Hamza Yusuf, leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), became Scotland's first Muslim Prime Minister.
Yusuf, who took the oath on March 29, 2023, shared the photos he took while praying at the official residence with his followers on his social media account. Humza Yousaf, the Prime Minister of the Scottish Administration, who took the oath of allegiance to King Charles III at the ceremony held at the High Court, said in his speech before the vote, "It is my greatest privilege to be before you as a candidate for Prime Minister of Scotland." So, who is Hamza Yusuf, Scotland's first Muslim Prime Minister, and where is he from? Here is the life story of Scottish Prime Minister Hamza Yusuf…
WHO IS HAMZA YUSUF (HUMZA YOUSAF)?
Hamza Harun Yusuf was born on April 7, 1985, in Glasgow, Scotland. Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Yusuf, who took office as Prime Minister of Scotland on 29 March 2023, previously served as minister of justice in Nicola Sturgeon's government from 2018 to 2021 and then minister of health from 2021 to 2023. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) representing the Glasgow Pollok (Association) constituency since 2016. He represented the Glasgow area from 2011-2016.
WHERE IS HAMZA YUSUF FROM?
Yusuf was born in Glasgow to a family of Pakistani immigrants and studied political science. Starting his political career as a parliamentary assistant, Yusuf later worked as a communications specialist at SNP's headquarters. He was appointed as a junior minister in Alex Salmond's government in 2012 and served as minister of foreign affairs and international development until 2014.
He then took part in the Sturgeon government as minister of Europe in 2014 and minister of transport and islands in 2016. In his cabinet revision in 2018, he was promoted to the post of justice minister and introduced a controversial hate crimes bill to parliament. In 2021, as minister of health during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was responsible for improving the National Health System (NHS) as well as the mass vaccination program. Sturgeon won the Scottish National Party leadership election in 2023, becoming Scotland's youngest, first Asian and Muslim Scottish Prime Minister after he announced his intention to step down as SNP leader and Scottish prime minister.
HAMZA YUSUF'S CHILDHOOD AND EDUCATION
Hamza Harun Yusuf's father, Muzaffer Yusuf, was born in Miyan Channu city in Pakistan's Punjab province, and later his family immigrated from there and settled in Scotland. Muzaffer Yusuf started working as an accountant in Scotland. His grandfather worked at the Singer sewing machine factory in the 1960s. Yusuf's mother, Shahista Butta, was born in Nairobi, Kenya, to a family of Punjabi Arain origin. He immigrated to Scotland as his family suffered violent attacks for racial reasons.