Lewis Bullock spends his days working at the Sheikh Obaid bin Thani House, one of the oldest preserved buildings in Dubai.
Lewis Bullock spends his days working at the Sheikh Obaid bin Thani House, one of the oldest preserved buildings in Dubai.

Briton who converted to Islam as schoolboy now part of Guiding Light



DUBAI // From a distance, in his sand-coloured khandoura and full beard, he cuts the figure of an Emirati. Even as he draws closer, speaking fluent Arabic, it is hard to tell.

But Lewis Bullock is a native Briton. Now 33, he converted to Islam at the age of 14. By the time he was 17, in 1994, he had moved to Dubai, married an Emirati and become immersed in Gulf society.

A father to five sons, Mr Bullock spends his days at the Sheikh Obaid bin Thani House and lends a sympathetic ear to the many tourists who filter in and ask questions about Arabs and Muslims.

"I guess I'm an ideal person to talk to, because I'm European but I have been here for many years," he said. "I am from the West but have Islamic knowledge, plus the added bonus of being able to offer Arabic hospitality."

The house of Obaid bin Thani and the adjacent house of Juma bin Majid, in Al Shindagha, by the Dubai Creek, are some of the oldest preserved buildings in Dubai. They were built in 1916 during the flourishing pearl trade. Every day between 70 and 100 guests pass through the doors of the Al Siraaj exhibition, showcased throughout eight rooms of the traditional house. Using posters, 3D animations and plasma screens, the exhibition tells the story of Islam and illustrates the basics of the faith through quotations from the Quran.

When Al Siraaj, which means the Guiding Light, opened in 2001 it became the first Islamic art exhibition in the city.

Arshad Khan, a 37-year-old Indian, and a colleague of Mr Bullock, said the Briton not only reflected the universality of Islam, but frequently befuddled visitors.

"A lot of times I've seen people come up to him and think he is Arab - usually Syrian," he said. "Even the westerners can't tell he is British until he speaks and they hear his strong British accent."

Mr Bullock was first exposed to Islam when he was at school in Surrey, in southern England. There were a handful of Muslims in his year and a chance encounter sparked his religious curiosity.

"It was during one lunch break, I went past the classroom and peeked in. I saw them all bowing together during the prayer and something clicked inside me. I had to find out more."

His grandfather was an active member of the Church of England but he began delving deeper into his new interest and became convinced the Islamic faith was aligned with his beliefs.

"I knew God couldn't be part of creation if he was the Creator," he said. "He had to be bigger and more powerful than that. That's what I found in Islam."

Despite resistance from his family, Mr Bullock converted in a local mosque a few months later. As soon as he finished school, his first goal was to visit a Muslim country.

"I wanted to experience Islam in a Muslim community," he said. "The ideal place would have been Saudi Arabia but I met a group of Emiratis in London so I came here in 1994.

"I started working in an Islamic book shop and then I met my wife's brother. I told him I wanted to get married and he recommended his sister."

After a lot of negotiations their family agreed and the pair had a traditional Islamic ceremony in August 1994.

In 1999, he returned to the UK with his wife to complete his education, returning five years later with a qualification in business management. In 2005, he started working as an IT customer service desk manager for Dubai World and it was not until three years later when he lost his job during the financial crisis that he started this position with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing at the Sheikh Obaid house.

"From a modern perspective there is a lot of negative press about Islam so this is a way for me to show people the culture of the UAE and many of the great and warm, welcoming customs of the UAE, which lie in the roots of the Islamic religion," he said.

Looking back he said the most important things to him in his life were his family and his religion and despite the initial difficulties he now has a lot of support from the Emirati and British sides of his family.

"To be honest over the latter years I couldn't ask for a more supportive and loving family regarding all aspects of my life," he said.

He said he had never regretted the decision he made as a teenager, which changed the course of his life, and made sure to teach his children - the oldest of whom is 13 and the youngest who is three - to value their religion as the most important thing in their lives.

"My children are brought up knowing that they are considered to be both British and Emirati but the underlying base is Islam. If either heritages have something that conflicts with Islam then Islamic principles supersede that aspect," he said.

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Anxiety and work stress major factors

Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.

A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.

Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.

One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.

It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."

Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.

“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi. 

“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."

Daniel Bardsley

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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
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Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900

Engine: 937cc

Transmission: Six-speed gearbox

Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm

Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Dunki
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THE DETAILS

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Dir: Ron Howard

Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson

3/5

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

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Rating: 2/5

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Some of Darwish's last words

"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008

His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
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