Re: Summer 2017 | Page 92

Meet the team

Zahid Khan

What about when you get home from work ? What ’ s your routine ? It varies every day during the week . I usually spend 3 / 4 evenings training at the gym . I trade for an hour or so every evening and on Thursdays I attend Arabic classes .
What hobbies do you have ? I ’ ve always had a passion for martial arts . During my years at boarding school I was taking classes in Wing Chun . Having left boarding school I decided it was time for a change and started Mua Thai , a form of kickboxing but allows for low kicks , knees and elbows ( much more fun ). I then went on to Mixed Martial Arts which combines fighting techniques from wrestling , boxing and other various martial arts . I was given the opportunity to join interclub fighting but unfortunately it all ended disastrously whilst sparring , when I ripped my ligaments and fractured my bone in my hand . I had an operation and was advised to stay away from the sport until my hand was fully recovered .
Are there plans to get back into it maybe in a few years or something ? I would love to get back into it . In fact I may join up next month ! Although I have no intention to compete as I would rather avoid meeting clients in future , with bruises and cuts to my face .
How long have you been working for MWB ? I have been here since November 2015 .
And what were you doing before ? Prior to starting with MWB , I was on the Legal Practice Course ( LPC ) at BBP University . Whilst on the LPC , I was working in retail in telecoms and involved in voluntary work with Healthwatch West Sussex and Pro bono at University .
What do you like about working here compared to your previous roles ? Well I feel a lot more satisfaction working at MWB as the job is relevant to what I ’ ve studied at University . It ’ s a lot more professional than retail and I work with a lot more people in the various offices , so that ’ s always great . With this job I ’ m always developing , whereas with retail there wasn ’ t much scope for development .
So what initially spurred you on to study law ? Initially I chose to study law as an A-level simply because it sounded exciting ! I enjoyed it and as I was always taught to do what you enjoy , I carried it on at University .
So how do you usually spend your lunch hour if you get one ? I don ’ t usually take my full lunch break . I always have a habit of spending a lot of the remainder of my lunch break speaking to colleagues in the kitchen . By the time I ’ m back at my desk I ’ m usually rushing to eat my lunch . Whilst doing so I tend to surf the net , read the news , in particular news relevant to financial trading to determine whether the market will be volatile .
We ’ ve also been told that you can recite the Quran word for word ? This is correct . My parents sent me to Quranic memorisation classes when I was 12 years old . Before I could proceed with memorising the Quran , I had to take a course in ‘ Tajweed ’, which in Arabic is a term referred to the set of rules governing the way in which the words of the Quran should be pronounced during its recitation . After 4 years of reading the Quran 6 hours every day , I successfully memorised it in its entirety . There are 848 pages in the Quran , which is split into 30 chapters . The Arabic term for somebody who has memorised the Quran is ‘ Hafiz ’. In Arabic this means ‘ protector ’/’ guardian ’ and is why the Quran has never been changed since it was revealed over 1,400 years ago .
Is there anything else that Re : readers would be surprised to find out about you ? I wouldn ’ t say I ’ ve got secret talents but I do have an interesting background . I ’ m dual nationality ; being British Canadian . My grandmother is from India , from my mother ’ s side , and my grandfather is from Pakistan from my father ’ s side . However , my mother ’ s tongue is Pashto which is spoken mainly in Afghanistan . I suspect my ancestors were from Afghanistan many years ago .
Anything else Re readers should know ? I ’ m currently studying a Masters in Business part time . I ’ ve got four years to complete it so I don ’ t see the rush of doing it all in one year .
Wow , all very impressive . Thanks Zahid .
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