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.
aseaman@thenational.ae
Itcan profile
Founders: Mansour Althani and Abdullah Althani
Based: Business Bay, with offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India
Sector: Technology, digital marketing and e-commerce
Size: 70 employees
Revenue: On track to make Dh100 million in revenue this year since its 2015 launch
Funding: Self-funded to date
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
'Ashkal'
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20101hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20135Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Six-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh79%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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