After his father was killed by the Libyan government in 1980, al-Walid's family was eventually able to leave in two groups, in 1985 and 1986. His mother's request for asylum in Britain in 1987. Deghayes grew up in a secular household and was granted status as a legal resident.[3] As a college student, while studying at University of Wolverhampton and later in Huddersfield, he began to explore Islam.[4] His mother and sister became British citizens.