Ghayasuddin Siddiqui

Ghayasuddin Siddiqui is an academic and political activist. He was born in 1939 in Delhi, India, migrated to Pakistan in late 1947 and moved to the UK in 1964.

He has been leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, which he co-founded in 1992, and director of one of the oldest Muslim think-tanks in Britain, The Muslim Institute, which he co-founded in 1973.

Ghayasuddin Siddiqui organised the visit of Malcolm X to Sheffield University on 4 December 1964.

After the death of Kalim Siddiqui (writer) in 1996, Dr Ghayasuddin Siddiqui (no relation), who was involved with the Muslim Institute from its early days, became the Director and re-established the Institute as an independent organisation.

The Institute established a number of important organisations that have played a significant part in shaping the British Muslim community – such as the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, The Halal Food Authority, and Bait al-Mal al-Islami, which raised funds and supported young Muslim scholars and students. It even organised guided tours to ‘Islamic Britain’ with visits to London’s Guildhall, Leighton’s Arab Hall, Burton’s Mausoleum, Shah Jehan Mosque, Abdullah Quilliam Mosque and other sites. Under Ghayasuddin Siddiqui's guidance, the emphasis of the Institute shifted to issues of democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, pluralism, gender equality and empowering women. The Institute launched a number of initiatives, including campaigns for "Child Protection in Faith-Based Environments" and against forced marriage, domestic violence, and honour killing. A new "Model Muslim Marriage Contract," which grants equal rights to both partners, was also produced. The Institute subsequently played a role in the formation of the City Circle, British Muslims for Secular Democracy and The MUJU Crew (a Muslim–Jewish theatre group).