"People might have asked you: ‘If you could meet anyone from history, who would it be?’ Well, I know my answer. It’s The Emir, Abdel-Kader. Emir means ‘Commander of the Faithful.’ It’s a title Abdel-Kader certainly earned.

Because that’s what he was. A Commander. But not just that.

Emir Abdel-Kader was an extraordinary human being who led a phenomenal life, who grew from being an ordinary Algerian Sufi to a world-historical figure with a legacy that stretches across four continents.

I first stumbled upon Abdel-Kader’s legend by listening to a popular song, fittingly enough called ‘Abdel Kader,’ by the famous Algerian Rai singer Cheb Khaled, who also sang the very well-known song ‘Aisha’.

I started out curious, just wondering who the lyrics celebrated, and quickly became fascinated... hence this series.

I'm Muddassar Ahmed."

Host:

Muddassar Ahmed is Managing Partner at Unitas Communications Ltd, a British strategic communications consultancy, where he’s led on projects for the United Nations, Amnesty International, the NFL, the Arab League, the U.S. State Department and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and many other governments, civil society and business organisations.

He also founded and, is the President of, the Concordia Forum, an annual retreat for senior Western Muslim leaders. In addition, he is President of the John Adams Society, the UK’s official US State Department International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) Association. He serves as a Director of the European Network of (US State Dept.) American Alumni, The IDEAS fund & Faith Forum for London. He is also on advisory boards at IAYP, the U.S. Atlantic Council, and Global Ties U.S.

Muddassar also recently joined the Office of Transatlantic Leadership Initiatives at the German Marshal Fund as a non-resident fellow with a focus on advancing inclusive leadership in Europe and North America.

Muddassar recently completed a term as an Independent Advisor on communities to the UK Government. He regularly writes and commentates for a variety of international media outlets including, London’s Evening Standard, CNN, the Hill, BBC, the Telegraph, Arab News and Haartez.

He has also been named as one of 500 most influential Muslims in the world for three years in row and amongst the 1000 most influential Londoners by the Evening Standard in 2018.

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