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Islamic retreat volunteers revealed for new 91Èȱ¬ Two series
91Èȱ¬ Two has announced the names of the volunteers who agreed to give up the trappings of modern life to spend a month at a remote Islamic study centre for a new three-part series – The Retreat.
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They include a psychotherapist from London, brought up a Christian, who has been searching for alternative faith; and a devout Muslim who fought for the right to wear a hijab at school and now wants to share her faith with others.
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Following hot on the heels of the success of The Monastery and The Convent, this new series made by the same team explores the faith, tradition and culture of classical Islam as it tracks the six volunteers on their soul–searching, thought–provoking and life–changing journey.
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Away from the pressures of modern life, they take part in daily prayer, reflection and study at the Spanish retreat of Alqueria de Rosales in Andalucia, which caters to many different branches of Islamic faith.
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The final week will be a real test of their strength and commitment as the volunteers observe the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and are expected to fast between sunrise and sunset.
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Their experience triggers some real insight into deep seated personal issues around their faith or – in some cases – lack of it.
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The programme explores a face of Islam rarely seen on TV today and gives viewers the chance to witness the spiritual side of one of the world's most important monotheistic religions.
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Muddassar Ahmed is 23, single and from East London. University educated, he leads an extremely busy life running a number of businesses.
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He sees Islam as an onerous obligation rather than a conviction.
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Constantly on his mobile or emailing, he finds it hard to remove himself from the distractions of the outside world.
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Can his eyes be opened to the mystical, spiritual aspect of Islam and will The Retreat encourage him to abandon his purely rational approach to his religion?
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Aisha Alvi is single and a 31–year–old barrister who specialises in Islamic law.
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From Cheshire, her family background is Muslim and Aisha is a forthright proponent of strict Qur'anic observance. At 14 she campaigned successfully for the right to wear the hijab at school.
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She volunteered for The Retreat because she wanted to share her love of Islam with others.
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With her devout faith Aisha could struggle to come to terms with any form of Islamic worship that is different from what she is used to. Will she be able to embark on a personal spiritual journey or will her strong desire to conform to her principles get in the way?
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Khadijah Begag is 32 and married. Formerly Claire Sullivan, she converted to Islam ten years ago to the alarm of her family. Shortly afterwards she met her Algerian husband Rashid and they now have a nine–year–old daughter.
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Khadijah is worried about losing her faith. The family suffered abuse after 9/11 and 7/7 and had to be re–housed. She has also found it difficult to practice Islam where she lives in Lincolnshire as her local Mosque has no facilities for women.
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She wants to regain her love of Islam and God and to worship with other Muslims.
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Sarah "Pom" Jenkins is 28, single and lives in London. She has an MA in psychotherapy and trained in analytical psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy.
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Pom was brought up a Christian but queried some of the fundamental teachings of the Church. However she is open to, and has studied, many religious teachings of other faiths including Esoteric Judaism.
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She volunteered for The Retreat because she says wants to experience the divine in a more committed way.
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She also has unresolved issues around the death of her older sister when she was 12.
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Could The Retreat and learning more about Islam be what she is looking for and give her an experience that will change her life?
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Simon Yarrow is a 36–year–old divorced graduate. He trained as a scuba diving instructor and until recently ran his own business in Edinburgh. He describes himself as a "questioning agnostic".
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Simon became interested in spiritual search through life–events which caused him to question its meaning. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in his late 20s but, after making a good recovery, suffered a major upheaval when his wife suddenly left him.
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Simon is an intense rationalist. He mistrusts emotion and prefers an intellectual response to anything from the heart. Could his questioning nature be a barrier to spiritual access?
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Azim "Han" Ziaee is 34, single and an advertising salesman from Birmingham. He was born into a Muslim family but rebelled from an early age.
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Han has enormous energy and an irreverent sense of humour, he refers to himself as "Blaisian" (Asian roots, black attitude and culture).
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After 20 years of little faith, less practice and a complicated personal life, Han volunteered for The Retreat because he wants to see if he can return to his religion and restore good relations with his family. Can he be inspired by the religious atmosphere of The Retreat?
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The group is led by Abdullah Trevathan, a respected scholar and academic. He lives in Spain but also works as a lecturer at the University of Roehampton in Twickenham.
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Born in New York City, he converted to Islam 30 years ago and was, until recently, head teacher at the Islamia Junior School in Queen's Park, London – one of the first Muslim schools set up in Britain.
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91Èȱ¬ Executive Producer, Jacquie Hughes, says: "The series sets out to explore what Islam means to people on an everyday, personal and spiritual level.
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"While it makes no claim to being a comprehensive guide to Islamic culture it does offer real insight into the spiritual heart of a faith practiced for centuries by millions of people around the world. We think it goes some way to addressing the misunderstandings which often surround Islam as a religion."
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The Retreat is a Tiger Aspect Production for 91Èȱ¬ Two.
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