OUR STORY

From a Simple Idea to Serving Muslims Across the World

Q&S Islamic Store was founded in 2012 by husband-and-wife team Qasim and Sarah, with a simple goal: to provide quality Islamic clothing and products that help Muslims maintain modesty while remaining comfortable, stylish and affordable.

Like many small family businesses, our journey did not begin with a large investment or a detailed business plan. Instead, it began through serving our local Muslim community and identifying a genuine need.

Before establishing Q&S Islamic Store, we were actively involved in supporting our local madrassah. Working closely with Muslim families helped us understand the needs of our community and strengthened our desire to serve wherever we could.

How It Began

The inspiration for our business came after a visit to Makkah and Madinah for Umrah. During the trip, we purchased a small number of children's thobes and brought them back to the UK.

Parents from our local community appreciated the convenience of being able to purchase quality Islamic clothing locally, without having to spend time searching elsewhere. What began with a handful of garments quickly grew into something much bigger.

Taking Our Business on the Road

As demand grew, we expanded our range and began attending Islamic events, exhibitions and community gatherings throughout the United Kingdom.

With clothing rails, stock and display equipment packed into our Volkswagen Transporter, we travelled from city to city, meeting customers face to face and learning directly from the people we served.

From Birmingham to Wales, the North of England and the South Coast, these journeys allowed us to better understand the needs of Muslim families across the country. They also gave us the opportunity to build lasting relationships with customers and communities wherever we went.

We often took our older children with us to events, while younger family members stayed with relatives. What began as a small venture gradually became a family effort, with everyone contributing in their own way.

Many weekends and school holidays were spent travelling to events, setting up displays and serving customers, creating memories that remain an important part of our family's journey.

During these years, our product range continued to grow. We added scarves, abayahs, prayer hats, tasbeehs, bakhoor, perfumes and a variety of other Islamic products, carefully selecting items that met our standards for quality and value.

Listening to Women, Designing for Women

As our daughters grew older, we found it increasingly difficult to source modest clothing that met our expectations for quality, practicality and design. Like many Muslim families, we wanted garments that were modest, comfortable and suitable for everyday life.

Initially, we began purchasing abayahs and long dresses for our own family. The remaining stock was offered to customers and quickly proved popular. Over time, women's clothing became one of the fastest-growing parts of our business.

Through conversations with women in the community, Sarah discovered that many customers shared similar frustrations. Too often, products available in the UK were simply imported without considering the needs and preferences of Muslim women living here.

Rather than simply selling what was available, we decided to listen. Sarah regularly gathers feedback from women about fabrics, colours, styles and practical features they would like to see in their abayahs.

These ideas are then incorporated into designs manufactured exclusively for us under our own label, helping us offer garments created with real customer feedback rather than guesswork.

Learning New Skills and Taking Q&S Online

As the years passed, attending events became more demanding. At the same time, social media platforms and online selling were becoming increasingly important.

We began by selling through community groups and social media, gradually building an online presence while continuing to serve customers in person.

Determined to learn new skills and create opportunities for the future, Qasim invested time in learning photography, image editing, website development and eCommerce. Much of this knowledge was self-taught through online courses, tutorials and practical experience.

What started as a simple website gradually became an important part of the business, allowing us to reach customers far beyond our local area and serve Muslim families across the United Kingdom and overseas.

Today, we continue to develop our online presence ourselves, combining traditional customer service with modern technology to create a better shopping experience for our customers.

A Family Business Today

Although Q&S Islamic Store has grown significantly since its beginnings, it remains a family-run business at heart.

Today, Qasim and Sarah continue to manage every aspect of the business, from product development and customer service to website management and order fulfilment. Our son regularly helps with packaging and shipping orders, while our daughters contribute ideas and support our social media activities.

We operate from our dedicated home-based store, where local customers can browse selected products in person. At the same time, we continue to ship orders throughout the United Kingdom and internationally to customers in countries around the world.

Our products are sourced from trusted suppliers and manufacturers in Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India and the United Kingdom, allowing us to offer carefully selected items that meet our standards for quality, comfort and value.

Looking Ahead

While much has changed since 2012, our mission remains the same: to serve the Muslim community by providing quality Islamic clothing and products with honesty, care and personal service.

As we continue to grow, our focus is increasingly centred on premium modest clothing for women, including abayahs designed using feedback from Muslim women and manufactured under our own label.

We also continue to invest in our website and online services, helping us reach more customers while maintaining the personal touch that has always been at the heart of our business.

We are grateful to every customer who has supported us throughout our journey and look forward to serving Muslim families for many years to come.

Thank you for being part of our story.