The Son of the BBC Director-General Embraces

Islam and Marries an Indian Muslim Woman

John Birt : “I am happy about my son’s new life

and his marriage with a Muslim journalist”

Jonathan Birt, the son of John Birt, BBC Director-General, made a point of working during the summer vacations in an Islamic bookshop specialising in the selling of Islamic books and publications. In this position, he used to embark on discussions with customers about Islam and explained to them Islam’s perspective about dealing with a lot of issues faced by human societies. During his faith journey Birt Junior studied Islam in depth. After long reflection, this faith journey led him to embrace Islam.

When Jonathan Birt embraced Islam, he was still living in the family home in Northberry in South London, with his parents and sister Eliza. After his conversion to Islam, he changed his name to Yahia, the Arabic equivalent of Jonathan. He was happy about his new name.

Jonathan did not want to take advantage of his father’s fame in the media, rather he preferred to retire from the attention of the media and eagerly work for Da`wa. He considered that his work in a bookshop would facilitate his Da`wa mission with regard to the bookshop’s customers. We are going here to follow the course of the faith journey which led Birt, the son, to embrace Islam nine years ago.

John Birt, the father, admitted that he did not share many things with his son though they lived under the same roof most of the week. The father was anxious about the fact that their two lives would get far apart more and more.

John Birt’s duty was to lead a work team consisting of thousands of people whose mission was to present information to tens of millions of people all over the world while his son’s duty lied in spending his day trying to call people to Allah in a smaller context.

While Birt Senior went to the BBC headquarters in Central London in a chauffeured limousine, Birt Junior took the train from Windworth Common Station to the Islamic bookshop in South London where he was working during the school summer vacation. Islamic books were sold in this bookshop named Al-Azhar Academy Bookshop, which opened in early August 1997.

Those who worked with Birt Junior in this Islamic bookshop sold Islamic books and publications. Strangely enough, among these was a book entitled Islam and Television. Jonathan was the only non-Asian person who worked in this Islamic bookshop. Likewise, he was the only one who worked in the centre to which this bookshop was affiliated. He used to inform visitors about the sessions in which Arabic language and Islamic traditions were taught.

Jonathan’s work in the bookshop during summer vacation came as a result of his interest in Islam with which he tied up the destiny of his life during nine years. In spite of growing up in the West, he was proud of his name Yahia, the Arabic equivalent of Jonathan. His conversations contained quotations in Arabic from the Holy Qur’an.

In July 1997 Birt Junior married an Indian Muslim girl whose name was Fuzia Bura. During their honeymoon, they visited Syria, Jordan, and East Jerusalem as a result of their desire to know the Islamic monuments in these regions.

During his childhood amidst his family which consisted of his father, who was a Catholic, of his mother, the American born artist, Jane Leak, and of his little sister Eliza, Jonathan did not show any inclinations which would foreshadow his religious future. His father, who was a Catholic, acknowledged that he did not give enough attention to the issue of his faith. He said : “I was not a religious man but I respected religion”.

While studying modern history and political science at Manchester University, Birt Junior met a Muslim student who changed his ideas about religion forever. He started to change his view of religion. His Muslim roommate played an important role in bringing about this change. Likewise, he influenced him by his behaviour and way of life. Jonathan denied that this companion of his was the cause of his change to Islam, but he considered him as having had a big impact on his decision.

In the middle of his final academic year, Jonathan gave up his studies. Prof Frank O’German, who teaches modern history and political science at Manchester University said : “Jonathan gave up his studies because he could not settle here; he had personal problems and was not happy about the curriculum”.

Jonathan registered for a B.A. in comparative religions at the School of African and Oriental Studies in London University ; and, he showed enthusiasm for this subject, affirming that no problem would hinder his studies. In fact, he did not face any problem in this study, for he got a first class honours degree in this subject.

He attended a postgraduate session for teacher training at Warwick University. A few weeks after the end of the session, Jonathan chose to work in an Islamic centre. His friends said that he thought that his ideas and points of view would be kindled through Islam. At that time, he used to stay during the weekdays -Monday to Friday- with his family in South London, while spending the weekend with his wife in Oxford.

Jonathan met his wife Fuzia for the first time in a lecture in 1996. A friend of theirs said : “Fuzia was working as a journalist then ; they fell in love with each other at first sight ; he was constant in his love for her. At that time Fuzia was preparing an M.A. in the Egyptian Middle-Age History at Oxford University. She had already got a first class honours degree in English from Saint Hilda , a college for girls at Oxford University.

A friend of Jonathan said that the honeymoon trip of Jonathan and Fuzia was a blessed one, for they made a point of visiting some Islamic places ; they spent some time in Jerusalem and visited the Islamic monuments in this city in the company of some Palestinians whom they met there. Jonathan and Fuzia sympathize with the Palestinian cause. They like to visit Islamic mosques and centres in London, Oxford and other British cities. The couple leads a happy marital life.

Since he reached his majority, Jonathan made big changes in his life, which astonished his family and some of his acquaintances. John Birt may have been a resolute manager who controlled what was going on in the BBC, but there were areas outside his control such as the life of his son Jonathan.

Jonathan refuses to talk to the various British media about his private life, and he also refuses to discuss issues related to his faith and conversion to Islam. He considers that these issues are not for public debate. However, he is not an introverted person who fears public gatherings. But in the cause of calling people to Islam, he will not hesitate to talk to them and argue with them in the ways that are best and most gracious. He says : “Islam commands us to call people to the religion of Allah with good preaching and arguments in the best ways ; for Allah, the Almighty says in His Holy Book : “Invite (call) to the Way of thy Lord with Wisdom and beautiful preaching : And argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious” (Surat An-Nahl, Verse 125). The Messenger (PBUH) said : “Convey (my teachings) to people, even if it were a single verse.”

As to his refusal to talk to the British media about his private life and about his conversion to Islam, it is “because this is my own concern and not the business of anybody else.”

Birt Junior said : “My father is a public figure and a well-known media man, but I am not such a figure.” This is also the evidence of the real difference between him and his father.

Birt Senior said : “I am very happy about my son’s private life and I am also happy about his marriage with Fuzia Bura, the Indian Muslim Journalist.”