Bismillah, this is my first blog, and honestly I don’t know where or how to begin as I’m typing right now. But we all got to start from somewhere, right?
Let me kick this off with a little bit about why I’ve decided to set up this blog…
Basically, I’m at this phase in my life where I want to learn more about Islam and develop myself as a person, both socially and professionally. So while I work on gaining knowledge and better understanding religious topics and themes, I want to document this on my blog and share my learnings with you. And if you are new to Islam, or have an interest in religion and this teaches you something new and opens up different perspectives, all the better!
What will I actually be blogging about?
From broad and fundamental topics such as our purpose and finding meaning in life, all the way to social issues and how we can overcome challenges we face in the West as a Muslim youths. I’m always open to new suggestions, so if you have a topic you’d like me to explore or write about I’d love for you to reach out! With all the challenges of juggling between work and life, I will aim to post at least one blog per week inshallah.
Who is this blog for?
As a Muslim who grew up in Ireland and has lived in the West all his life, I want to appeal to Muslim youths who grew up in Western cultures. This blog will also be useful to parents who may have had a different (or more Eastern) upbringing as it may help them see the world from the eyes of their sons and daughters. Also, for those who are non-Muslim and would like to learn a bit about Islam, I hope I’m able to provide some inspiration for you to discover this beautiful religion through the Quran, Hadith, and other trusted Islamic sources.
How can you get involved?
All feedback, comments, criticisms are fully encouraged! I want this to be a two-way street where we can interact and bounce ideas and opinions of each other. I am by no means an expert here, and would love to learn from you and get your perspective on things. I truly believe that we will only grow as people and as a society through open communication and dialogues, so don’t be afraid to express how you feel about any topic or issue. If you would like to stay updated whenever I put out a new blog, you can subscribe to my newsletter and I will be sure to send you an email with the latest articles.
A little bit about me…
So I was born in Egypt, but moved to Ireland when I was very little. We moved to a number of towns in Ireland, but the majority of my life I was raised in a small city in the South East called Waterford. I went to school there and it’s where I’ve spent all of my childhood and teenage years. Although I probable lived in Egypt for a total of one year (excluding the occasional summer holiday), my parents did a great job in teaching me Arabic and all the cultural & religious customs and traditions. I do feel that I have a good understanding of both Eastern and Western mindsets.
I studied marketing in college for four years at Waterford Institute of Technology just after high school. I then went on to complete my Masters degree from University of Chester in Entrepreneurial Management, and now I’m studying a CIM marketing qualification with the goal of becoming a Chartered Marketer. At the moment I am working as a senior marketing executive at a company called International SOS, based in London. Outside my working hours, I enjoy playing football, chess, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu!