April 18 marks the twentieth anniversary of Dr Kalim Siddiqui’s passing away. He was one of the leading intellectuals of the last century blending intellectualism with political activism that created a unique personality.
Dr Kalim’s understanding of history went beyond the mere recording of events. He incorporated the understanding of broad trends and movements of social and political change, and the factors that influenced them to derive lessons for the future.
The Muslim Institute emerged from talks in 1972-73 among a group of young Muslims in London led by the late Dr Kalim Siddiqui. Its foundation proper can be dated to the publication of the Draft Prospectus of the Muslim Institute, its foundation document, in 1974.
This biography of Dr Kalim Siddiqui is divided into five sections. It is based on the commemorative booklet published by the Muslim Institute and the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain on the occasion of their ‘Kalim Siddiqui Memorial Conference’ in London in November 1996. It has been edited and updated by Iqbal Siddiqui, who also wrote the original booklet.
Although he was best known in Britain for his stand against Rushdie, and as the founder and Leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, Dr Kalim Siddiqui’s involvement in British Muslim community affairs was a new direction for him in the later years of his life.
Article written by Dr Kalim Siddiqui reflecting on a meeting that took place after the Nationalism seminar in August 1985. In his diary, he described the meeting as ‘an ad hoc ‘Working Committee’ of the global Islamic movement.’ Published in Crescent International, 16-31 October, 1985, and reprinted in Issues in the Islamic movement, vol. 6, 1985-86 (1405-06), pp. 111-113.
