Kalim Siddiqui, Ph.D. (15 September 1931 - 18 April 1996) was a

Pakistani Pakistanis (, ) are the citizens and nationals of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population as of 2023. As much as ...

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

writer and

Islamic Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...

. He gained notability for his controversial support of the fatwa issued by Iran's

Ayatollah Khomeini Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini (17 May 1900 or 24 September 19023 June 1989) was an Iranian revolutionary, politician, political theorist, and religious leader. He was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the main leader of the Iranian ...

, which called for the assassination of British author Sir Salman Rushdie amidst the Satanic Verses controversy.

Early life

Siddiqui was born in the village of Dondi Lohara, CP,

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

on 15 September 1931. He became increasing involved in politics as a teenager, when during a small demonstration close to his home town a bullet fired by a British soldier barely missed him, killing the youth behind him. After the creation of the state of

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

he briefly joined the

Khilafat Movement The Khilafat movement (1919–22) was a political campaign launched by Indian Muslims in British India over British policy against Turkey and the planned dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire after World War I by Allied forces. Leaders particip ...

Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...

and became the editor of its newspaper, ''The Independent Leader''. Along with other members of the movement, he moved to London in the early 1950s. In the mid 1960s he put himself through college and university, taking a degree in

Economics Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...

and then, in 1972, a

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

International Relations International relations (IR, and also referred to as international studies, international politics, or international affairs) is an academic discipline. In a broader sense, the study of IR, in addition to multilateral relations, concerns al ...

from

University College, London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

. He founded the Muslim Institute for Research and Planning in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

in 1972 and campaigned through his writings for

political Islam Political Islam is the interpretation of Islam as a source of political identity and action. It advocates the formation of state and society according to (the advocates understanding of) Islamic principles, where Islam serves as a source of poli ...

.Zafar Bangash, Introduction to In Pursuit of the Power of Islam, 1996

Supporting Iran

He publicly declared his support for the Islamic Revolution in Iran of 1979, and was later a defender of Ayatullah Khomeini's fatwa against Salman Rushdie.

The Muslim Parliament

In 1989 he founded the Muslim Parliament of

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

. Although activism was certainly a major part of his life, the core of his work was a unique analysis, understanding and exposition of Muslim history and the contemporary situation facing Muslims which he developed and presented in a series of major writings and speeches. He died in

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

on 18 April 1996, after attending the International Conference on Creating a New Civilization of Islam. He was an outspoken force in the need for an integrated body of Muslims which could exercise communal interests (the regulation of

halal ''Halal'' (; ) is an Arabic word that translates to in English. Although the term ''halal'' is often associated with Islamic dietary laws, particularly meat that is slaughtered according to Islamic guidelines, it also governs ethical practices ...

meat and the sighting of the Ramadan moon) and act as a lobbying body in the wider British community, like the

Board of Deputies of British Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews, commonly referred to as the Board of Deputies, is the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the United Kingdom, after the Initiation Society which was founded in 1745. Established in 17 ...

Works

#''Islamic development plan'', Karachi: Umma Publishing House, 1970 #''Conflict, Crisis and War in Pakistan'', London: Macmillan and New York, 1972 #''Towards a new destiny'', London: Distributed by Newsmedia Book Service, 1974 #''The functions of international conflict : a socio-economic study of Pakistan'', Karachi: The Royal Book Company, 1975 #''The state of the Muslim world today'', London: Open Press in association with the Muslim Institute, 1980 #''Beyond the Muslim nation-states'', London: Open Press Limited : Muslim Institute, 1980 #''The Islamic revolution : achievements, obstacles & goals'', Open Press in association with the Muslim Institute, 1980 #''Political thought and behaviour of Muslims under colonialism'', London: Muslim Institute, 1986 #''Issues in the Islamic Movement'', London: Open Press, 1987 #''The implications of the Rushdie affair for Muslims in Britain'', London : Muslim Institute, 1989 #''Muslims and the ' new world order, London : Muslim Institute, 1991 #''In pursuit of the power of Islam : major writings of Kalim Siddiqui (edited by Zafar Bangash)'', London: Open Press, 1996 #''Stages of Islamic revolution'', London: Open Press, 1996

References

Bibliography

External links

The Muslim Parliament of Great Britain
{{DEFAULTSORT:Siddiqui, Kalim 1931 births 1996 deaths Muhajir people British activists Islamic philosophers 20th-century Pakistani philosophers Pakistani Sunni Muslims British Sunni Muslims