Birmingham imam receives MBE for feeding homeless and helping NHS staff during pandemic

A Birmingham mosque leader who helped to feed the homeless, refugees, victims of domestic abuse and frontline NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic has received an MBE.

Mohammad Asad, lead imam at Birmingham Central Mosque, was given the top honour from HRH Princess Anne at a special ceremony in Windsor Castle this month.

The inspirational volunteer, a chaplain with West Midlands Police, received his title ‘The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire’ from HRH Princess Anne at his investiture ceremony in Windsor Castle to recognise his services.

Asad’s tireless and selfless work has been praised by his peers, including his work distributing hundreds of essential items to NHS hospital workers on the frontline battling COVID-19.

The religious teacher also played a key role in running outreach projects at Birmingham Central Mosque including delivering iftar meals to the homeless and to city refugees during Ramadan.

Some of the projects included Qur’an cubes for hospital patients and delivering iftar and toiletry packs to NHS workers.

He also helped with food donations to victims of domestic violence and food packs for those isolated in the pandemic.

Reflecting on the role played by Asad as a chaplain, a spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: “Chaplains are there to support officers and staff of all faiths and none.

“They’re a friendly face and someone we can talk to about anything – that’s really important for the trauma our people experience when responding to incidents. They are an important part of our overall care package.”

Multi-Faith Lead Chaplain Khadija Sulaiman, who joined West Midlands Police in January as the first Muslim to be appointed this role in a UK police force, said: “Mohammed Asad is a great asset to the team. He is a perfect example of the representation of the Multi Faith Chaplaincy team of West Midlands Police.

“One of our objectives is the integration into the communities, which I think is imperative to support WMP. When I see what Mr Asad has showcased, it makes me feel so proud to lead a fantastic team.”

Congratulating Asad on his award, a spokesperson for University Hospitals Birmingham tweeted: “Many congratulations to our Muslim Chaplain, Imam Mohammad Asad, who has been awarded an MBE.

“The honour, announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, is for his incredible work supporting NHS staff and patients during the pandemic.”