Unveiling Blackburn

Unveiling Blackburn Ismaeel Nakhuda, Arab News

JEDDAH, 31 October 2006 — “It was done out of respect for Islam — out of affection for the Muslim community...but of concern too, especially about their future in our society,” said Blackburn MP and former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw recently while speaking to his local newspaper the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. As someone born and bred in Preston (a 15-minute drive from Straw’s constituency), I’ve always considered Blackburn to be like a second home; after all my in-laws live there. In my opinion, Blackburn isn’t exactly an absolutely attractive place to live, but I have to say the Whalley Range area of the old textile town has some fantastic mouth-watering kebab houses and my in-laws have a tendency to give me a warm welcoming whenever I go down. Not to mention the fine food they cook at their home. My wife wears the niqab and loves Blackburn. It was after all she who inculcated in me a deep love for the town. A total Blackburn-maniac, my wife and I have regular amusing and animated discussions of whether living in Blackburn is better or Preston. In fact, over the years I’ve ended up making a lot of friends in the town, many of them Muslims who, being diehard Blackburn Rovers supporters, love the town and consider it home. For rest of article click here.