I would argue that London is the greatest place on earth if you are a Muslim. The vast metropolis is an eclectic swathe of cultures, communities, faiths and fashions all living together in various states of harmony. Every tribe, tradition, sect and persuasion of Islam is represented in the British capital. From Sunni to Shi‘a, Sufi to Salafi, Ahmadis to Alawis, Brelavis to Deobandis, all shades of belief have a niche in London. Almost every language that is spoken in Muslim societies can be heard, every national costume can be seen, and social custom witnessed in London. There is hardly any political movement, social organisation or evangelical group from across the Muslim world that does not have a base in the city. The spellbinding diversity and heterogeneity of Islam, all Muslim life, can be observed on the streets of London.

Of course, there are also those who shout to attract attention: the members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, the Muhajiroun, the Jihadi extremists. They distort Muslim reality and perpetuate an undeserving image of the Muslim communities. But turn your gaze away from the tiny screaming minority towards the silent majority and you will see the potential ideal and true spirit of Islam.

I have been documenting Muslims of London for over two decades. As a recipient of a ‘Leaders for London Millennium Award’, I documented the physical landscape and thriving community within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for the book Common Ground: Portraits of Tower Hamlets (1998). I catalogued the diverse British-Asian presence in youth culture for the 2003 O2 exhibition, ‘Changing Faces’. My long-term project is focused on the lives of Muslims who attend the East London Mosque. An exhibition of my photographs from this project, ‘The East End of Islam’, covering the period 1997 to 2007, was recently shown at London’s Rich Mix Gallery. It contains a range of intimate portraits of the Muslim community at home, prayer and study.

As a documentary photographer, I am primarily concerned with communities in transition. My images examine the relationship between individuals and their environment. I am fascinated with ordinary Muslims, the silent majority, going about their daily lives. Beauty, desire and freedom each feature as a subtle backdrop to my portraits. I hope that my images introduce a contemporary twist on traditional Islamic art.

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