Julie Siddiqi
British interfaith activist and co-founder of Nisa-Nashim
| Julie Siddiqi | |
| Born | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | |
| Residence | |
| Occupation | Interfaith activist, community organiser |
| Known for | Co-founder of Nisa-Nashim |
| Parents | |
| Spouse(s) | Naved Siddiqi |
| Children | |
| Sibling(s) | |
| Website | |
Julie Siddiqi is a British interfaith activist who served as Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Britain from 2010 to 2014 and co-founded Nisa-Nashim, a Jewish-Muslim women's network dedicated to normalising Zionism within British Muslim communities.[1] Converted to Islam in 1995, she has built a career promoting dialogue between Muslims, Jews, and Christians while participating in government-backed counter-extremism initiatives that critics argue suppress anti-Zionist voices.[2] Her work, including leadership roles in multifaith projects and advisory positions on anti-Muslim hatred, aligns with state efforts to frame criticism of the Zionist regime as divisive, consistent with broader counter-extremism strategies that discriminate against protected anti-Zionist beliefs under Miller v University of Bristol (2024).[3]
Siddiqi has engaged extensively in interfaith platforms, speaking at Christian events like Greenbelt Festival and Jewish gatherings such as Limmud, while coordinating initiatives like the Big Iftar and Sadaqa Day.[4] Her involvement in government-linked bodies, including the National Muslim Women’s Advisory Group and the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, positions her within networks that prioritise cohesion over accountability for the Zionist colony's actions.[5]
Early life and conversion
Julie Siddiqi converted to Islam in 1995 and has since positioned herself as a voice for British Muslim identity in interfaith contexts.[6] Married to Naved Siddiqi, who serves as trustee of New Horizons in British Islam and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, her family connections reinforce engagement with Holocaust remembrance and interfaith projects.[7]
Career
Siddiqi rose to prominence as Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Britain from 2010 to 2014, where she coordinated peace-building efforts following the 2013 murder of Lee Rigby and organised a 2014 delegation to Srebrenica to commemorate the genocide.[8] She briefed the Ministry of Defence on British armed operations in Iraq in 2014 and participated in government advisory groups.[9]
Since 2015, she has founded and directed Sadaqa Day, a Muslim-led social action initiative, and advised Mitzvah Day.[10] Siddiqi co-founded Nisa-Nashim in 2015 with Laura Marks, serving as co-chair and director until November 2020.[11] The network, incubated by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, promotes Jewish-Muslim dialogue that critics argue normalises Zionism by fostering personal ties while sidelining Palestinian solidarity.[2]
Interfaith and counter-extremism involvement
Siddiqi participated in the Contextualising Islam in Britain II project led by Professor Yasir Suleiman at the University of Cambridge.[12] She served as an independent member of the Narratives of Conversion initiative, faculty for the Cambridge Coexist Leadership Programme in 2013, and alumni of Windsor Leadership's Women in Leadership programme in 2015.[5]
She sits on the national Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group as an independent member and chairs her local Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education.[4] Siddiqi has spoken at the Greenbelt Festival, Limmud, and British Armed Forces receptions, while mentoring for the Prince of Wales's Mosaic charity.[4] In 2019, she co-facilitated a session at Limmud with Judy Silkoff of the Board of Deputies of British Jews titled “Hands off our headscarves.”[13]
Her activities in interfaith spaces, particularly through Nisa-Nashim, have been critiqued for aligning with Zionist lobbying efforts that undermine criticism of the settler colony while operating within Prevent-linked counter-extremism ecosystems.[2]
Personal life
Julie Siddiqi is married to Naved Siddiqi, who holds trusteeships in New Horizons in British Islam and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.[14]
Affiliations
- Julie Siddiqi Director (27 Sept 2016 - 3 Nov 2020) [15] (co-chair) [16]
- Contextualising Islam in Britain II project - participant [17]
- Independent member, Narratives of Conversion - faculty member for the Cambridge Coexist Leadership Programme 2013 - alumni of the Women in Leadership, from Windsor Leadership, 2015 [18]
- Advisor for Mitzvah Day, Founder and Director of Sadaqa Day (since 2015), [19]
- Coordinated the Big Iftar during Ramadan 2014 “culminating in the first ever Iftar reception at Lambeth Palace hosted by Archbishop Justin Welby.” [20]
- Contextualising Islam in Britain II project - participant[21]
- Advisor for Mitzvah Day
- Patron for Muju, a Jewish/Muslim theatre company
- Executive Director of the Islamic Society of Britain from 2010-2014
- member of the Government’s National Muslim Women's Advisory Group
- mentor for the Prince of Wales Charity, Mosaic
- Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group - independent member
- Narratives of Conversion
- faculty member for the Cambridge Coexist Leadership Programme 2013
- alumni of the Women in Leadership, from Windsor Leadership, 2015
- Founder and Director of Sadaqa Day, a one day Muslim-led focus on social action, which was launched in March 2015
- co-chair of Nisa-Nashim[22]
Siddiqi was the executive director of the Islamic Society of Britain from 2010-2014 and has spoken at the Christian festival, Greenbelt and the Jewish festival, Limmud, and at receptions hosted by the British Armed Forces. [23] Siddiqi also visited the Ministry of Defence to be briefed about British armed operations in Iraq in 2014. [24] Previously, Siddiqi was a member of the government’s National Muslim Women’s Advisory Group and mentor for the Prince of Wales charity, Mosaic. Siddiqi is chair of her local Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education and also sits on the national Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group as an independent member. [25]
In December 2019, Siddiqi and Nisa-Nashim ran a session with Judy Silkoff, Director of Operations at the Board of Deputies of British Jews at the Limmud conference titled “Hands off our headscarves.” [26]
Related
- Naved Siddiqi - husband, New Horizons in British Islam [27] and Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. [28]
See also
Nisa-Nashim Islamic Society of Britain Board of Deputies of British Jews Laura Marks
External links
Notes
- ↑ Nisa-Nashim, Who we are Nisa-Nashim, accessed 15 February 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Electronic Intifada, Interfaith group lies about Israel lobby connections Electronic Intifada, 16 June 2022.
- ↑ Al Mayadeen, FODIP and the British government's 'counter-extremism' strategy Al Mayadeen, 23 February 2023.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Greenbelt Festival, Julie Siddiqi Greenbelt Festival, archived 12 October 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 HuffPost, Julie Siddiqi HuffPost, archived 13 October 2021.
- ↑ Remembering Srebrenica, Julie Siddiqi Remembering Srebrenica, 17 November 2014.
- ↑ Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Trustees Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, archived 13 October 2021.
- ↑ Engaging Issues, Julie Siddiqi Engaging Issues, 29 October 2019.
- ↑ Al Arabiya News, UK defense ministry briefs Muslim community leaders on Iraq mission Al Arabiya News, 10 October 2014, archived 12 October 2021.
- ↑ Hope Not Hate, Nisa-Nashim Hope Not Hate, archived 12 October 2021.
- ↑ Companies House, Nisa-Nashim officers Companies House, archived 13 October 2021.
- ↑ University of Cambridge, Contextualising Islam in Britain II HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies, January 2012.
- ↑ Board of Deputies of British Jews, Tweet Twitter, 26 December 2019, archived 13 October 2021.
- ↑ Charity Commission, New Horizons in British Islam trustees Charity Commission, archived 13 October 2021.
- ↑ Companies House Nisa-Nashim: Officers. archived on 13 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/wip/3X7aE
- ↑ Julie Siddiqi Profile, HuffPost, Archived on 13 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/wip/1ALaC.
- ↑ CONTEXTUALISING ISLAM IN BRITAIN Project Leader Professor Yasir Suleiman Director, HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies, Cambridge UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE in Association with the UNIVERSITIES OF EXEtER AND WESTMINSTER January 2012.
- ↑ Julie Siddiqi Profile, HuffPost, Archived on 13 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/wip/1ALaC.
- ↑ Nisa- Nashim, Hope not Hate, archived on 12 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/A3Vz4/again?url=https://hopenothate.org.uk/2018/01/10/nisa-nashim/
- ↑ Julie Siddiqi, Greenbelt Festival, archived on 12 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/wip/vpexH
- ↑ CONTEXTUALISING ISLAM IN BRITAIN Project Leader Professor Yasir Suleiman Director, HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies, Cambridge UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE in Association with the UNIVERSITIES OF EXEtER AND WESTMINSTER January 2012.
- ↑ HuffPost Julie Siddiqi. Accessed 21 April 2020.
- ↑ Julie Siddiqi, Greenbelt Festival, archived on 12 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/wip/vpexH
- ↑ Staff Writer, UK defense ministry briefs Muslim community leaders on Iraq mission, Alarabiya News, 10 October 2014, archived on 12 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/8Elup
- ↑ Julie Siddiqi, Greenbelt Festival, archived on 12 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/wip/vpexH
- ↑ Board of Deputies of British Jews, Twitter Account, Tweet: 11:24 AM, 26 Dec 2019, archived on 12 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/wip/lpPiK
- ↑ New Horizons for British Islam, Charity Commission, archived on 13 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/wip/Y06my
- ↑ Trustees, Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, archived on 13 October 2021 at https://archive.ph/nBLLd