Nadhim Zahawi is a British Muslim politician of the UK’s Conservative Party. He was born to Kurdish parents from Iraq, raised in the UK, and has been a practicing Muslim all his life.
The controversial politician is estimated to be worth nearly €25 million. His insane wealth comes mostly from his occupation as a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom parliament and his diverse business interests. Nadhim Zahawi is married and has been for many years to a woman known as Lana Zahawi.
Nadhim Zahawi Never Speaks About His Religion
The UK politician has not had it easy with his religious and ethnic affiliations. One time, Nadhim was the victim of a law passed by former American president Donald Trump. He realized he couldn’t see his children (who lived in the United States at the time) after Trump declared a travel ban.
The ban restricted citizens of certain countries from entering the USA, and Iraq was on that list. In fact, despite being a British citizen, Zahawi was barred from entering the country because of his country of birth.
Nadhim Zahawi complained about the ban, saying he hadn’t felt discriminated against based on his religion and ethnicity since elementary school as a young boy from Iraq with Kurdish roots. He complained about what he termed “being treated unfairly”. If there is anything Zahawi is most proud of, it’s his Kurdish roots.
He also recently stood up for a female colleague after she was fired for specific comments she’d made. Nadhim Zahawi reasoned that her sack was unfair and reeked of racism and bigotry.
Nadhim Zahawi Comes From An Islamic Family
Nadhim Zahawi was not only born into the Muslim religion, but he also practices Islam as well. However, when asked what religion he practices, the politician habitually refused to comment on the situation. In either case, he has been asked about his faith numerous times, especially by members of the opposition party who very often bring up the subject.
There is no indication that he would ever confirm his religion publicly. It would seem that Nadhim Zahawi chooses to avoid the question because of how sensitive the answer might be—a situation that might affect his already shaky political career. In the end, a friend of his, Tim Montgomerie, finally revealed that he was Muslim.
He is Originally From Iraq
Nadhim Zahawi might have spent his childhood in the British Isles and received his education there, but he wasn’t born in the United Kingdom. In 1976, Nadhim Zahawi and his family had to flee Iraq, his birth country, to the United Kingdom. His parents fled from Saddam Hussein’s dictatorial regime and eventually settled in the United Kingdom. Zahawi was only nine years old at the time.
All the while, he never forgot his roots and served as a lighthouse for his people. Nadhim Zahawi later graduated from University College London with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He veered into marketing and worked for Smith & Books. He also co-founded YouGov. He worked as the company’s CEO for five years before leaving in 2010.
Nadhim Zahawi Has Interesting Opinions on Islamophobia
After Nadhim Zahawi replaced Rishi Sunak in the Boris Johnson administration, he was regarded as a political threat and a top contender among Conservatives. In January 2022, when the then-Transport Minister, Nusrat Ghani, was fired on suspicions of her Islamic religious beliefs, Nadhim Zahawi made headlines for defending her religious beliefs.
He declared that the Islamophobic claims that seemed to rock the Conservative Party were very serious. Nadhim Zahawi stood up for his colleague, saying Islamophobia or any kind of racism had no place in UK’s Conservative Party.
He described the fired minister as “a friend, a coworker, and a very smart member of parliament.” Zahawi is currently leading a movement to stop racism and Islamophobia within the Conservative Party.
