A new series provides an intimate look at British Muslim life, with privileged access to Birmingham Central Mosque and the lives of the individuals it serves.

Thrust under the spotlight in recent years, Britain’s growing Muslim population has become a section of society scrutinised more than any other.

As the number of Muslims in the UK reaches three million, fears of British Muslims living increasingly separate lives frequently dominate the news agenda.

Filmed for over a year, the series provides new insights into an often closed community centred around one of the largest mosques in the UK and Western Europe. 

Told through the stories of some of the mosque’s 6,000 congregants, the series unfolds in their day-to-day lives exploring three themes – finding a partner, the identity-crisis facing young Muslim men and the challenges faced by British Muslims trying to reconcile the rules of their faith with life in modern Britain.

The first episode follows young women and men as they endeavour to find spouses through the mosque’s Marriage Bureau service, their families and through Muslim dating sites. 

Twenty-eight year-old Ash is resisting his mother’s attempts to arrange a marriage with someone in Pakistan.

“I said ‘no mum, we’re from different parts, from different worlds’. My mum says ‘what do you mean? She talks English’… I was just baffled by that, I was like, right, ok, so, all I’m looking for is somebody that speaks English, shouldn’t be too hard - I could find one at the bus stop right now. Yeah, looking for a little bit more than that mum!”

Bella, 24, is choosing to go through the mosque to find a husband, but admits she is sometimes envious of romantic dates, first crushes and kisses, “You know when you watch, like, rom-coms and stuff and they’re like, let’s go for weekends away to Paris.” 

But a meeting with a potential match, arranged for her by the Marriage Bureau, involves her being introduced as ‘the candidate’, whilst being observed by her mother and sister. 

Nayera struggles to find common ground on a meet-up arranged through a Muslim marriage website. 

The man's requirements of a wife who will look after him, cook him dinner and prioritise his kids, meets robust opposition from Nayera. 

She explains her conundrum: “I think race isn’t important to me but religion is important because it’s a fundamental part of who I am. Similarly, it would be very, very difficult for me to marry someone who isn’t British or at least Western, just because that’s also a fundamental part of who I am.”

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Episode two, Boys to Men, is about young British Muslim men trying to find their way in the shadow of the news headlines. 

It centres around the stories of fish-finger sandwich-loving, Waz and Nav, two young men accustomed to stereotyping because of their beards. 

But when fresh terror attacks take place, conducted by Muslim men born and raised in Europe, Waz and Nav reflect on being part of a ‘lost generation’ of young men who are made to feel outsiders in the UK. 

“What makes someone British… Do I have to make more effort to go see the Queen or something... I don’t know what I have to do to be part of these British values?”, asks Nav.

"Everything about me is British,” says Waz, “I see myself as British not as Pakistani... I like the British culture more than I like the Pakistani culture. And it’s dangerous if other kids don’t feel that way…” he warns. 

“If you make these kids feel victimized, you’re gonna make them feel different…they’re gonna separate themselves from everyone else… And I know we’ve got to do more too. We can’t just withdraw…my community’s got to be more outward looking.”

White ‘revert’ Abdul used to be called Shaun before converting to Islam six years ago. After marrying a Muslim woman from Pakistan, he now finds himself a stepdad to a daughter and two teenage sons. 

The boys are used to a more relaxed interpretation of Islam, and Abdul, who has found comfort and discipline in following the rules, struggles to get them to do the same. 

In the same months when Abdul was converting to Islam, his brother Lee was at an English Defence League demonstration against the opening of a Mosque in their town. 

Abdul believes both of them were seeking a sense of belonging: “I can understand you know that both the EDL and let’s say Islam they can provide that sense of brotherhood but I mean, I would say that nothing compares to Islam when it comes to brotherhood. Islam is a complete way of life.”

There is such demand from people wanting to check the rules correctly that the Imams at the Mosque run a daily telephone helpline.

Mohammad Imtiaz who takes calls about everything from divorce to leaky bladders, says: “You get people who like to follow Islam to the fullest. But we shouldn’t get tied up in small things like, ahh you’re not allowed to wear a silk shirt, you’re not allowed to wear gold. It is all down to the strength of your belief. Its what’s inside that counts.”

Twenty-nine-year-old Sidrah chooses to interpret one rule to its fullest possible meaning. She is one of the small minority of British Muslim women who choose to wear a face veil or niqab.

Born and raised in Britain she is a youth worker. She’s also on a one-woman mission to fight prejudice against Muslim women who choose to cover up. 

“People do think that because I wear this, because I’m covered, I am oppressed, sat at home just cooking for a husband, doesn’t know English; people say you’re a terrorist, you’re Taliban. No. It’s actually my own personal choice and it’s freedom of choice.” Her husband, recently arrived from Pakistan agrees. 

"He did not ask her to wear the veil and says he enjoys her being the "man of the house".

Extremely British Muslims starts on Channel 4 at 10pm on Thursday 2 March