Mr. Mohamad Rashied, President of the Caribbean Islamic Cultural Society (CICS) a non-profit voluntary network of Muslims of Caribbean background in the United Kingdom, has been honoured in the Queen’s New Year’s Honour Roll. Guyanese born Mr. Rashied has been awarded an MBE (Member of Order of the British Empire) for his sterling contribution through the charitable work he has done in fostering good community relations in the UK.

Mr. Rashied, who is the son of the late Mohamad and Zabeeda Haniff of Pouderoyen, West Demerara, said that his early experiences in Guyana have helped to nurture and shape his focus and life commitment. His maternal grandfather Mohamed Kazim, an indentured labourer from India, and the founder and Imam of the Versailles (Guyana) Mosque was a great inspiration to him. He demonstrated this by showing how helping and caring for the less fortunate could make a great difference to their lives. Mr. Rashied himself was elected president of the Versailles mosque and served in that capacity for over five years. He was also active in helping the orphans at the Shaheid Boys and Girls Orphanage and assisted in organising the first International Islamic Conference in Guyana.

Mr. Rashied said that he enjoys doing voluntary and charitable work in helping the poor and needy and that he is humbled and honoured to receive the prestigious award in recognition of the work that he enjoys doing. He said that he would not have been able to do the wonderful work that he is doing without the support of his wife Fadilla, his children Reiaz, Imtiaz, and Shanaz, his daughter-in-law Sabeena and all the members of the CICS, and takes this opportunity to thank them enormously for their unstinting support.

In commending Mr. Rashied on his award, Dr Daud Abdullah, Deputy Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain said, “I have known Mr Rashied for many years both in his native Guyana and here in the United Kingdom. Throughout this extended period I have always found him a highly motivated and exemplary community leader with an enormous capacity to serve others. Under his tutelage the CICS has conducted a number of important educational and welfare programmes in our London-based communities.”

Mr. Rashied indicated that he has been successful in mobilising aid through the CICS and other international aid agencies in helping the poor and needy in the UK and overseas especially in time of great disaster. In Guyana in particular, Rashied pointed out that he has assisted in obtaining funding for several projects. These included buses for transporting school children, computers for the Anna Catherina and Wakenaam Mosques and Shaheed Boys and Girls Orphanage, a hearse for the residents of West Demerara, and regular gifts to the New Amsterdam and the Shaheed’s Orphanage.

Rashied also has the distinction of leading the Muslims from the Caribbean, in the celebration of the festival of Eid-Ul-Fitr in the House of Commons. He has proven to be a good ambassador in the promotion of harmonious race and interfaith relations within the community in London, and has organised a number of events to foster good relations, including a very successful interfaith event which included representatives from the Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim communities. In 2007, Rashied organised a splendid event to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the arrival of East Indians in the Caribbean which attracted a wide representation of the UK community.

In congratulating Mr. Rashied on his award, Dr. Clem Seecharan, Professor of Caribbean History and Head of Caribbean Studies, London Metropolitan University said, “I believe that in these difficult times Mr Rashied’s leadership is making an important contribution in fostering a culture of tolerance, reason and reasonableness between the diverse ethnic and religious groups in London. His example should be digested and disseminated. It is a template that others could do well to emulate.”

Mr. Rashied, who has a B.Sc. in Sociology from the University of Guyana and an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Lancaster in the UK, began his primary education at the Malgre Tout Primary school at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara in Guyana, then went to the Muslim Education Trust College (now Brickdam Secondary) in Georgetown, Guyana. He was a teacher at The Muslim Education Trust College in Georgetown and worked at the Department of International Economic Co-operation before migrating to the United Kingdom.

The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals’ for personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom. The system consists of three types of award: honours, decorations, and medals.

When Mr Rashied climbed the steps to the palace to receive his award from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, it will be his third meeting with Her Masjesty. In 2005, he was privileged to meet and shake hands with the Queen when she visited West London, where he was working; and in 2007 he was nominated for the Queen’s Voluntary Award and was invited to the palace to have tea with the Queen. Congratulations from all of Guyana, Rashied, we are proud of you and your achievements.