My dear brothers and Sisters I would like to announce some exciting news about Islamic Impressions. Allah SWT has been very kind to us ever since we started trading some 5 years ago, and over this time we have experienced sustained growth and rewards in many different ways- for example, last month a non-Muslim took his Shahadah in our Ilford Store after he began visiting us and discussing Islam with Store staff… Alhamdulillah!

Now I am very pleased to announce that Islamic Impressions is opening yet another Shop in time for Ramadhan- and this time we’ve gone for one of the most famous High Street names in the Asian/Muslim retail market- Green Street!

Located in East London, anybody who knows anything about the retail industry will tell you how tough it is to get a prime location on such a busy road. We always planned to break into the Green Street market, and finally, bi Iznillah, it has happened… Alhamdulillah! We are located adjacent to Daminis at 267 Green Street, Forest Gate E7 8LJ. We will get hand over of this property only a few days before Ramadhan – So the Challenge is set for me and my team to have it up and running according to our high Standards in time for Ramadhan – we have a building team, shop fit-out team and a retail team that are going to work shifts throughout the day and night -  and Inshallah the Store will be open to serve the community from the 1^st of Ramadhan, 2009.  

Islamic Impressions is an Islamic retail chain that offers Islamic products for the entire home, including Islamic clothing like Jubbas, Jilbabs and Hijabs, Islamic Books on all subjects, Attars and Islamic perfumes, CDs and DVDs, Islamic ornaments and gift items, Halal Sweets and Prayer accessories, and much much more. We are currently importing huge container loads of new stock from all over the Muslim World in time for Ramadhan, inshallah, and many new lines of products will be available for sale in all our stores including Birmingham and Green Street. Our customers will experience a product range, quality and level of service that is not only unrivalled, but also unprecedented!

Following the opening of our Cash and Carry warehouse and the announcement of our new Birmingham Store, this will be the third outlet we open this year. We are well on the way to completing our aim of becoming the UK’s first professionally run Islamic retail chain built along modern retail concepts and technologies. I invite you to come and experience the difference at Birmingham or Green Street.

Hope to see you there inshallah! Until then, remember us in your Duahs.

Aqib

Assalamu-Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu.

Recently I was in Europe on a research mission with the aim of developing the latest in shop fixtures and fittings for the new Birmingham Ladypool Road outlet. My aim is to create a unique and unprecedented shopping environment for our Birmingham customers that will not only be ergonomically outstanding but also functional and easy for our customers to navigate and shop. Even our acclaimed Ilford flagship Store will not compare to Birmingham’s standards- inshallah! To achieve this we have manufactured special mannequins, unique hangers, an amazing counter/display area, and a lot more… here are some pictures of me hard at work with the some European retail designers!

Aqib

Aqib at work in Europe with Leading Designers

Aqib working with top European Designers for Birmingham Ladypool Rd Outlet

This weekend we undertook a site inspection at Ladypool road (Birmingham) – and our contractor Shere Khan ( what a name ) had made major progress! All the ceilings and partition walls were removed– this coming week is going to be really interesting as we are going to be installing steel RSJ’s in order to remove the load bearing walls in order to create our open plan store. Currently the shop front looks dated on both sections of the store, so that’s going to be replaced with a full height glass shop front, giving it the contemporary look we are after.

Aqib

Assalamu-Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu.

Alhamdulillah we have finally decided on where to open our next store. We have just taken a property in the Sparksbrook area of Birmingham and by Ramadhan inshallah Islamic Impressions will be setting the benchmark in Islamic Shopping in the Midlands!

So why Birmingham? Birmingham doesn’t just serve the Midlands but it is also an hours drive away from other cities in Northern England where there is a heavy population of Muslims. When we think of opening outlets in any area we always look at our customer base and what would be most convenient for them. We have had a lot of enquiries and website orders from the Birmingham and West Midlands area, and many of our customers have urged us to open an outlet near to them. It tells us that our customers have a unique taste for our products and there is a strong practicing Muslim community in Birmingham that appreciates Islamic Impressions’ range of products.

Before taking the step to finalise the location we conducted a poll using various social networking tools, both online and offline (like facebook on the web and in exhibitions and other events we have attended in the last few months). As a result the overwhelming response was in favour of Birmingham.

It took us many months to find a suitable property in Birmingham, but we got there in the end. This has been for 2 reasons:

·       We wanted a great, highly accessible location.

·       We wanted this store to be big in floor space to enable us to stock and display all of our vast range of exciting Islamic products, on a scale not seen before in Birmingham.

By Allah’s help we successfully acquired an entire building on ladypool road which will inshallah be our largest retail store so far with 2500 sq feet of floor space. In the process of setting up our stores we made sure we hired builders and contractors who are local and reputable Muslims who have an appreciation of the service we provide and an understanding of our vision. Competency was a key requirement as there is a lot building work going on that involves significant structural adjustment to create an open plan contemporary feel to the store.

Alhamdulillah being in an ideal location is good that there is a lot going on the area and our shop is located in between 2 Islamic schools. With you duas Insha’Allah we are planning to open 2 weeks prior to Ramadan.

 Aqib

Assalamu-Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu

Today I would like to tell my brothers and sisters about one aspect of our community work which I enjoy, inshallah. I believe that as a Islamic company we shouldn’t just be about selling products and making money; and simply giving money to charity is not enough positive participation in my opinion, anybody can do that! Rather we must play a much bigger role by investing our knowledge and skills in the community, so that it too can develop and prosper. One of the best ways to do this is by helping nurture the next generation so that they can be ready to enter the job market, by providing work experience in relevant areas of our business activities.

As a company we have not only put Islamic Impressions on the map as a business but also as an investor in the community. We offer the youth work experience in an environment in line with their beliefs. This allows them to equip themselves with the skills and tools for a career path of their choice.  Our work experience exposes youngsters to many different aspects of business and commercial activity such as bookkeeping, retail sales, warehouse assistance, admin support, IT software development and e-commerce.

Islamic Impressions is registered with the London Borough of Waltham Forest and the Redbridge Business Education Partnership (REBEP) to help local youth from schools and colleges by offering them work experience to enhance their employability skills. Also, we are affiliated with Trident which is part of Edexcel to provide a recruitment channel for the younger generation. We also provide work experience within structured environments to youth with special needs and disadvantaged backgrounds, to help and empower them with skills to become productive individuals in the community via positive participation.

With stores opening nationwide, more of you will be seeing Islamic Impressions at work in the communities very soon inshallah!

I have further blogs coming up on this subject soon inshallah. For example I will be tell you about the GCSE presentation I gave at a school and another presentation to teachers from Norway. But until then, take care.

Aqib

Assalamu-Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu

We have just received a whole new range of products and some old products which are very popular with our customers.  We are in the process of merchandising them to make them available to our customers. This also includes our valued online customers.

We have some really exciting products coming soon in our collection and you will be seeing more blog articles about the new products with my personal quality assurance. The items I am going to mention in this blog are from Turkey.

Turkey is renowned for its quality and is considered a leader in the industry for crafted products. People who know often say you get what you pay for with Turkish products. Compared to Middle Eastern, Pakistani, Chinese or Far Eastern products what makes Turkish products different is guaranteed excellent craftsmanship and detailed finish to the product. I will mention some products in this blog and upload the pictures in the future Insha’Allah.

Names of Allah Wall Mount

This wall mount is made from solid wood with hand finish. It has a glass and ceramic centre piece. It is available in various designs with Bismillah, Allah & Muhammad in Arabic and more. This particular one has Ninety Nine names of Allah written in silver embossed Arabic calligraphy of Nakshi script. It is brilliant if it is hanged in an ideal location to remind the person of the names of Allah when making Du’a. As Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an “And to Allah belongs the beautiful names, so invoke Him by them.” [7:180].

Tugra Calligraphy Bismillah Stand

This desk stand is silver looking with Arabic Bismillah shaped in Turkish “Tugra” calligraphy. This style of calligraphy dates back to the Ottomans. It is a very solid, strong and robust product. It is very different from other items with a contemporary look and comes in a nice gift box. The side profiles of the stand shows detailed intricate art work done on it.

Wall Clock

Unlike most Islamic clocks this looks very modern and comes with a manufacturer’s warranty. If the clock is faulty or breaks down within a year the manufacturer takes the liability and provides a replacement. It is very unique that it has ayah of the Qur’an “La Huwla Wala Quwwatta illah Billah” in translation “There is no power and might except from Allah (swt)” to give us a very deep reminder to humble us and to think carefully about how we spend our time in this world.

Ayatul Qursi Qur’an Box

The Qur’an box is made from wood with a laminated finish. The laminated finish allows it to be used for a very long time and it doesn’t fade in colour. At the centre of it is a brass inlay with Ayatul Qursi. Normally, people wrap their Qur’ans in cloth and put it on the shelf while it gathers dust. This box comes with a chain to so it can be hung in a secure place with the ayah of Qur’an to constantly   remind us to be in the company of the Qur’an. These boxes come in different sizes and have different ayahs of the Qur’an on them. However, this particular one is designed to hold a large Qur’an.

Ok my dear brothers and sisters, that’s it for now. Be sure to bookmark my blog for loads more interesting posts coming soon inshallah. And don’t forget to visit our website regularly, as we will be uploading many new products over the coming days and weeks, inshallah.

Remember me in your duahs

Aqib

Assalamu-Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu

In my last post I spoke about my travels around the World to secure products for Islamic Impressions. While I plan to blog about many different issues related to Islamic products, Islam and Muslim community affairs, I also plan to write a ‘travelogue’ series of blogs in which I elaborate more on each country I have visited. Today we will kick off with Thailand.

Thailand is a very beautiful country with a lot of scenic beauty, rich culture and interesting traditions. Thailand is mainly Buddhist, but it has a large minority of Muslims too. I found that in Thailand a lot of things are in reverse, with taxis in particular! Everywhere else in the world you would find yellow, black, white or green taxis, but in Thailand they have PINK taxis which immediately get noticed by tourists!  The day I arrived I took a ride on one of these taxis to my hotel. On my way to the hotel I gained the trust of the taxi driver who became my personal driver throughout my entire stay and took me everywhere I wanted to go.

As a foreign visitor I initially felt very cautious about meeting strangers in Bangkok, due to the notorious reputation that Thailand has for locals deceiving and defrauding tourists. But when I finally walked into a store in the mall that day I was greeted with humble smiles as the store staff bowed, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion. Whichever place I visited in Thailand I was greeted in the same manner; and although it may seem odd to a foreigner (especially a Muslim since in our Deen we do not bow to anybody other than Allah SWT) none the less it came across as an extremely kind and welcoming display of the local ada’ab.

After my brief tourism I embarked on the objective of my coming to Thailand: to find products for Islamic Impressions. I was in Thailand for Oudh, Atar and Silk. So I headed to the market place in Bangkok which has all the major traders for these products. The Cambodian Oudh in its raw form is very prized and valued for its precious nature. The people that were mainly trading in the market place were Arabs who had come to Thailand for the Silk, Oudh and Atar trade. It was a good experience working with them as they were very welcoming and before the start of any business deal it would always be accompanied with Arab hospitality by offering of tea and dates.

Busy with my trading activities, the time passed quickly and before I knew it the day of Jumm’ah was upon me. So I got my trusty driver to take me to the nearest mosque in Bangkok. When I arrived I was noticed immediately by the locals who recognised that I was a foreigner.  However instead of hostility I was met with great hospitality, which the Thai locals are famous for. After the Jumm’ah prayers I met the local Imam and he took me to some halal eateries for food. After amply tasting the Thai fish dishes I was yearning to try something different. To my surprise the food was fiery hot and hence not easily palatable in large quantities, despite me being of South Asian origins!

During my outing with the Imam he told me some interesting things about the Muslim experience in Thailand. For example, in Thailand Muslims generally respect and look up to the King and Queen. Apparently the Thai monarchy is very good to the Muslim community and they give a lot of funding for the renovation of mosques. Islam is the largest minority religion in Thailand with nearly 6 million Muslims. In the whole of Thailand there are 2000 mosques and 200 of those are in Bangkok alone. There are 200 Muslim schools and the Muslims enjoy full state support to teach and practice their religion.

All in all, Thailand is an amazing destination that is not normally associated with Islam and Muslims. Our Ummah is an amazing Ummah, diverse and scattered all over the globe. Any Muslim wishing to experience a part of the Ummah that is off the mainstream track (or usual list of destinations) should consider visiting Thailand. You will be pleasantly surprised by your stay and I highly recommend it.

Aqib

Assalamu-Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu

This is my first post on my very own blog! For me being a blogger (or a blagger as some call it) is a whole new experience, as those who know me personally would tell you I am more of a doer than a talker (or even a blagger!)

As the director of Islamic Impressions I understand it to be my mission to cater for the demands of our customers, however at the same time I believe it is a duty to create an appreciation for some of the great Islamic products that are produced in the Muslim World. In Britain, Muslim consumers, like the wider consumer market, are used to buying products which are manufactured using a lot of technology but very little individual craftsmanship. Therefore I decided to spend several months travelling throughout the Muslim World in search of high quality Islamic products that had the attention to detail I believed British Muslims were looking for.

The most amazing thing that I noticed in my travels was the unique craftsmanship in countless products throughout the Muslim world. This craftsmanship inspired me to bring these products to the forefront of our collection and to create an appreciation for these skills and the richness of Islamic culture it adds to the Islamic life style in UK.

The Ummahs dress sense in each region had its own style and charm with full adherence to the Islamic law. In the Middle East I found that the traditional dress known as the jubbah had distinct regional differences. For example in Oman they had their own style of jubbah called ‘Kandoora’ and this was different to the Saudi jubbah even though Oman and Saudi Arabia are neighbouring countries.

I also visited the Far East and South East Asia including Royal Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, and China (including Muslim populated districts of China). Over there I noticed a totally different way in which people dressed. For example Malaysian men wore a long sleeved shirt (baju) and trousers with a scarf-like cloth tied around their waist (Songket) and a religious hat (songkok). I also happened to discover a Malaysian Blue Mosque, which would surprise those who associate the ‘blue mosque’ with Turkey… I am sure they would also be dazzled by the Malaysian Blue Mosque because of its beauty and mind-boggling architecture.  

I made my journey to Thailand and visited a mosque where I was warmly greeted by my brothers in Islam. The Muslims in Thailand were really welcoming and amazed to see a Muslim from UK. They introduced me to the Ulema in the mosque and also their students.

Overall, my trip was extremely rewarding in every way- alhamdulillah. I learnt so much about the rich cultures of the Muslim world, and experienced first hand their warmth and excellent hospitality. People are very approachable and are really willing to help when you are in need. A refreshing change from British society, indeed landing back at Heathrow was a massive reality check!

Alhamdulillah, after all that globe trotting I am now back in Britain.  Alhamdulillah, Islamic Impressions has not been affected by the recession so far. This just proves the resilience of the Islamic goods market, as many of our products are considered recession-proof essentials for Muslims who are attached to their deen. We pray to Allah SWT to protect the Ummah from the effects of this man-made economic crisis.

We are keenly pursuing an expansion strategy aimed at increasing our presence and accessibility to the Muslim community across the country and even abroad. Our Denmark Store is still going strong and we have even opened a Store in Trinidad, West Indies! Here in London we are currently settling into new offices based at our 10,000 sq ft warehouse in East London, and the arrival of our various summer collections is imminent. We are extremely excited about the coming 6 months, and with more big projects in the pipeline all I can say is ‘watch this space, inshallah’! J

Aqib