Tazeen Ahmad
The presenter of Shariah TV talks about her life and work as a British Muslim
Q When and where were you born?
A I was born in 1971 in Karachi in Pakistan whilst my mother was on holiday visiting her family. I spent the first few weeks of my life being protected from the sounds of bombs falling – it was during the war between India and Pakistan. I came back with my mother when I was just a couple of months old.
Q What identity did you think of yourself as having when you were growing up?
A At that time, issues of identity didn't seem quite so important – perhaps I was too young or it wasn't quite dissected and analysed the way it is today. However I do remember that whenever I faced racial abuse as a child, both my Pakistani identity and British one suddenly seemed extremely important and often left me confused and torn.
Q Do you still identify in the same way?
A Yes, absolutely. But I have a whole host of multiple identities too – mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, journalist – which are all equally crucial in defining who I am.
Q Was anyone a significant influence or role model for you as a young person?
A I don't think so. The only black or Asian women on a world stage that I can recall whilst I was growing up were Benazir Bhutto and Oprah Winfrey – perhaps I only remember them because they were strong personalities and were always on our TV screens.
Q How religious was your upbringing?
A There was always Islam in our house. My father read his prayers five times a day, we would all fast during Ramadan and celebrate Eid, and my mother would read the Qur'an with us on occasion. But it didn't define us on an everyday basis. It was almost like the shell that shaped us without its presence ever really being that conspicuous.
Q Do you remember any conflicts between British and Asian or Muslim expectations about how you should behave?
A My father always kept a careful eye on how I was dressed and as a teenager I sometimes found that frustrating. Not so much because I wanted to wear the kinds of clothes that he or Islam would disapprove of, but more because I wanted the freedom to express myself through fashion without being judged. Also he was quite strict about my socialising, even in the most innocuous of circumstances, and I resented that too.
Q Are your friends mainly Muslim or from a mixture of backgrounds?
A I've got a mixture of friends from all kinds of backgrounds. Religion and race add interest but are not an obstacle or a prerequisite for whom I choose to be friends with.
Q Do you think life for teenagers/young people in the Muslim community has changed since you were that age?
A I do. I think for young people today being Muslim now also has a political element, whilst in my day it was just one of the identities we had – it shaped us religiously and culturally but we didn't feel the need to defend it nor think about it in a world context as they do now. It did not necessarily define us first and foremost, nor did it sit that uncomfortably with other aspects of our lives in this country. That’s how it was for me personally.
Q A lot of the media is hostile, and even racist, towards Muslims. Has this affected your career or the choices you have made?
A I'm not sure it has. I have often overheard all kinds of ridiculous comments during my years as a journalist, which have left me fuming, but no one has ever directly discriminated against me because of my background – at least not that I was aware of. And when I have worked in an environment where anti-Islamic comments have been bandied about, I can’t bear to simply stay silent.
Q Have you ever felt under pressure from friends or colleagues to behave in a way that contradicts your own beliefs or customs?
A No, never. Any choices I've made have been my own. I think in this day and age there isn't the pressure to do what our parents may have felt obliged to do – there is an upside to religion and race making the headlines every day which is that there is now greater awareness and sensitivity.
Q As a television personality, do you see yourself as representing British Muslims?
A No. I think the responsibility for that is too great. I would hope that, whilst I can act at times as an inspiration for young Muslim wannabe journalists, I wouldn't want to carry the burden of being a role model.
Q What advice would you give to young Muslims hoping for a career in the media?
A It's a really tough industry but it's one of the most rewarding jobs you can do. It combines daily intellectual stimulation with the opportunity of meeting all kinds of incredible people. I’d give Muslims the same advice I’d give anyone else: get involved with a local paper or community radio as soon as you can; get involved with college journalism; exhaust every contact you can to get work experience; read the papers every day; watch TV; listen to the radio and think about how journalists do what they do. Being a Muslim should be absolutely no barrier to getting a job in the media if you’re good enough – after all there are hundreds of us already here.
Q What are the best things about being a Muslim in Britain today?
A Having the opportunity to show that there is another, more tolerant side to Islam apart from the heinous one that often flickers across our television screens.