Myself

By: Bashir Ahmed

My name is Bashir Ahmed. I prefer to be called Bash. I am 26 years old and live in Blackburn, Lancashire. I am a Match Steward at Blackburn Rovers FC.

The issues that I face today are Marriage. I keep getting members of my community and my family (perticularly my mum's side) saying how I should follow tradition and have an arranged marriage to the person my mum has chosen. Luckily for me I have my father's support on this matter.

Firstly I do not want an arranged marriage. I want to find the right person for myself and secondly I do not want to marry within the family.

I am more Westernised than my mum. She has been using the line of "Think of how it will look in the community". Personally I do not give a damn what the coummnity thinks. At the end of the day it is my life and mychoice.

People will have to like it or lump it.

I also have an issue about Religion. I am not religious at all. I don't even go to the mosque on Fridays. I have never believed in religion. I have never felt comfortable going in to a mosque. People have had a go at me for my lack of belief in Islam.