Five months ago, the post of British Prime Minister passed to Rishi Sunak, a day after winning the leadership of the Conservative Party following the resignation of Liz Truss, and today the scene is repeated with Hamza Yousuf, who became Scotland's First Minister (Prime Minister) after becoming the leader of the Scottish National Party about a month after the sudden resignation of party leader Nicola Sturgeon.
A political situation that did not occur in the imagination of the makers of the most exaggerated Indian films in the exoticism and contradictions, but it has become a lived political reality in the United Kingdom, which was once called the empire from which the sun never sets, and India, from which Sunak and Joseph's ancestors came, topped the countries occupied by that empire for about two centuries, but it seems that the British throne did not stop much to contemplate the cunning of history that does not stop surprises.
Sunak, 43, took office in October and became Britain's youngest prime minister in modern history, and Hamza Yusuf, 37, did the same on Tuesday as he became Scotland's youngest politician to serve as prime minister.
Political miracles
When Sunak took office, the case was considered a "political miracle" by some, news circulated that he was a "committed Hindu", he was seen participating in the Hindu celebrations of the Diwali festival, and he was photographed lighting candles outside 10 Downing Street to mark the occasion, and then the historic event was met with unparalleled Hindu ovation.
Sunak's accession coincided with Hindu celebrations of the Diwali Festival, or Festival of Lights, one of the most important religious festivals of Hindus, symbolizing "the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance." Hamza Yusuf's assumption of office also comes during an Islamic religious occasion, the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims.
As much as Sunak's Hinduism is "committed and practised", as much as there is little news about the religious aspects of Hamza Yusuf's personality, despite the fact that the description of a Muslim topped all the media that reported on him taking the largest government post in Scotland, and quoting a paragraph from his speech after winning the party presidency in which he said: "Today we have proven that the colour of your skin, or your beliefs, is not an obstacle to leading the country."
But the newspaper "Times of India" (Times of India) said that Hamza Yusuf was fasting at the time of winning the presidency of the party, and then winning the post of first minister in the government of Scotland, and the newspaper does not miss to convey criticism of opponents of Sunak from other Scottish parties such as the Labour Party, as the newspaper notes his rival from within the Scottish National Party Kate Forrey, who came third in the vote for the presidency of the party.
The newspaper said – quoting the Indian community in Scotland – that "Kate Forres grew up in India, and is keen to attend Hindu events in Scotland, the latest of which is Republic Day, unlike Hamza Yusuf, who did not see his presence in any Indian gathering."
Hamza Yusuf has not yet taken the oath of office, and no one knows if he will take it on the Qur'an, as Sunak did when he repeated the oath as British Prime Minister on the "Bhagavad Gita" Hindu holy book, and it has not yet been confirmed that Yusuf received any congratulations from Islamic leaders or not, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at the forefront of world leaders who congratulated Sunak on his assumption of the premiership in Britain.
Sunak was born in Southampton on the south coast of England to parents of Indian descent, born East African. They immigrated to Britain, his father was a family doctor, his mother a pharmacist, and Hamza Yusuf was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland's largest city and the UK's third-largest city.
His father, Muzaffar Yusuf, was born in Mian Chan in Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, and immigrated with his family to Scotland in the sixties of the last century. His mother, Shaista Bhuta, is also from Pakistan, but was born and raised in Kenya, where her family migrated before emigrating to Scotland, where she met and married Muzaffar.
In one of the party's most poignant leadership speech, Yusuf said: "My thanks to my grandparents, who unfortunately are no longer alive to see this day. I am forever grateful that my grandparents made the journey from Punjab to Scotland over 60 years ago."
Positions
Yousef's political career began in 2011 when he was elected to the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow at the age of 25, making him the youngest member of the Scottish Parliament at the time. Over the past decade, Yousef has held several prominent positions, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Minister of Transport and Islands, and most recently Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Welfare.
Throughout his political career, Youssef has been a staunch advocate for social justice, equality and human rights. Youssef advocated for several policies and initiatives, such as increasing funding for mental health services, promoting renewable energy and public transport, and supporting refugees and asylum seekers. In 2012, he played a crucial role in the successful passage of the Marriage and Civil Partnership Act (Scotland), which legalized same-sex marriage in Scotland.
Roots
Yousuf's family ties to Pakistan remained strong, as he often visited his extended family in the country and maintained a close connection to his heritage. Yusuf has consistently called for strong ties between Scotland and Pakistan, both economically and culturally. As Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the Government of Scotland, he played an important role in strengthening trade relations between the two countries.
Under his leadership, Scotland and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the areas of education, health and renewable energy. Yusuf was known as an advocate for the rights of the Pakistani diaspora in the UK. He has worked tirelessly to promote social cohesion and inclusivity, and to combat the discrimination and prejudice faced by minority communities.
Yousuf, who speaks fluent Urdu – Pakistan's national language – has regularly used the language to interact with the Pakistani community in Scotland, fostering a sense of unity and belonging. In 2016, Yusuf received the prestigious Sitara E. Quaid Grand Award from Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain in recognition of his efforts to strengthen relations between Scotland and Pakistan. This award was one of the highest civilian awards in Pakistan, reflecting the significant impact Yusuf had on bilateral relations.
Yusuf is also known as a cricket fan and a strong supporter of the Pakistan cricket team. He often shared his enthusiasm for the sport on social media and attended cricket matches between Pakistan and other countries, where he showed his love for the game and his ancestral homeland.
Youssef's wife, Nadia al-Nakhleh, is of Scottish, Moroccan and Palestinian descent, works as an events manager and participant in a charity, and they married in 2018 and had a daughter named Amal, who was born in 2019.
As a British Pakistani, Yusuf may bring a unique perspective and understanding of the region, which could lead to a more cooperative and nuanced approach to foreign relations, and his leadership could also influence the UK's foreign policy, particularly in relation to relations with Pakistan and South Asian countries, and overall forge stronger ties with ethnic minority communities and further promote social justice and equality.
Independence
Among the issues ahead of him, independence from the United Kingdom is Scotland's most crucial issue, topping his party's platform. "We will be the generation that will bring Scottish independence," Yusuf said in his victory speech, stressing that the Scottish people need independence from now, more than ever.
But Yusuf will have to try to unify the party after a leadership campaign that exposed divisions among candidates over their approach to independence and social issues, on which he said: "We have a job to do and as a party we are at our strongest when we unite, and what unites is our common goal of achieving independence for our nation."
It is an irony of history that Hamza Yusuf's grandfather, Abdul Ghani, was a prominent fighter in calling for the partition of India and the establishment of an independent state for India's Muslims, which eventually led to the creation of Pakistan as an independent state in 1947, and the partition came on a religious basis where the engineering-majority states joined India and the Muslim-majority states joined Pakistan. A question answered by the next stage.