Elham Asaad Buaras
A former Cabinet member, a number 10 advisor, and a well-known banker are among the 33 members of the Muslim community who have received recognition in the King’s New Year Honours.
Sajid Javid, 54, former Chancellor and Home Secretary, is the most prominent Muslim in the King’s New Year Honours. Javid, who will step down at this year’s general election, is to be knighted.
Javid (pictured below) has had a long career in government, serving in six cabinet positions and becoming the first British Muslim and Asian to hold one of the great offices of state.
‘Javid was elected as MP for Bromsgrove in May 2010 with a majority of more than 11,000 votes, and he has increased his share of the vote in each subsequent election.
During his 14-year parliamentary tenure, he served as home secretary, chancellor, health secretary, and communities secretary, as well as running for Tory leadership twice.
Born in Rochdale and raised in Bristol to a bus driver who arrived in England from Pakistan in the 1960s, Javid attended a state school and studied economics and politics at Exeter University.
“It’s a tremendous honour. I wish my late father was here to see it. I’m deeply humbled to be recognised in this way. It’s a testament to the collective efforts and dedication of everyone I’ve worked with in public service,” said Javid.
Fellow banker Naguib Kheraj, 55, is to be made a CBE for services to business and to the economy. Kheraj chairs pensions insurer Rothesay, which specialises in buying annuity books from pension schemes and other insurers and is now one of the UK’s biggest annuity providers.
Naguib (pictured below) is also Chair of Petershill Partners, a member of the Finance Committee of the University of Cambridge, and a member of the Board of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.
He was formerly a member of the Investment Committee of Wellcome Trust, the Finance Committee of Oxford University Press, and served on the Board of NHS England.
Naguib began his career at Salomon Brothers and went on to hold several senior positions at leading financial institutions.
He served as Group Finance Director and Vice Chair and in various business leadership positions at Barclays and was CEO of JP Morgan Cazenove. He also served as Deputy Chair of Standard Chartered plc and chaired its Audit Committee and Risk Committee during his tenure.
Kheraj, who has been on the board of Rothesay since 2014, was CFO of Barclays between 2004 and 2007 and had a stint running JPMorgan Cazenove. He is also an adviser to the Aga Khan Development Network and serves on the boards of various entities within the network.
Included in former PM Liz Truss’s long-awaited resignation honours is Shabbir Riyaz Merali, who is to be made a CBE for public service as an economic adviser and special adviser from February 2018 to October 2022.
Merali (pictured below) is a former Special Adviser to the Prime Minister and a former Economic Adviser to the Foreign Secretary, Secretary of State for International Trade, and Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Merali, a qualified chartered accountant (ACA) and CFA charterholder, is a Policy Fellow at Onward, Director of Intelligence at CogX, and Policy Fellow at the University of Cambridge.
Before moving to Westminster, Merali spent five years working in finance at PwC, specialising in M&A financial modelling. He also previously co-founded a tech start-up.
He told The Muslim News, “I am delighted to have received this honour for public service. There is so much that young people contribute to making our country a better place by getting involved in politics and government.”
One of three University College London Hospitals medics recognised in the New Year’s Honours this year is Dr Jahangir Alom (pictured below), an emergency medicine doctor.
The former National Clinical Lead for the Staff Vaccination Programme at NHS England has been recognised for his dedication to tackling health inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic with a BEM.
Dr Alom led the engagement strategy that saw 147,000 of the most hesitant healthcare workers take up the COVID-19 vaccine at a time when the government had announced a vaccine mandate. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Alom worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the ethnic disparities, particularly amongst the British Bangladeshi community.
He collaborated with a number of health authorities and government agencies to develop strategies to reduce transmission and mortality in his community.
He was instrumental in assisting Muslim communities by providing accurate information on COVID-19 vaccines so that Muslim residents might make an informed decision on uptake.
Notably, Dr Alom worked with East London Mosque to roll out vaccines in places of worship and to support the imams in delivering sermons that contained vaccine information and endorsement.
Dr Alom is an expert in tackling health inequalities and has provided commentary on BBC Newsnight, BBC News, SkyNews, Channel 4, and CNN.
He is an avid campaigner for social mobility, having set up an initiative that raises aspirations in underachieving schools, and he mentors young people from state schools in London who are applying to medical school.
Dr Alom is the Programme Director at Selfless UK, an NGO that delivers global health innovations in rural Bangladesh. Jahangir is also a board member at the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR), a Westminster think tank that aims to alleviate poverty through meaningful public policy.
He has previously been recognised as one of the top 100 healthcare leaders of 2022 by the Health Service Journal and is a recipient of the NHS Parliamentary Award 2022.
Speaking with The Muslim News, Dr Alom said, “I feel deeply honoured to be acknowledged for our collective efforts to address health disparities. As an emergency physician, I serve a significant Muslim population in northeast London. It is both my commitment and responsibility to ensure the well-being of my patients extends beyond the hospital. I am grateful to all who have engaged and worked alongside me.
Regrettably, much remains to be done to achieve health equity, especially within Muslim communities. We must continue to champion the needs of those who are underrepresented in our society.”
Fellow NHS worker, Sadia Sadiq, 46, from Cardiff, has been appointed an MBE for her work in overcoming tragedy to help others. The counsellor, whose daughter was stillborn in 2009, received her MBE for services to minority ethnic communities in Wales after setting up a charity to fill gaps she noticed in mental health and wellbeing support.
“I’m overwhelmed and touched that someone has recognised the work we’ve done—because it has been hard at times,” she said, explaining that her charity, Community Care and Wellbeing Services, regularly receives more than 80 referrals a month.
Sadia said the loss of her daughter pushed her into grief work. “Her spirit lives on, and she’s part of my life,” she said. “I wanted to support other families and not have them feel so isolated and alone.”
Munir Patel (pictured below), CEO of XRAIL Group, a railway engineering firm, is one of four Muslims to receive an OBE this year.
Patel, who has been honoured for his contributions to rail exports, founded Xrail in 2010 with the goal of offering consulting services and signalling equipment to clients such as London Underground and Network Rail. Xrail has led projects such as introducing new trains to the London Underground Infrastructure’s subsurface lines and procuring the digital railway system for Network Rail’s East Coast Mainline.
He later expanded Xrail into foreign markets in 2015, bringing his and his company’s wealth of UK railway expertise to the GCC region and completing projects in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
He later ventured closer to home and extended into mainland Spain, where Xrail oversees maintaining the high-speed railway between Madrid and Valencia.
Xrail was given the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade in 2022 in recognition of its successes abroad.
Patel has, for three consecutive years, been named a Department of International Trade Export Champion and was recently nominated to the Board of Trustees for Badu Sports, a local charity that helps young adults from varied backgrounds attain their full potential in the industry.
Patel told The Muslim News, “Our journey in global trade has been marked by resilience, innovation, and a shared vision for creating positive impact. Together, we’ve transcended borders, turning challenges into opportunities.
“This honour is not just an accolade for me but a celebration of collaboration, determination, and the power of fostering international relationships. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who have been part of this remarkable journey.”
Shabnam Ahmed Butt (pictured below), Lead for Adult Safeguarding, is to be made an MBE for services to social care.
Butt, a registered social worker with 25 years of experience working in adult social care in Camden, has taken on many management roles over the last 6 years and has been important to the anti-racism work that adult social care in Camden undertook following George Floyd’s murder.
She was also awarded a National Institute for Health and Care Research fellowship (with Kings College London) to complete her PhD in social work; her research interests include relational reflective supervision, compassionate leadership, and anti-racism.
This led her to create her own supervision model, known as the 6R’s model for supervision.
Butt is also a member of the Black and Ethnic Minority Professional Symposium, which is led by anti-racism visionary social worker Wayne Reid, who led and created an anti-racist supervision template that has widely influenced several boroughs and universities.
Butt also teaches social work practice, practice education, supervision, and anti-racism through her School of Shabs, which includes a YouTube channel. Butt was asked to contribute to the book Outlanders, and you can read some of her writing there, including a piece called “Finding My Brave.”
Speaking to The Muslim News, Butt said, “I have many dreams and aspirations; receiving an MBE was not one of them. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined this. I am very grateful, and I accept the award for all those people who may look like me and feel this would not be possible.”
Jannaty Women’s Social Society’s founder, Majida Aly Sayam (pictured below), is to be made an MBE for her charitable services to ethnic minority women. Aly Sayam has taught sewing, crocheting, flower arrangement, and traditional recipes to women in North London since 1983.
Aly Sayam established a community hub, providing skills training, advice, and support, as well as befriending services. This small community group grew into a grassroots charity, and in 2010, Jannaty Women’s Social Society was established.
Jannaty provides a range of services, including health and wellbeing, skills and training, and social connections. It also operates a charity shop and a community clothing brand, Anaqaa Apparel.
Through coaching and mentoring services, Aly Sayam empowers women by boosting their self-esteem and enabling them to change their lives. The programme has helped hundreds of women gain employment, pursue further education and training, and start their own businesses.
Many of the women she works with come from diverse backgrounds, including Arab, Moroccan, Egyptian, Somali, Ethiopian, Bangladeshi, and more. Many are refugees and asylum seekers from war-torn countries such as Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Somalia who present with complex needs as survivors of war, trafficking, FGM, and domestic violence.
As part of Jannaty’s expansion, the focus is on providing more training courses to assist women in finding employment opportunities. With rising costs-of-living, Jannaty sees more women working while raising a family, and we will continue to support them.
“This award is not only for me but also for my community since my dream has always been to help my community stand on their own two feet, to live dignified lives, and to live to their best potential. This award is recognition of the journey I have been on over the last 30 years, with the support of many people across the community who have helped me to change the lives of vulnerable women,” she told The Muslim News.
More than 1,200 people were awarded in the New Year’s Honours, including 33 members of the Muslim community (one knighthood, two CBEs, four OBEs, sixteen MBEs, and ten BEMs); 20 members of the Jewish community (one knighthood, three CBEs, five OBEs, nine MBEs, and two BEMs); and 27 members of the Hindu and Sikh communities (one knighthood, one CBE, six OBEs, thirteen MBEs, and six BEMs).
Sajid Javid, MP for Bromsgrove, for political & public service.
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Naguib Kheraj, Chair, Rothesay Ltd, for services to business & to the economy.
Shabbir Riyaz Merali, for public service as economic adviser & special adviser at HM Treasury, DIT, FCDO, & 10 Downing St.
Mahboob Hussain, for services to the community in Buckinghamshire.
Salim Hassanali Moledina Janmohamed, for charitable & voluntary services to faith communities.
Munir Patel, CEO, Xrail Group, for services to rail exports.
Zehra Zaidi, for services to international development, humanitarian action, & community cohesion.
Anoushé Husain, Ambassador, Ehlers Danlos Support UK, Limbpower & Disability Champion, for services to people with disabilities.
Azara Issifu, Independent Family Group Conference Co-Ordinator, London Borough of Camden, for services to children & families, & to the community in the London Borough of Camden.
Enass Abo Hamed, Co-Founder & CEO, H2go Power, for services to engineering & enterprise.
Huda Yassin Mohamed, Female Genital Mutilation Specialist Lead Midwife, Whittington Health NHS Trust, for services to midwifery.
Imran Adam Patel, for services to the community in Blackburn, Lancashire.
Majida Aly Sayam, Founder & Director, Jannaty Women’s Social Society, for charitable services to ethnic minority women.
Mohammed Gulam Moula Miah, Chair, Rajnagar Business Group & Moula Foundation, for services to the Bangladeshi community & to charity.
Mostaque Ahmed Koyes, Director, Community Interest Luton, for services to the community in Luton, Beds.
Muhammad Saleem Khan Tareen, psychiatrist, Northern Health & Social Care Trust, for services to mental ill health & to community development in Northern Ireland.
Muhayman Jamil, founder, Wheels & Wheelchairs, for services to people with disabilities.
Rizwan Javed, Station Assistant, MTR Elizabeth Line, for services to vulnerable people.
Sadia Sadiq, Manager, Community Care & Wellbeing Services, for services to minority ethnic communities in Wales.
Shabnam Ahmed Butt, Lead for adult safeguarding, Camden Borough Council, for services to social care.
Taslima Parveen Ahmad, Founder, Creative Design & Manufacture UK, for services to disadvantaged people & the minority ethnic community.
Yassamin Sheel, National Lead, United Teaching, Greater Manchester, for services to children.
Zahid Hamid, Lately Member, Peak District National Park Authority, for services to national parks.
Asad Mehmood Butt, Volunteer, Chance to Shine, for services to young people & to the community in the London borough of Croydon.
Azam Ahmed Khan, Executive Officer, Dept for Work & Pensions & Founder, the
Akhirah Team, for charitable services.
Jahangir Alom, Doctor & Campaigner, NHS, for services to tackling health inequalities, particularly during COVID-19.
Mahbubur Rahman, for services to charity & to the community in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
Moez Kass Amali Nathu, Chief Executive, Peterborough Asylum & Refugee Community Association, for services to refugees & asylum seekers in Peterborough.
Mubarak Hussain Mahmed, Well-Being & Engagement Co-Ordinator, First Bus North & West Yorkshire, for services to mental health.
Rasheed Alawiye, Detective Inspector, Met Police, for services to policing, diversity & inclusion.
Rehana Khanam Rahman, for services to the Bangladeshi community.
Saeqa Ashraf, for services to law enforcement.
Waqas Arshad, Chair, Bradley Big Local, for services to families with mental health issues in Lancashire.
