Interview - Sabiha Mahmoud

To start off my new blog I wanted to interview someone who does not follow the norm, has interesting ideals and is most likely a bit crazy!  Hence there was only one choice for the initial interview.  It had to be Sabiha Mahmoud!  Sabiha is a wife, mother, business owner, activist and runs a charity.  She doesn't believe in resting on her laurels that's for sure.  Having got to know Sabiha quite well over the last few months I can assure she is an amazing person.  So please read on and enjoy the interview:

Tell me about your background?

I am British born and bred, Pakistani origin from my mother but neither of which I particularly associated with whilst growing up as cultural background was more of a hindrance. Nationalities have become so divisive that it governs us to the extent of harbouring resentment, hate, arrogance and too much pride amongst each other. This is what I experienced whilst growing up, the background card was always played. 'Think of your own Sabiha', 'do not marry outside of this background', 'continuing the background line is vital we depend on you' and guess what I did exactly the opposite. This rebellion meant I could be free from poverty of thought and see all human's as one being. 

You are a wife, mother, business woman and run a charity amongst many other things.  How do you manage this?

The two most important factors to me achieving this is organisation and family support. I schedule, make lists, have an entire wall of ideas that is littered with sticky notes and make sure I try my utmost hardest to achieve every single goal on there. My moleskin diary is a God send, I carry it with me from the moment I wake up to the moment I sleep -downloading any brain waves I have onto paper which is how many of my ideas for events, fundraisers, designs have formed. My charity work involves bringing children wounded from war's waged in our name across the globe to the UK (this seems to be my way of helping relieve suffering that our governments have caused). The children after having brought here on a medical visa are given the best treatment we can possibly fund, from plastic surgery reconstructing the face to limb replacement all funded by monies collected via generous public and regular donators. I try my utmost best to involve my son, of 2 years old, in all walks of my life so that he can see the realities of life and also I get to spend more time with him. Though it is not easy at times and this is where my family have been a pillar of support for me, I cannot thank them enough for the countless hours my mother has looked after my son. Oh and I do not own a TV, neither would I ever buy one it removes all temptation of wallowing on the couch and removes one from their responsibilities, not very effective if you want to manage a lifestyle like mine whilst keeping things in perspective. Having said that I only just manage about 4 hours of sleep per day due to the heavy workload. My mind is always repeating 'there is so much to do but such little time in which to do so'.

Given your busy lifestyle, what do you do to relax?

I have to be brutally honest, a relaxing day is an oxymoron. I do not have any such time to do so, my life as I have described is full of activity. But I am glad I signed up for it. Holiday's even are often devoid of functionality so I often tend to find some political conference to attend or be in the presence of like-minded people to speak to rather than waste my time frivolously. Can you imagine that with such a hustle, bustle life of mine I would be such a poor relaxer and would probably be overcome with guilt too. If and on some occasions I find that I have some free time, I cannot help but embrace the opportunity to plan ahead.

Describe a typical day in the life of Sabiha?

There is nothing typical about my day, every day is different and I relish this variety. One day I will working from home, designing graphics or a website for a customer in the day and in the evening filming political documentaries for my YouTube channel. Another day may comprise of protest, actions, events against a certain boycott movement - the activist within is always looking for what some call 'rebellion' but to which I refer to it is as 'civil disobedience'. I remain peaceful unless I am shoved, pushed, prodded, handcuffed, held against my will for something I haven't done or violated as a woman - then authority really pushes my patience; which is then followed by photographing a wedding in the late hours of the evening. I think my life is as crazy as can be.

Your faith is extremely important to you.  How does it help you in your everyday life?

My beautiful faith shrouds me like a hijab covers the beauty of a woman. It is through my faith I have learnt how to deal with difficulties and trials throughout my life (there have been so many). It's centralises me, brings me optimism, shows me the path to action and brings me into a moment of sanity when all else is overshadowed with bleakness. Nothing of my faith was explained to me and I also knew growing up trying to grasp knowledge of my importance in the scheme of things was that I had to understand also what each part of my faith meant to me before practicing it. Everything I do must make logical sense to me before I embrace it and it has been a completely self-taught experience. I see this faith as a gift, every morning I thank the Power above for giving me another day, another opportunity to Thank him for giving me the blessings he has bestowed on me and the abilities He has given me which I utilise daily.  I have to have faith that what I do today will be for the betterment of tomorrow.

What is your view of multiculturalism generally? 

Multiculturalism is beautiful, vivid, colourful (excuse the pun) and the very best ailment for society. How often do we get to hear or see about people's lives across the other side of this crazy planet? When multiculturalism exists at your front doorstep, like it does in my city, I love to learn about other cultures and feel it enriches my life rather than devalues is it as some racist minorities might have you know.

How do you use Social networking sites?

I use social networking sites to be politically involved, keep up to date with other projects happening across the UK and elsewhere. My aim is to reach the right audience effectively and I have an insatiable need to be connected to the happenings across the globe from real news, which is what twitter has become from me. Who needs the mainstream media when you have an eye witness account of someone you know in that particular place tweeting about what is happening. For me personally social networks is beyond just making connections and relationships with other's across the globe, it is far more than that ; it is the way the two individuals planning their ideas together, can campaign and organise to make something a reality. Many have succumbed to utilising tracebook...I mean Facebook and twitter for personal drivel which only feeds into the Big Brother like mentality. Someone said 'Humans are sociable creatures', well I for one refuse to be someone who is conned into thinking that these networking sites make it seemingly social to utilise most of my living hours over. I would rather be enjoying the company of others in real life.

 In your opinion, what is the main benefit of Social Networking?

Twitter especially has provided me with a space to really huff, puff and have steam-out-the-ears moments. It is the only way I can rid of the insurmountable frustration I feel with our governments decisions or lack of. Twitter has become a tool for me that I have become completely besotted with, it gives me the opportunity to express my frustration and anger.

Where do you see Social Networking going?

Recently what has concerned me is the heavy political censorship that Facebook in particular carries out. It has become a white noise, places where you can sink your precious time into and it is not at all about 'connecting' people as Zuckerberg would have you believe, it is after all a business and it will be run like one. The best thing to do is to be completely untruthful about our likes and interests that should bugger up the advertisers completely. But I really hope one day Facebook produces in me in those final, dreary visits.

If we hit the fast forward key and its now 10 years ahead, what would your life look like?

I cannot answer that question because what I imagine my life to look like is different to what God may have planned it out for it to be, therefore I live only looking at the next few minutes and reflecting on my actions constantly wondering how I have spent my life and thankful that I have been given another glorious gloomy Birmingham morning to wake up to.

If you could invite 4 people to a dinner party who would they be? 

I wouldn't have a dinner party, barely any time to (instead I attend other people's dinner party, gosh that sounds awful) and I would instead have a street party where I would invite all the greedy politicians and leaders to have their very own mad hatters tea party in a safe space where the nearest human would be lengths away from them.

Who are the people that you most admire?

I admire any person of a moral conscience who works for us all seeking basic human rights and to live in a better world, just simply that.