Big Zuu completed Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage, during the month of Ramadan this year
By Jasmine Sandhar
BBC Newsbeat
For a TV chef and rapper, a month of not being able to eat or listen to music sounds almost impossible.
But Big Zuu has set out to achieve exactly that this Ramadan.
Since early March, Muslims across the world have been fasting and praying to remember the significance of the Quran.
For the Islamic community, the holiest time of the year is a way to connect more deeply with their faith.
And Zuu says that’s been the case for him.
With his two jobs greatly affecting the lifestyle he leads, the 28-year-old says he’s “made mistakes” in the past.
“I was estranged from my religion at times,” Zuu tells BBC Newsbeat.
Over the past month, the West Londoner has been trying to find a better balance between his religion and day-to-day life.
During Ramadan, Muslims do things to strengthen their relationship with God, including fasting, giving to charity, and some avoid listening to music too.
“Ramadan is all about reflection and trying to be a better person,” Zuu says.
“Obviously, with the jobs that I do, sometimes it overlaps what you can and can’t do.”
Zuu’s probably best-known for his cooking shows, but he’s also a member of the MTP Crew grime collective that AJ Tracey is part of.
‘The odd one out’
Image source, BBC/FBO
Big Zuu is known as the host of the BBC series Big Zuu’s Big Eats
To follow Islamic teachings more closely, Zuu has posted less food and music content on socials over the past month.
But he also believes that it is important to adapt the older aspects of his religion into a modern-day context.
“For me, it’s just about my intention and making sure that I’m doing the right thing,” he says.
“I’m trying to be a good person. I’m sure that’s enough.”
Big Zuu says people are sometimes surprised when they find out he’s Muslim.
He says that surprises him, given that his real name is Zuhair Hassan – “one of the most Muslim names of all time”.
But as a black man with a mum from Sierra Leone and a dad from Lebanon, he is not part of the faith’s South Asian majority in the UK.
“Being in a mosque and being the odd one out, I guess it just comes with how I look,” Zuu says.
But he says that hasn’t stopped him from “always trying to be a good Muslim”.
‘Closer to God’
Image source, acme tv
As a black Muslim, Zuu hopes the documentary will showcase the different ethnicities within Islam
Zuu says this year has been particularly important for his religious identity.
As part of a BBC documentary, he flew to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to complete the Islamic pilgrimage, Umrah.
Having struggled to navigate what being Muslim means throughout his life, Zuu says undertaking this shorter version of Hajj was an emotional moment for him.
“I think documentaries like this are super-important to let people know there’s different types of Muslims who look different and come from different backgrounds,” he says.
“We’re not all the same.”
Travelling to the holiest city in Islam accompanied by his two best friends, Tubsey and Hyder, was “intense”, but the documentary also gave Zuu a chance to grow.
“I definitely feel like it brought me closer to God and made me focus a little bit more on my faith,” he says.
“All of that is just going to stick with me for life.”
But this doesn’t mean that Zuu will be completely getting rid of the “little things” he likes to indulge in.
And with Wednesday marking the end of Ramadan and beginning of Eid celebrations, there’s one thing in particular he’s looking forward to.
“It’s really bad,” the chef says. “I just love soft drinks.
“It’s the little things that you miss.”
Big Zuu Goes To Mecca will be broadcast on BBC Two at 9pm on Sunday 14 April and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer after.
