Art has become almost as essential to me as the air that I breathe. From having my first painting published in a newspaper at the age of 8, to my biggest and most successful paintings such as Diversity, when I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is go down to my studio and think about what I am going to create that day. There is no greater thrill and no greater freedom than having a blank piece of paper or a blank canvas and filling it with whatever is in my mind. I usually have a very clear image of the type of image I want to create and then once I have my idea, I simply place my hands in the space of God and see what happens. Painting takes me to another level, another plane where the problems of the world dissipate and where I am present with nothing but my innermost thoughts and the Divine. Islam and the love of my religion is an endless source of inspiration, which I try to convey with ideas that come to me from literally all walks of life - a brick wall, a crack in the pavement, and even a chopping board! I want my pieces to show the evolution of traditional Islamic painting and art. Just as God is everywhere, so I see the beauty of His religion in all that is around me. The purpose of my art is to inspire you, the viewer of my work, to think, to absorb, maybe even to meditate but most importantly - to create a conversation. You don't necessarily have to have the same religious beliefs as me or to even know about Islam. All you have to have is an open mind.