Originally from the UK, he worked as a teacher of English and Literature, first in the UK and then, for eighteen years in Singapore. In the six months’ period after the mosque attacks, and again in the 2020 “anniversary,” he served as spokesperson for the Muslim Association of Canterbury

His writings include books commissioned by Muis (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura, Singapore’s Islamic Council), dealing with all aspects of the development and work of that body: its history, mosque-building programme, Hajj organisation, and more. His own work includes a history of how people travelled by sea from Southeast Asia to journey to Mecca for the Hajj. His interest is in people’s stories, particularly of those who are “unsung” – what the poet Brian Patten called, “the loose change history spent without caring.” 

He has begun work on a book that seeks, through extensive interviews, to draw lessons from the Christchurch mosque attacks – lessons of benefit and stength for all.

mobile: +64 21 026 26681

e-mail: info@connotations.co.nz 

Converting to Islam in Cairo in his early twenties Ben has travelled to learn from some of the foremost Islamic scholars of our time. He returned to Christchurch shortly after the March 15 attacks in 2019 to support the community recovery. He believes that in having faith a bridge exists is an essential part of the bridge building process but it requires us to first acknowledge there is a gap that needs to be bridged. We should be open to the possibility that those on the other side of the bridge may have pieces of the bridge you need and that you may have pieces they need for after all we are building ‘our’ bridge. 

Rob reverted to Islam in 1986. He has a degree in agricultural engineering and a master’s in civil engineering. Rob worked on water related engineering projects in small towns and remote villages in Eastern Indonesia at first as a volunteer (1983 to 1987) and then as a consultant (much of 1987 to 1997). Rob returned with his Indonesian wife to Christchurch in 1997 to raise his family and work and became involved in the Muslim community. He was invited to be a member and then chairperson of the Canterbury Building Bridges Muslim Advisory Group (CBBMAG), which was established in 2008 as part of an initiative of the Office of Ethnic Affairs. CBBMAG became CMCT in 2014. Rob is keen to build bridges and break down barriers both between Muslims and Non-Muslims and between the more than 40 different ethnic groups in Canterbury that profess Islam as their faith. After the 15th of March 2019 attacks on the two mosques in Christchurch Rob worked to support the Muslim community. He was a key member of team that ran an Open Space Forum set up to allow the Christchurch Muslim Community to explore the state “Imagine a New Zealand where all Muslims are included and able to flourish”. Rob has been working with the Christchurch Invitation team since March 2020.