Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi

Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi
Born	Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi 12 July 1967 Lahore, Pakistan
Website	http://www.blessedsummit.com

Faiz-ul-Aqtab Siddiqi (born 1967) is a British Muslim scholar, principal of the Hijaz College, National Convenor of the Muslim Action Committee (MAC), Secretary General of the International Muslims Organisation, Grand Blessed Guide of the Naqshbandi Hijazi Sufi Order and a barrister at law.

Family of Religious Scholars

Shaykh Faiz is the eldest son of the late Hazrat Mujadid Abdul Wahab Siddiqi and the grandson of Maulana Muhammad Umar Icharvi. He studied under his father and many other great Shayukh of the time. Later he studied at Al-Azhar University in Egypt

Principle of Hijaz College

He is the principal and founding trustee of Hijaz College in Nuneaton, England, where he resides on campus.

Champion of Muslim Unity

The Shaykh is a signatory to Charter 3:103 based on the verse of the Qur'an which urges Muslims to remain united despite sectarian differences.

Convenor of the Muslim Action Committee and Muslim Action Forum

The Shaykh convened the Muslim Action Committee, an umbrella organisation of Sunni and Shia Islamic scholars and Islamic political groups such as the Islamic Human Rights Commission and Hizb ut-Tahrir to organise a demonstration against the repeated publications of the Danish cartoons of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. The demonstration was the largest in Europe and the largest within the UK since the Salman Rushdie incident. The organisation works to combat attacks on Islamic religious symbols.

Founder of Hijaz Community

Shaykh Faiz is the founder of the Hijaz Community which operates in various parts in the country to build social cohesion and spirituality in society.

Profession as Barrister

He is a barrister under English and Welsh law, and as such is a member of the Lincoln's Inn. He practises commercial and conflict law, limiting this to three days per month as his main focus is on social engineering programmes to rejuvenate Muslim communities and enhance their spiritual prosperity.

Controversy over Sharia courts in the UK

Shaykh Faiz was amongst the guests on the Law in Action programme aired on 28 November 2006 which discussed the issue of Sharia courts in the UK, which was covered by many newspapers and other media. Shaykh Faiz made the following observation about the issues:

"Because we follow the same process as any case of arbitration, our decisions are binding in English law. Unless our decisions are unreasonable, they are recognised by the High Court."

Shaykh Faiz was also involved in a debate in London in February 2008 entitled KINGDOM OF GOD: the Archbishop, the Sharia and the Law of the Land in response to a speech by Archbishop Rowan Williams, in which Shaykh Faiz defended and advocated the use of Islamic Family Law in the UK and showed hope that in the future a more educated and spiritual Muslim community in Britain would be able to live under all aspects of Sharia Law.

Shaykh Faiz launched the Muslim Arbitration Tribunal to deal with the issue of forced marriages within the Muslim community.

Shaykh Faiz delivered a lecture within the walls of Temple Church entitled "Family Law, Minorities and legal Pluralism: Should English Law give more Recognition to Islamic Law?" in November 2008 which sparked media controversy over its endorsement of polygamy.

Mecca via Wall Street

Shaykh Faiz has recently launched Hijaz Community with a series of events entitled Mecca via Wall St. The events have been on the concept of civic, social and corporate responsibility. With partners in the corporate sector, mainly through a new insurance company, called 'Muslim Insurance' these events have been organised in order to raise money for charity and promote the work of Hijaz Community. Muslim Insurance itself is a charitable company that donates 50% of its profits to charity, and is supported by over 700 Islamic scholars.

References

• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11398967/Huge-crowd-of-Muslim-protesters-picket-Downing-Street-to-protest-at-Charlie-Hebdo-cartoons.html

External links

• Hijaz College
• Mecca via Wall Street
• Hijaz Community
• International Muslims Organisation
• Naqshbandi Hijazi Sufi Order
• Blessed Summit
• A Speech in Pennsylvania on Islam and Democracy
• Launch of Muslim Arbitration Tribunal
• Muslim Arbitration Tribunal Website