We think that there are 100,000 Muslims in Bradford, attending weekly prayers. There are 38 mosques with Friday prayer, (plus another 22 which run education classes). We have education programmes for our young people during the week and evenings where they learn their mother tongue and study the Koran.

Faith for me is a journey. We live in this world which we see in a scientific and materialistic light so we think we can't see God. But it is like a book with the first and the last chapter missing: we can't see the whole story.

Everybody needs to know where we've come from and where we are going back to.

I believe in the five basic truths of Islam. Firstly, I believe there is only one God. Secondly, we must obey God and worship him five times a day. Thirdly, I believe I should fast one month a year, this period is called Ramadan. Fourthly, if I have any savings left at the end of the year I must give 2.5 per cent to the poor. Finally if I have the means I should go on a pilgrimage to Mecca. This I have done several times and they were very moving experiences.

Islam means 'The Peace' and we are encouraged to respect other faiths. I just want the freedom to practise my own faith.

Sometimes, I find it hard being a different colour and religion in Britain. People often have prejudices about other faiths and cultures because they do not know much about them and they get a lot of wrong information from the media.

Since September 11th 2001, we have had to step up security in the Mosques in Bradford. The media doesn't talk about extremist groups without also including the word Muslim or Islamic. People have become scared of Muslims while knowing nothing about them. All human beings have faults and virtues, but we are not a threat. We are neighbours, families, mother and fathers - individual people.