Rising Stars

Asma Elbadawi a basketball player who won the award for Rising Star in Sports said, “We campaigned to FIFA to allow Muslim women to wear the hijab in professional basketball, which was a global campaign over two years, and we won in the end…. I try to play it (basketball) now, it’s a big hard with work, but I still try to play when I can.”

Wazir Ausalut, one of the cyclist from the group Riders of Shaam who won Community Initiative of the Year, said “It’s an activity that joins us in a common objective and in this case, alhamdulillah, is to have good character and also to raise money for those who need it across the world. Inshallah, we plan to keep growing, bring young people on board and set a good example for the British Muslim community, inshallah.

“It’s not easy. It takes a lot of organizing. It’s almost like having a part-time job after you come back from your full-time job. It means you lose out on family time. The cycling itself is actually hard, you can be doing 110 miles in a day and the weather can get to you. But Alhamdulillah it’s the heart that gets us through it.”

Asma-Wlbadawi-With-Haroon-Mota

Haroon Mota, winner of the Spirit of Britain award said, “I believe I am being commended for all of the good work that I do in the community. Taking on sporting endeavors. Supporting charitable causes. I run marathons. Climb mountains. Do all sorts of crazy, fun, adventurous things, to raise money for charities… I’ve just come back from Mount Everest raising a quarter of a million pounds after leading a team of 34 fundraisers out there.”

“It’s amazing to be recognized for this work and I hope more people can continue to support this so we can do more as a community together inshallah.”

Despite facing freezing weather at Mount Everest, Mota said the teamwork made it a warming experience.

“I remember on day 5 (at Mount Everest) it was -25c. It was extremely cold. But when you have a team of people on a mission, working towards the same goal, they take the cold away and it was a warming experience,” he said.

“It’s just a small struggle that we face on a 12-day trek, but the money we are raising for the poor and needy refugees, people who have had to flee their homes and get rid of all of their luxuries, it was about them. And we were willing to sacrifice the warmth of our beds and the comfort of our homes and the luxuries that we have for this cause.”

Table-of-winners

Full list of winners:

Muslim in the Community: North Worcestershire Hate Incident Partnership (Nadia Rashid – Bromsgrove)

Media Arts & Cultural Awareness: One Day in The Haram (Abrar Hussain – London)

Young Achiever of the Year: UK Youth Parliament (Arqam Al Hadeed – Leeds)

Charity of the Year: Save The Mothers Trust (Mohammed Shahid – Bradford)

Religious Advocate of the Year: The Muslim Initiative (Mohammed Roziur Rahman – Newcastle upon Tyne)

Noor Inayat Khan Muslim Woman of the Year Award: Abda Khan (Solihull)

Food Business of The Year (Mr. Ali – Eagle Foods)

Achievements In Law: Shahban Solicitors (Sajid Shahban – Stoke on Trent)

The Mohammed Sarwar Civil Service Award: Luton Borough Council (Naseem Ayub – Luton)

Achievements in Accounting & Finance: UBL Bank (Zeeshan Haider – London)

Business Leader of the Year: Parklane Group (Naveen Ahmed – Leeds)

Entrepreneur of the Year: Combat Sports League & Swole Nutrition (Ali Waheed – Surrey)

Spirit of Britain: Penny Appeal (Haroon Mota – Coventry)

Services to Education: Aston University (Asif Ahmed – Birmingham)

Community Group of the Year: Blackburn Rovers Community Trust (Uwais Patel / Garry Robinson – Blackburn)

Business of the Year: Richmond Laundries (Ahmed Waza – London)

Small Business of the Year: Signature trading (Hafiz Mughal – Loughborough)

Diversity Champion of the Year: West Yorkshire Police (Mark Burns – Williamson – West Yorkshire)

One to Watch: Rolls Royce (Sajid Rashid – Burton upon Trent)

Social Inclusion Group Of The Year: Council of British Hajjis (Rashid Mograeia – Bolton)

Leading Lights of the Year: MACFest (Qaisra Shahraz – Manchester)

Rising Star in Sport: Bradford Cobras basketball club (Asma Elbadawi – Bradford)

Dr. Abbas Khan Services to Medicine Award: NHS Grampian (Irfan Ahmed – Aberdeen)

Professional In Business: Telefonica (O2) UK (Nabela Bhatti – Reading)

Hajj Operator of The Year: Al Haramain Hajj & Umrah Tours (Sajid– Blackburn)

Digital Activity Of The Year: Islamic Moments (Sabah Nazir – Leicester)

Outstanding Achievement of the Year: Box Smart (Zahra Butt – Nottingham)

Religious Education Provider: AL IMAN COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL SERVICES LTD (Joweria Khera – Slough)

Rising Star of the Year: Nottingham University Hospital (Thron Miah – Derby)

Community Initiative of the Year: Riders of Shaam (Amin Omar – Leicester)

Rising Star In Law: Pickup & Scott Solicitors (Salma Khan – Aylesbury)

Social Leader of The Year: Patchwork Foundation (Imran Sanaullah – London)

Community Pioneers of The Year: Eternal Garden (Asif Hassanali – London)