Founder of Riba Free Trust
Alyas Ahmad founded Riba Free Trust in 1994. He vehemently disagreed with the way Banks, Building Societies and other Financial Institutions enslaved property owners in long mortgages, and set up the Trust as a means to help fellow Muslims to break out of such financial shackles. After being Chief Cashier and managing the Trust with great endeavour for 14 years, Brother Alyas sadly passed away on the morning of Thursday 27th March 2008. Inna lillahi was inna ilayhi rajioon. May Allah Subhanahu wa ta ala grant him Paradise. Aameen.
Current Management of Riba Free Trust
An Emergency Meeting was held by the Riba Free Trust Management Committee 4 days after the passing away of Brother Alyas. It was decided that Riba Free Trust shall continue to operate in the same way as before with no interruption to payments. The only change being the responsibility of day to day running of the Trust will be borne by the Management Committee Chaired by Br Ishtiaq Mohammed. Alhamdulillah the Trust has been running very successfully since to the Present Day.
Biography of Brother Alyas Ahmad
The facts have been compiled to the best of the author's ability and any inaccuracies are unintentional and forgiveness is sought in advance if Brother Alyas is any way misrepresented.
Alyas Ahmad was born in 1940 in Jhelum in the Punjab region of pre-partition India. As a seven year old he celebrated becoming a citizen of the newly formed Islamic Nation of Pakistan. His father was a Hafiz-ul-Quran and an Imam. During his informative years his family moved to Lahore, the capital of Punjab, where his father worked as an Imam in the Mezang area. It wasn't until the move to Lahore that he discovered the diversity among different cultures, religions and sections within Islam. It was probably during this time when he cemented his skills in being able to relate to those who are different to him.
His Matriculation provided him with an introduction to the Arabic Language for which his love never diminished. He was academically bright enough to gain entry to a Veterinary Medicine School, but was unable to commence the course because of the relatively astronomical fees involved. This was a harsh reality for those growing up within rural villages in the Sub-Continent. Yet Alyas Ahmad saw a future for himself beyond the unforgiving nature of agricultural toil. Brother Alyas spent 2 years in the production line of the lmperial Tobacco Factory, Jhelum. Around this time British companies were advertising for workers from the Indian Sub-Continent to boost the growing post-war economy. Brother Alyas found this opportunity too good to miss and arrived in the UK in 1958.
Brother Alyas temporarily lived in various mill towns in the North of England before settling into Nelson, which was to become his permanent home town. Typically newly arrived men from the Indian Sub-Continent resided in one of few Asian houses before establishing themselves in their own residences. In this way Brother Alyas became well known amongst fellow Asians. Brother Alyas made conscious efforts to integrate amongst the host English community, he was not afraid to expand upon the basic command of English he'd attained during his Matriculation.
Brother Alyas worked in many places including Smith and Nephew, Macmillan, Muslim Cooperative Society, Jinnah Advisory Centre and Main Gas before retirement in 2003.
Brother Alyas attended the Muslim Mosque on Howarth Street, Nelson until the mid 70s when the UK Islamic Mission arrived in Nelson. He appreciated it when UKIM's scholars quoted and showed how teachings were sourced from the Holy Qur'an and Hadith. The organisation also shared his belief in the need to not only read the Arabic text of the Holy Qur'an, but to understand it in your native language. He found the study circles and propagation work enlightening. He also realised a dream of all muslims when he performed Hajj in 1977. On his return to the UK he became more devout in his practice of religion especially congregating his prayers in the Masjid. In 1996 his religious journey took him towards Mohammadi Masjid, Nelson where his zeal for practicing and studying Qur'an and fully authentic Hadith was realised. In his latter years Brother Alyas participated in the Islamic Society of Pendle and found the Holy Qur'an study circle very enlightening.
He was once again given the opportunity to return to the House of Allah in Mecca in the shape of an Umra in 2005 an experience which rejuvenated him.
Contact Us
1) Via E-mail:
To e-mail Riba-Free Trust click here.
2) Via Telephone:
Speak with Brother Ishtiaq on: +44 (0)7791 480925
