parking

balanced mismatched morsels of food.

a higher price than its sister branch.

space in the underground car park.

I enjoyed the starters but the freshly

From Monday to Thursday adults are

Royal Nawaab is also accessible via

made chapli kebab was exceptionally

charged £17.95 and £8.00 for children

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The Nawaabs experience of the same group as above. Whereas from Friday to Sunday adult prices are £19.95 and children’s cost £10.00 per head.

The entrance of Nawaab London is not as spacious as the Manchester branch, but the visitors are welcomed by a beautiful large crystal chandelier, before the smartly dressed staff direct you to the waiting area.

The innovative buzzer service in the waiting area means that staff do not need to shout customers’ names, instead they ring the buzzer for the visitors who are next to be seated. A prayer room facility is also available nearby.

Behind the counter, chefs are constantly preparing and serving a supply of freshly cooked food, enabling food replenishment to be efficient. Amongst the starters, the flavoursome seekh kebab was cooked to perfection; and the lamb chops were tender and a decent size, which was impressive for a buffet restaurant.

The meat dishes were still exceptional at this branch, as were the national Pakistani dishes. I can safely say the Namkin Gosht and the Madras Chicken curry were my favourites, and left me shamelessly licking my fingers. In contrast to Manchester Nawaab, the lamb curry was delicious and had a nice spicy punch to it.

I was disappointed with the desserts: The only one I liked was the Halwa - a Punjabi semolina pudding - as the level of sweetness was just right and the texture was perfect.

As I was let down by the desserts but loved the savoury food options, and the welcoming atmosphere, I would conclude that it upholds the award-winning standard of its primary branch.

The staff were polite but meals were priced more expensively than at its sister branch, especially for children. However, contextualising in the area of London, this was averagely priced. I was a little disappointed to hear that you can only stay for a maximum of two hours in the peak times of 6pm to 8pm. All in all, I would rate the Nawaab London 8 out of 10… After all, I am serious about my sweet tooth.

By Huma Baig

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Where to Go in 2016

it plays host to the 2016 Olympics.

travellers hiking along the UNESCO-

This time around, we’re encouraging

listed Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route

travellers to head north, staying in a

where Kyoto’s ancient emperors once

jungle lodge then exploring Chapada

prayed to deities in the trees and

Diamantina National Park, a hidden

rocks. Next cycle across stunning

gem with flat top mountains and

islands following the world’s largest

Brazil’s highest waterfall. If relaxing in

series of suspension bridges, known as

a floating hammock over crystal clear,

the Shimanami Kaido. Finally travellers

teal-coloured water is more your jam,

will kayak around the Bay of Miyajima

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and

stunning Jericoacoara beach is just

to see its main attraction, the floating

Uzbekistan - Visa restrictions have

the cure. G Adventures is launching

Itsukushima Shrine. The new 13-day

relaxed in Central Asia recently, hence

two new itineraries in northern Brazil.

Japan Hike, Bike, Kayak trip is priced

it takes the number one spot for those

A 14-day Explore Northern Brazil and

from £2,999pp.

looking for the most unusual passport

Amazon trip is priced from £2,399pp.

The ‘Stans –

stamps. Travellers will learn to build a yurt and sleep in yurts and homestays with local families, supporting community-based tourism along the way.

Northern Brazil – This South

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Japan – Japan is more affordable than ever and firmly on the comeback track, hosting both the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Olympics. In 2016 we’re encouraging travellers to see the parts of Japan most tourists

American superstar will once again

miss, and to see them a different way.

be in the international spotlight when

This first-of-its-kind active trip has

Northwest USA – This region

As travellers start looking at what to book for next year, the experts have gazed into their crystal globes to foresee new hotspots and new ways to see old favourites.

is experiencing a tourism ‘it’ moment

traveller numbers to rise too. It’s

with its combination of hip cities,

launched the Sri Lanka Express which

quirky small towns, and stunning

is full of culture and nature, but can

natural parks, which collectively mark

also be combined with a Maldives

their 100th anniversary in 2016. G

Dhoni Cruise for the ultimate twin-

Adventures new National Parks of

centre adventure getaway. Visit a spice

the Northwest US trip takes in all of

plantation and stay in an eco-lodge in

the above. Visit wild west mining

the rainforest, and experience a jeep

town Wallace in Idaho, known as the

safari in Yala National Park. This eight-

Silver Capital of the World, spend

day trip is priced from £699pp.

in May 2016, making it even easier

Indonesia – Visas are no longer

to get to G Adventures’ number one

nights camping in Big Sky Country, Montana, and Yellowstone NP, home to the most wild animals in the US. Swing by the cowboy town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and finish in hip and happening Portland, Oregon. Priced from £2,299pp for a 15-day trip.

Sri Lanka – Visitor numbers are increasing for this India Ocean gem, up 17% year-on-year according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, and G Adventures is expecting its

71www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

needed for the UK and 30 other countries. G Adventures offers a range of trips in Indonesia, including the 16day Best of Sumatra and Java, priced

from £679pp.

Costa Rica- A new direct flights from London to San Jose is launching in May with British Airways. A 16-day Costa Rica Adventure is priced from £892pp.

Peru – Likewise, a new direct flight from London to Lima with BA launches

destination. A 10-day Inca Journey is priced from £1,469pp.

India – A new e-visa is making travel to India easier than ever before,

from £1,499pp.

for both UK citizens and those in 149

Vietnam – It is now visa-free for

other countries. A 15-day Essential

UK citizens between July 2015 and

India trip is priced from £849pp.

June 2016, when travelling for less than 15 days. The 10-day Classic Vietnam Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City trip is priced

Visit:

gadventures.co.uk

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Creative and Inspiring Wedding Ideas

We explore some quirky and fun wedding concepts of Glamping.

“The Arabian Tent company” give us something to plan for next summer.

Everyone loves the thought of

Sagging guy ropes, dodgy

proving that the words ‘canvas’

long summer days and starry

weather and back-crippling

and ‘glamour’ need not be

nights under canvas in the heart

interiors can take all the fun out of

mutually exclusive.

of the English countryside. The

that ‘back to nature’ experience.

sound of birds singing, crickets

And for others, even the thought

chirping, the sizzle of a BBQ,

of shaking a tent out of its bag

the gentle glug, glug of wine

and grappling with bendy poles,

being poured.

flysheets and damp sleeping bags

For a relaxing weekend away with friends and family, nothing beats

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launching a range of Boudoirs, Yurts and Bell Tents.

Whatever the occasion - a

There has to be another way.

weekend ‘happening’ for the

And there is! It’s called ‘Glamping’

home from home in the heart

and it’s something that the

of nature.

Arabian Tent Company have

the reality can be too far apart.

marquees and tents, they are

sends a shiver down the spine.

that unique combination of a

But for some, the romance and

So now, alongside their larger

been doing since before the term was even invented. For a nearly a decade now, they have been

special friends in your life to a romantic liaison à deux - they have the glamping tent for you and the expertise and back-up to remove all the practical problems of life under canvas.

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Boudoirs The most luxurious tented experience of them all and the ultimate Glamping experience, their gorgeous little Boudoir tents are the palatial miniature versions of our Arabian collection and come with the option of any of their sumptuous interiors.

You have the benefit of being able to stand up inside the whole tent so the whole area is usable but still feels as cosy and luxurious

as it is possible to feel while ‘camping’.

Their Boudoir tents come in two sizes, either three metres square which is an ideal size for two, or four-and-a-half metres square which can sleep up to six dormitory-style. Different options

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for interior themes and décor are available.

Yurts These spacious five-metre diameter yurts have an organic luxury feel with exposed wood

Creative and Inspiring Wedding Ideas

and white canvas with traditional Turkmen rugs and outside bands.

They are predominantly used as tented accommodation (expansive lodging for two or six people dormitory-style) and can also be

used as stand-alone party areas.

They come floored and lit as standard with solid doors and name-tags but with different interior dĂŠcor options available.

Bell Tents Their five-metre diameter Bell Tents are a comfortable size for either two people or could sleep four in dormitory style sleeping.

Supplied with name tags and bunting around them, different options for bedding, lights and interior dĂŠcor are also available.

Visit: www.arabiantents.com

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Spring Woodland Weddings

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We’ve all been swept away in a land of fantasy at one point or another. What girl hasn’t romanticised about meeting her very own Robin Hood or Prince Charming?

Fairytale heros from childhood dreams follow us into adulthood - and why not! With hitched WIFE statistics telling us that a whopping £10,033,768,422 spent in the UK on weddings last year, an average of £1517 spent by the average couple on venue hire, it is not surprising that the trend for forest and woodland weddings are growing at a very rapid rate in the UK

With ‘woodland’ themed weddings

a few reasons why people are opting

2.

becoming more common, the theme

for this kind of event over a more

breakfast is very formal. A woodland

allows the bride and groom to unleash

traditional hotel based wedding …

theme lends itself to a much more

their creativity on unexpecting guests - making the whole experience unique and one that they will remember for ever.

1.

Flowers - Springtime sees a

beautiful arrange of woodland flowers.

Natural, hand tied bouquets are stunning at this time of year. Handfuls

If you are planning a wedding and

of bluebells, foxgloves and daffodils, to

looking for a more natural theme, a

name a few - as table decorations, add

springtime woodland wedding could

the perfect woodland theme to any

be the perfect choice … here are just

table.

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Dining - the traditional wedding

relaxed dining experience; Think game, hog roasts, medieval banquet dining and rustic fayre including different breads, cheese and cold meats are perfect for this theme. For drinks, think of caskets of real ale, UK produced wines, and Elderflower Champagne to toast.

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Spring woodland weddings 3. A woodland themed wedding would see lots of long flowing dresses in the style of Maid Marion or a fairytale princess. Combine crushed silks with velvet and lace. Mix up the colours! Sage, lilacs, cornflower blues, soft oranges and pale reds all lend themselves to this theme. For the men think elegant waistcoats over billowing shirts, medieval pants and period breeches. Lots of texture and different colours bring a certain charm.

4. A marquee in a glade will create the perfect woodland retreat. Using a carefully selected range of soft furnishings, lanterns, wildflowers and natural foliage will create the perfect woodland ambience.

5. Entertainment for a woodland wedding could follow a couple of different genres - maybe a string quartet or harp playing for the banquet. Liven things up with a folk

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band or create a mini festival with lots

information please go to

of different acoustic bands.

www.arabiantents.com

Whatever your theme for the big day, remember it’s all about you and it’s all about having fun! For more

Wedding Shopping Whether it’s a wedding gift or some quirky little touches for the big day!

Wedding lanterns Price: £12.99

Decorative milk bottles with lace Price: £8.95

Company: Ginger Ray

Company: Live Laugh Love

Clear cut diamond tealight holder Price: £2.95 Company: Live Laugh Love

Personalised London Street Sign Price: £11.99 Company: Getting Personal

White detailed bird lantern Price: £14.95 Company: Made With Love Personalised Card Boutique

Love Canvas Price: £18.00

White Dove Bookmarks Price: £17.99 Company: The Oak Room

Company: Gift Wrapped & Gorgeous

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City

Wedding Venues

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Jumeirah Carlton Hotel Located in the heart of London’s exclusive Knightsbridge district, the hotel boasts a stunning, contemporary Ballroom area, which can accommodate up to 360 people for a wedding. The Ballroom features gold interiors, magnificent chandelier lighting and flexible LED lights which can be programmed to shine any colour on the spectrum.

The Ballroom can also be divided to create two large spaces should guests wish to keep male and female invitees separate, making it ideal for Muslim wedding celebrations.

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Spring woodland weddings In addition to the Ballroom space, the function area also includes the Garden Rooms (on the same floor as the Ballroom) which overlook Cadogan Square Gardens and are perfect for smaller events or for the ceremony itself. In winter, the stylish fireplace features in the Garden Rooms add a cosy feel to the interiors. The events space has its own separate entrance to the rest of the hotel and wedding guests also have access to the very exclusive, private Cadogan Gardens for their photographs (Jumeirah Carlton Tower works exclusively with Madhu’s as their Asian caterer and the hotel’s talented team of chefs is also able to create Asian-inspired menus.

For more information visit:

jumeirah.com

The RoofGardens Kensington

nestled amidst 1.5 acres of gardens

grown oaks and fruit trees, a flowing

and wildlife 100ft above High Street

stream stocked with fish and wildlife

Kensington, provides the perfect

and of course resident flamingos.

setting for couples to exchange vows and tie the knot. From intimate occasions for 10 guests to more elaborate celebrations for up to

The Roof Gardens has long been

500, any wedding is sure to delight.

one of London’s most captivating

No other location in London offers

landmarks. The stunning Clubhouse,

beautiful rooftop gardens with fully

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For more information visit:

roofgardens.virgin.com

The Beauty of

Phu Quoc Island- Vietnam

Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest and

Resort is a perfect place to enjoy the

most beautiful island located in

tropical climate and untouched natural

the waters between Vietnam and

environment of ‘Pearl Island’ with

Cambodia. Set against a backdrop of

its pristine beaches & crystal clear

endless ocean vistas and unspoiled

waters. Salinda Resort is a perfect

natural surroundings, Salinda Resort

holiday choice for couples looking

Phu Quoc Island is the first luxury

for a restorative sunfilled break or

resort amidst the peace and serenity

families looking to enjoy a Vietnamese

of Phu Quoc’s beautiful Long

adventure exploring the islands

Beach. Embodying the essence of

untouched natural beauty..

understated luxury from the worldclass facilities, stylish design and service to the fantastic cuisine, Salinda

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About Salinda Resort Phu Quoc Contemporary architecture blends harmoniously into the natural tropical vegetation whilst a magnificent saltwater infinity pool, lush tropical gardens and water gardens all add to the peaceful ambience.

Guests can choose from 121 generously proportioned deluxe rooms, suites or villas decorated using natural materials and reflective of the Vietnamese heritage, further enhanced by luxurious modern amenities & spacious private balconies.

Salinda Spa The only spa in Vietnam operated by a professional Spa team from Thailand, Salinda Spa welcomes guests to discover traditional, ancient therapies for the body and soul leaving guests feeling relaxed, rejuvenated

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and replenished. An exceptional sanctuary to be pampered in style, the Salinda Spa offers a wide variety of effective and nurturing treatments from a delicious coconut body scrub to a deep tissue massage.

The open-kitchen at Salinda Restaurant With spectacular views over Long Beach, Salinda Restaurant offers a choice of authentic Vietnamese; contemporary Italian and Indian cuisine. The unique modern show kitchen restaurant is in a serene tropical setting perfectly positioned to showcase an innovative menu of local and international cuisine. Boasting one of the largest wine cellars in the country with an exceptional collection of cigars, spirits and signature cocktails, will ensure that guests want for nothing.

The Beauty of Phu Quoc Island- Vietnam

Authentic Vietnamese experiences Attention to detail is paramount and this extends to the wide range of services available at the hotel – from babysitting, bicycle rental to personal training. Yet in addition the professional concierge team will help plan bespoke, personalised tours and excursions around the island, from snorkelling or diving adventures to a trip to a black pepper farm.

Banish the winter blues and head to the remote island of Phu Quoc for a luxurious and sophisticated getaway. Salinda Resort Phu Quoc offers guests the chance to switch off, relax and enjoy the sunshine, warm waters, secluded sandy beaches, world class Spa, excellent Vietnamese cuisine and world class service.

Visit: www.salindaresort.com www.britishmuslim-magazine.com

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An escape to Galgorm

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The Hotel

walked further into the hotel

Although the hotel was

noticed a change of the mood

traditionally known as a

of the place which subtedly

Georgian style gentlemens

infused to contemporary

club and residence, there

bamboo oak all over the walls,

was a modern twist and

glass panels, spotlights and

elegant twist in the interior

scenic canvases in lobbys.

and the dĂŠcor especially the

As I walked throughout the

traditional wooden carvings,

lobbies trying to notice how

log fireplaces, chandeliers

they crafted this blend so well.

and grandeur paintings in the

I especially loved the moodlit

reception but somehow as I

walk to the spa I felt I was in a

past the riverside restaurant I

The Galgorm hotel and Spa is a luxury resort located in the countryside of Ballymena, Ireland which is only a 25 minute drive from Belfast airport.

I was greeted by Paul who collected me in a white range rover, normally hotel guests were collected from the airport in a phantom or a range rover and all throughout the journey he told me a brief history about the town, the hotel and the fact that London buses are manufactured locally and Boris Johnson also is a regular visitor. He made sure I was not only entertained throughout the journey but went to extreme lengths to make sure I was taken care of up until the moment I was in my room, which was really pleasant to see.

in house Italian restaurant with a

museum of some sort.

healthy pizza and I loved the miniature My bedroom had a scenic balcony

desserts they were amazing. The

view of the gardens and especially the

staff accommodated my dietary

river Maine which was literally running

requirements and even offered the

opposite my bedroom and delightful

option of halal meat, which was really

to get upto every morning.

impressive to see in Ireland and the

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The Food

management is definitely open to

I had breakfast at Gillies in the

my last afternoon tea which was in the

morning, which consisted of a full

conservatory overlooking the river and

hot and cold buffet system and

that was a great way of relaxing just

dined in the evening at Fratellis, the

before I headed back to the airport.

cater for different dietary needs. I had

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An escape to Galgorm

The Spa Well, waking up to the tranquil surroundings of a plush river isn’t the usual type of wake up call, but having a massage and pedicure infront of the river Maine, was a lovely sight in itself. I tried the Maine Massage, which is a signature Swedish massage, with a focus on areas you need deeper work. The therapists were very accommodating and thorough in there work. I was deeply calm and physically relaxed afterwards.

There isn’t any restriction on using the hot tub outside overlooking the river and the spa itself. I had a morning swim and spa session it was a great feeling. I would suggest that two days are enough to spend within the spa at present but when the new spa village opens up in September you could easily spend 3-4 days just within itself, it would be a complete new experience altogether.

Other activities Nearby sites to the hotel is Galgorm castle which itself has so many activities to spend days on. The nearest town centre and

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shops are located about half and hour away. I walked briefly outside and caught the horses and cattle grazing nearby but on foot I could not really walk too far out.

Galgorm is a majestic and fascinating place to get away from it all and it certainly has the wow factor as soon as you enter the premises. It’s great for hosting weddings, and honeymooners, but also a great escape for friends and family looking to escape the hussle and bussle of city life, because virtually this place is in the middle of nowhere, but easily accessible by car and flights are also not expensive or time consuming, but the whole experience itself is a very memorable one if you are looking for tranquility and nature, its worth the investment.

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