{"id":9683,"date":"2016-12-13T11:27:30","date_gmt":"2016-12-13T11:27:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/?p=9683"},"modified":"2026-03-22T12:19:36","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T12:19:36","slug":"i-watched-muslims-like-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/i-watched-muslims-like-us\/","title":{"rendered":"I watched Muslims Like Us"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Mehreen:<\/a>
Mehreen Baig: ‘They (some Muslims) think I’m a Muslim girl gone bad. But I pray every single day. ‘<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I watched the first episode of Muslims Like Us last night.<\/p>\n

The cast list was a bit odd. \u00a0Yes, it was balanced between the sexes, with five men and five women. \u00a0But the racial and (lack of) age mix was strange for me.<\/p>\n

Among the women was an opinionated woman of white appearance in Islamic dress. She was called \u2018Saba’, which means \u2018soft breeze’ in Arabic. \u00a0She was anything but soft.<\/p>\n

There was a Middle-Eastern-appearing woman called Naira (Arabic for \u2018source of light’), dressed British-style. \u00a0Then we had two head-scarfed Asian girls, Humaira (which means \u2018rosy’) and Zohra (\u2018bright’).<\/p>\n

\"BBC2's<\/a>
BBC2’s promotional picture of the ‘Muslims Like Us’ housemates. L-R back row: Nabil, Naila, Fehran. L-R Front row: Humaira, Mehreen, Zohra, Mani, Baraa, Saba, Abdul Haq \/ Anthony Small.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finally,\u00a0although she appeared first, there was an Asian girl called Mehreen<\/strong><\/a>, (possibly \u2018loving nature’) described as a teacher, although she is also a model. \u00a0Some Muslims, she said, think she is \u2018a Muslim girl gone bad’. \u00a0One could see why, as she tottered on her heels in Western dress. \u2018But I pray every single day’, she said. (Yes, it’s a ‘religion of works’.) There was no black woman among them.<\/p>\n

In contrast, there was no-one of white extraction among the males. Ex-boxer Anthony Small, now styling himself \u2018Abdul Haq’ (translates \u2018servant of truth’), was brought up by Christian parents in a Caribbean household before associating with Anjem Choudary<\/strong><\/a>. Nabil (which means \u2018noble’) was a Nigerian stand-up comedian from Croydon.<\/p>\n

We had a Syrian, Baraa, (\u2018innocent’), a Pakistani, Mani (\u2018one who prevents’), who is married to a girl waiting for her visa in Pakistan, and Ferhan, (which means \u2018happy’) the much-trailed homosexual.<\/p>\n

\"Mehreen<\/a>
Mehreen digests a tract on Islamic dress from Abdul\/Tony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Everyone his own scholar<\/h2>\n

Without an authoritative older man to defer to, each of the five, all in their late twenties or early thirties, became his own \u2018alim’, or Islamic scholar. But it was normally left to Abdul (Tony) to set a standard. He wanted not just separate bedrooms but separate floors for boys and girls. He lost that one.<\/p>\n

Although obviously irritating with his endless supply of tracts on non-mixing of the sexes, Islamic dress for women, the imperative of preaching (\u2018da’wah’) and so on, he came across as someone of integrity, so to speak, and on his own terms.<\/p>\n

\"Anthony<\/a>
Anthony Small in earlier fight-winning mode.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gay Muslims Like Us?<\/h2>\n

He was the only one to separate himself from the women at mealtimes. He was also the only one to avoid eye contact with them, although he could not help the odd glance at Mehreen. And when Ferhan’s appalling white gay friends pitched up (he has also associated with the notorious Birmingham activist<\/strong><\/a> and promoter of LGBT to children Andrew Moffat<\/strong><\/a>, Abdul\/Tony was the only one to clear off.<\/p>\n

Mehreen turned out to have a soft spot for Abdul\/Tony as well. \u2018I wonder if he’s married?’ she pondered early on (the answer, according to the Mirror<\/strong><\/a>, was ‘Yes’, but he might have found room for another three), before venturing at the end: \u2018Abdul’s not a nasty man. He’s a mixed-up man’.<\/p>\n

So ‘mixed-up’ indeed that he was charged and acquitted of wanting to join IS in Syria in 2015<\/strong><\/a> and of inciting terrorism in 2018<\/strong><\/a>. The BBC had to defend including him<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Early on they had to sort out the direction of Mecca in order to pray correctly. Naila did not pray. \u2018Religion is control’ she ventured.<\/p>\n

Nice sadness turns to karaoke<\/h2>\n
\"Ferham<\/a>
Ferham Khan (left) with Andrew Moffat (2nd right) at Brimingham ‘Pride’ in 2019<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By a horrible coincidence, the Nice atrocity occurred the previous night to filming. Naila was overcome by it, but for Abdul\/Tony the important thing was to remember that \u2018Muslims are best because we believe in Allah’. Saba snapped that scholarship was \u2018dangerous’, while the others held their peace.<\/p>\n

For excursions, Naila took all the girls except Saba out to a karaoke pub, while only Baraa joined Tony\/Abdul leafleting in town. Nabil managed to get everyone out helping at a soup kitchen. Tony\/Abdul could not help doing da’wah among the down-and-outs, while two of them managed to give the inoffensive Mehreen some racist comments about her sort of people taking our jobs.<\/p>\n

Tee-shirts were instructive. For Nabil it was \u2018Black Lives Matter’, for Tony\/Abdul \u2018Islamic Revolution’.<\/p>\n

Have the BBC put our safety at risk?<\/h2>\n

Tonight, according to the trail, the \u2018housemates’ will explore the divide between Sunni and Shia. But already my worst fears are justified. Yes, you can find plenty of comments on social media about how bad, unrepresentative, bigoted, etc etc is Abdul Haq. But in truth, Mehreen’s comment about him makes some kind of sense. He is a good-looking guy, quiet and reserved, not ranting and raving. He is not coming across so badly as to alienate every single viewer by any means. The danger is, he is providing a focus for those who want to take their religion seriously to the point of radicalisation. Anyone concerned about modesty and feeling that Western society has gone a bit far in the permissive direction and that Islam of the IS variety is the answer will find a ready champion in him.<\/p>\n

Let us leave aside the question of whether the programme should have aired at all. I freely confess I found it fascinating and instructive. I am sure many Christians will say the same. Equally, I am uneasy at anything promoting a religion of death, and pray that hearts will be more receptive especially at this time of Christmas to the Lord Jesus, Prince of peace and Lord of life.<\/p>\n

Given that it aired at all, the BBC should not have included \u2018Abdul Haq’, despite the publicity he has brought to the venture and the occasional spark he has prompted. The danger is not that Tony is winning any argument, but that he is providing a point of witness. It is one that any number of disaffected young men – and women – may attach to, become\u00a0radicalised and possibly turn to terrorism. BBC2 could end up putting our safety at risk.<\/p>\n

Find out how to join Christian Voice and stand up for the King of kings (clicking on the link below does not commit you to join)<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Please note that persons wishing to comment on this story must enter a valid email address. Comments from persons leaving fictitious email addresses will be trashed.<\/p>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

BBC2 aired ‘Muslims Like Us’ (a pun) just before Christmas 2016. It revealed an Establishment promoting Islam even then. Worth reading our 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