Photos courtesy of recipients
Elham Asaad Buaras
Forty Muslims were mentioned in King Charles’ first honours list in recognition of their contributions in various fields, including community involvement, interfaith services, and charitable work.
Mouhssin Ismail, the founding principal of Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre (NCS), who left a highly-paid job with a leading law firm to become a teacher, is to be made an OBE for sending almost all NCS pupils to top universities despite being based in one of London’s more disadvantaged boroughs.
He helped form partnerships with Russell Group universities for students who aspire to study at a top US university, as well as assistance with the ACT or SATs and interview preparation, attaching a mentor who has studied at an Ivy League university for additional advice and guidance.
He arranged internships with international law firms in the UAE and London, science placements in Japan, and visits to Washington and New York. Ismail, who moved to the North of England with STAR Academies this autumn, thanked “all my wonderful colleagues who, over the years, have dedicated themselves to the social mobility cause and demonstrated commitment to serving our talented young people. This tops off another fantastic year for the NCS; judged by Ofsted to be ‘outstanding’ in all categories, Russell Group university places, and our best A-level results.”
Among those named is one of the first Asian police officers in the Greater Manchester Police, Asrar Ul-Haq. He spent his career in policing, building a positive relationship between marginalised communities and law enforcement. His work bringing together people from different faiths and backgrounds for a common good has earned him an OBE.
Another barrier-breaking Muslim recognised is Jawahir Roble, from London, who grew up playing football in war-torn Mogadishu. She has also been awarded an MBE for her services to football after becoming the first black female, Muslim, hijab-wearing referee in the UK. “I’m feeling very humbled and honoured to receive my MBE in the King’s first New Year’s Honours list for my services to football and charity work,” said the 28-year-old on Twitter. “I want to thank everyone who has helped and supported me along the way.”
Zebina Ratansi, Director of Nursing at Whipps Cross, has been awarded an MBE for her 38 years of service to the profession and leading significant improvement in one of East London’s most challenging hospitals. Ratansi told The Muslim News, “I have always wanted to be a nurse, ever since I was little. As a little girl, I would help the elderly ladies in my community with walking when they were less able to.”
During the pandemic, Ratansi also provided strategic leadership of the nursing critical care response on behalf of her peers in other hospitals. She was also a member of a pan-London group of senior nurses who met following the first pandemic wave to think strategically about the broader critical care nursing workforce. She took on the role of Director of Nursing for the London Critical Care Cell.
Salman Desai, Deputy CEO and Director of Strategy, Partnerships, and Transformation at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), is to receive the King’s Ambulance Medal. “Helping people and shaping the organisation to meet and serve the needs of all of our communities is what motivates me. I have enjoyed every step of my career so far, and receiving this honour is a true accolade,” said Desai in a statement to The Muslim News.
Desai joined the ambulance service in 1997 as a paramedic. From 2007–2015, he was the head of service development, which included working with vulnerable and disadvantaged groups across Greater Manchester to prevent deaths from drug use.
He also provided the commander’s support in response to two separate major incidents in Cumbria. The first incident was the shootings in Whitehaven in 2010; the second was the major flooding of towns in Cumbria, resulting in a mass evacuation and the need to put support systems in place to look after the many hundreds of members of the public displaced at the time.
Desai joined the NWAS board of directors in 2016 as director of strategy and planning, and earlier this year he was named deputy CEO of the trust, which operates the country’s second-largest ambulance service. He recently shared his experiences with over 300 other leaders at an ambulance leadership forum.
He has been instrumental in supporting NWAS’s Race Equality Network and ensuring its work is focused and impactful. Desai chairs our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, driving improvements in the experience of patients using our services and staff.
Nadra Ahmed was made a CBE for setting up the first-ever UK medical school patient partnership collaboration. Ahmed, who has worked in social care for over 40 years, has been chair of the National Care Association since 2001 and managed two private care homes until 2005, having developed services since 1981.
She has served on government task forces and was the vice chairperson of Skills for Care for 11 years, having been appointed at its inception. In 2006, she was awarded the OBE for her services to social care, and the following year, she was appointed Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Kent and a Kent Ambassador.
Ahmed is also the co-convenor of the Cavendish Coalition, formed to work with the NHS and Unison to support workforce issues in health and social care.
She is currently the chair of the Care Provider Alliance, which brings together 11 national representative bodies in the sector. She is also the vice president of HiKent, a charity that supports people with hearing loss; the patron of Rochdale Housing, which supports older citizens through a pathway of care and support; the vice patron of the Kent Autistic Society; and a trustee of Spadeworks, which is a charity that supports younger adults with learning disabilities to learn skills and run a garden centre.
She told The Muslim News, “It was a lovely surprise and quite overwhelming. Having received the OBE some years ago, I had not expected to be a recipient again, so this is a bonus. I am very blessed to work in social care, where I come across some of the most dedicated individuals who are committed to supporting people who need care in their own homes and care settings.
I would not be able to do what I do without the support of my team in the office and my Board, so I am eternally grateful to them all too.”
Law student Zakaria Dada is to receive a BEM for services to the community in Merton during COVID-19. Dada founded Merton Mutual Aid, aged just 18, to assist vulnerable and isolated locals while his A-Levels were cancelled and the lockdown was in effect.
He was in charge of over 60 WhatsApp groups and led over 2,000 volunteers. He also founded the Vaccine Support Group, linking all local volunteers with Merton health organisations. Additionally, he obtained over £23,000 in funding and grants. D
ada also oversaw the procurement team, which obtained thousands of products donated by large corporations such as Nestle and Lush, as well as hundreds of food and toiletry collections for NHS hospitals and food banks.
He secured 56 laptops for the Keep Kids Connected appeal via a £10,000 grant to fight the digital poverty that afflicted disadvantaged children during the pandemic.
His efforts were recognised by the Prime Minister, the Jack Petchey Foundation, and the BBC, as well as in a letter of commendation from the Mayor of London. He was also featured in an online ad campaign that garnered millions of views.
“Receiving this award means so much to me, and I would like to dedicate it to the countless volunteers who made the group flourish in a time of real need,” he told The Muslim News,
Dr Atiya Kamal is to be awarded an MBE for services to health psychology during Covid-19. Dr Kamal is credited with playing a crucial role in helping to understand the psychological impact of Covid-19 on the public, and developing ways of supporting those who were struggling, as part of a wider effort during the pandemic.
Dr Kamal has taught health psychology for several years across several different modules at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels at Birmingham City University.
She played a leading role in developing the BPS-accredited MSc in Health Psychology programme. Dr Kamal’s research explores the experience of caring for people with dementia, the treatment and prevention of childhood obesity, and living with chronic conditions.
Dr Kamal leads the health and wellbeing research cluster and works with the department and faculty directors of research to promote a collaborative research environment. Dr Kamal is a member of the Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team for the School of Social Sciences. Reacting to her award, Dr Kamal told The Muslim News,
“Alhamdulillah, I am honoured to receive this award. It has been a privilege to work with great teams and support systems, organisations and individuals, to work together more cohesively. Particular thanks go to my family for their ongoing support, without which this award would not have been possible.”
Among the 1,279 people awarded in the New Year’s Honours are 27 members of the Jewish community (three knighthoods, a Dame, two CBEs, a CH, six OBEs, 13 MBEs, and a BEM) and 34 members of the Hindu and Sikh communities (three knighthoods, six CBEs, twelve OBEs, nine MBEs, and four BEMs).
The full list of names is as follows:
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Professor Robina Shahnaz SHAH, Director, Doubleday Centre for Patient Experience. For services to Patient Care
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Nadra AHMED, Executive Chair, National Care Association. For services to Social Care
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Usman ALI, Lately Chair, Black Workers’ Committee, Scottish Trades Union Congress. For services to Equality and Cohesion in Scotland
Rashid BEGUM, Lately Acting Deputy Director, Home Office. For Public Service
Mouhssin ISMAIL, Lately Principal, Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre, London Borough of Newham. For services to Education
Saika JABEEN, Assistant Chief Officer, Nottinghamshire Probation Service. For Public Service
Fukhera KHALID, Managing Director, Elbrook Cash and Carry. For services to Business, to Charity and to the community in North London
Professor Mohamed POURKASHANIAN, Managing Director, Energy Innovation Centre, University of Sheffield. For services to Net Zero Research and to Innovation
Sheikh Aliur RAHMAN, Chief Executive Officer, London Tea Exchange. For services to the Tea Industry and to Young People
Riaz SHAH, Founder and Chair of Trustees, One Degree Academy. For services to Education
Remzije SHERIFI, For services to Refugee Integration in Glasgow
Asrar UL-HAQ, For services to the community in Greater Manchester
Member of the Order of the British Empire
Mesba AHMED, Founder and Chief Executive, London Tigers Charity. For services to the community in London
Syed Samad ALI, Lately Teacher, Thornhill Academy, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. For services to Education
Shadim HUSSAIN, Chief Executive, My Foster Family. For services to Equality and to the Foster Care System
Dr Atiya KAMAL, Health Psychologist and Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Birmingham City University. For services to Health Psychology during Covid-19
Mohammed Wakkas KHAN, Founder, Young Interfaith. For services to Charity, to Young People and to Interfaith Relations
Dr Shaid MAHMOOD, Chair of Governors, Leeds City College Group. For services to Further Education in Leeds
Syed Khaja Mohi MOINUDDIN, Customs Cooperation Agreements Lead, HM Revenue and Customs. For Public Service
Professor Dr Syed Naseem NAQVI, President, British Blockchain Association. For services to Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies
Dr Nooralhaq NASIMI, Founder, Afghanistan and Central Asian Association. For services to Refugees
Anisah OSMAN BRITTON, Founder, 23 Code Street. For services to Diversity in the Technology Sector
Dr Mohammed QASIM, Lecturer and Welfare Officer, Gower College, Swansea. For services to Academic Research and to Young People
Abdul Aziz QAZI, Imam and Founder, Jamia Islamia Ghousia Trust. For services to the community in Luton
Zebina RATANSI, Director of Nursing, Whipps Cross University Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust. For services to Nursing Leadership
Jawahir ROBLE, Referee and Volunteer, Football Beyond Borders. For services to Association Football
Hammad Nasar, Curator, Author and Art Historian. For services to the Arts. (London)
Faraz Khan, Founder and Director, Social, Entrepreneurship and Equity Development SEEDVentures. For services to UK/Pakistan relations
Mohammed Shokat, Consular Regional Director Middle East, and North Africa, and South Asia, British Embassy Dubai, United Arab Emirates. For services to British Nationals overseas.
Medal of the Order of the British Empire
Nura Omar AABE, Founder, Autism Independence. For services to People with Autism
Zulqarnain Tony ASLAM, Councillor, Wellingborough Town Council. For services to the community in Wellingborough during Covid-19
Shah Sheikh Shepali BEGUM, Lately Outreach and Impacts Manager, Commonwealth Games Legacy Team. For services to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Ziana Ayesha BUTT, For services to Netball and to Diversity
Zakaria Arif DADA, For services to the community in the London Borough of Merton during Covid-19
Javaid IQBAL, Foster Carer, Birmingham Children’s Trust. For services to Fostering
Samina Qasim IQBAL, Foster Carer, Birmingham Children’s Trust. For services to Fostering
Dr Sayyada MAWJI, For services to Healthcare during Covid-19
Kings Ambulance Service Medal
Salman Desai, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Transformation, North West Ambulance Service
Order of St Michael and St George (Knight Commander)
Masood AHMED, President, Center for Global Development. For services to International Development.
Dr Mohamed IBRAHIM, Founder, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. For services to Charity and to Philanthropy.
