A young Imam expecting a baby with his convert wife is working to create a more positive view of Islam in the UK.

Two months ago Sabah Ahmedi, of Gants Hill, became an Imam at just 24 years-old.

His journey towards becoming a spiritual Islamic leader began in Manchester when, at the age of 17, he woke up one morning and explained to his mother that he would be committing the rest of his life to the service of religion.

Such a commitment was, perhaps surprisingly, not pure teenage fantasy.

Mr Ahmedi left behind his "slightly superficial" life working in Hollister and Abercrombie and Fitch and headed for London, where he embarked upon a seven year long Imam course which immersed him in the world's major religions and languages, including Urdu, Arabic and Persian.

Sitting in Pret A Manger near Bank Station with a closely cropped beard, shirt and tie combination and the body of a man who gyms twice a day, Mr Ahmedi does not look like your typical Imam.

"I don't fit the stereotype that the media has put out there," he said.

"I was doing an interview last week and half way through the interviewer asked 'are you really an Imam?'

"That was music to my ears."

While this idea of an Imam is one partly forged in the tabloid inches devoted to Anjem Choudary and similarly outspoken and extreme Islamic preaches, Mr Ahmedi's mould-breaking is also partly due to his sect.

He continues: "I am a Ahmadi Muslim.

"There are 73 sects of Islam and we are the final one.

"We are not classed as Muslims by the the rest of the Muslim world which is waiting for Jesus to come back.

"We are the only sect in the world that believes that Jesus won't return."

Ahmadiyya was formed in 1889 and now consists of between ten and 20 million members, all of whom follow their current Caliph Mirza Masroor Ahmad - a man who lives in Wimbledon.

The easiest Christian comparison - and one Mr Ahmedi happily accepts - is to Mormonism, both in terms of the sect's relative youthfulness and in its outreach work.

Ahmadis came out in force following the London Bridge and Manchester attacks, inviting curious people to ask them questions and in an attempt to distance themselves from the radicalised terrorists.

Mr Ahmedi said: "You cannot fight extremism through violence. You cannot fight fire with fire.

"You can only fight it through education.

"When I get on the tube in the morning I feel people looking at me.

"They are thinking 'He has a briefcase. He is a Muslim. What is he up to?'

"It's sad. Islam is a peaceful religion, but a lot of Muslims don't feel they are part of this society.

"I am trying to get rid of those feelings by giving a voice to minorities."

As well as offering a platform to such people, Mr Ahmedi is attempting to build a positive narrative with Islam's detractors.

Recently this involved starting a conversation with two men on the tube who were shaking their heads at his scarf-wearing wife Melissa, a white British woman who converted at 14 and is currently six months pregnant.

In the future it will involve speaking as a guest Imam at Baitul Ahad Mosque in Walthamstow, promoting the open door policy at The Fazl mosque, the oldest mosque in London, and visiting his wife's family for Christmas.

If you have a question or want to find out more, email Mr Ahmedi on sabahuddinahmedi@gmail.com or follow @SabahAhmedi