Rae's Collection review: Religious persecution and willful intimidation

My name is Shuheid Brown.

I have visited the store known as Rae's Collection situated at B19 Market Lane in Canal Walk Shopping Centre.

My wife, Layla Brown and I spent approximately 30 minutes in the store, with another couple and their 3 or 4 children. A gentleman was busy behind the store counter while we were all in the store waiting to pay for our purchases. He was the only one helping customers in the store. He took quite a while before looking up from what he was busy doing. My wife and I were second in the queue. I then approached the gentleman behind the counter and attempted to hand him cash and told him that I did not need any change. The purpose and objective was to cut our wait short and assist the gentleman as he was obviously busy besides the customers who needed help in the store.

The aggression of his reply while he stood up to me was of such gravity, as his demeanor was exacerbated by his muscular physique and his loud tone. He said the following: No, you must wait, this customer was here before you. I then turned to my wife and told her that we don't need to get the scarves she wanted, at that store. He then shouted and stated 'then we must leave it and go and that we must leave his store as 'I have no 'Deen'. He said again, You have "no Deen".

I said to him that I was speaking to my wife and not him.

In Islamic terminology, the word 'Deen' refers to the way of life Muslims must adopt to comply with divine Islamic law, encompassing a good and honourable belief system, good character and good deeds. He said "I have no Deen" a few times. All because I requested that I pay him in cash and avoid continued and extended unnecessary waiting. I then said to him that his muscles and physique did not scare me.

Instead of replying to me that my request was not possible and that he needed to first assist the lady before us, he decided that my entire religious life practices are of such low quality that he needed to utter at the top of his voice that I had no 'Deen'.

This was religious persecution of the worst kind and the manner of his approach and address was willfully intimidating. So much so, that I moved in front of my wife out of fear of what might happen next, as it was clear that he was moving towards me and aloud.

I told him that I will show him how I will formalize a complaint against him and his store. I was thereafter accompanied by Mr. Ar- Rashaad Bassier, an Operations Supervisor, back to the store in who's presence I said that I will formalize a complaint against him.

Ar-Rashaad said that Canal Walk would prefer not to get involved and after I asked him whether they would condone that kind of behaviour on their patrons, he handed me his business card and said I could file a complaint directly with him.