Humza Yousaf leads prayer at Scotland’s official residence after winning polls

EDINBURGH – Pakistan-origin Hamza Yusuf has made history for being the first minister of Scotland. Besides having a Pakistani background, the Scottish National Party (SNP) leader is the maiden Muslim leader to become the First Minister of Scotland.

Hamza becomes Scotland’s sixth first minister and is trending online for being the first from a minority background. After making it to the Bute House, Humza led the prayer in the official residence on his first night. In a social media post, he shared a special moment with his family after sweeping through the polls.

In the clicks, he can be seen having quality time with his family members and leading the prayer at Bute House. Minister’s father Muzaffer Yousaf, mother Shaista Bhutta, wife Nadia, and two daughters were in the frame.

My family and I spending our first night in Bute House after today's parliamentary vote. A special moment leading my family in prayer in Bute House as is customary after breaking fast together. pic.twitter.com/yjPY1vpJMB

— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) March 28, 2023

The young achiever said leading the male members of his family into prayer was a customary practice after fasting together in the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The 37-year-old practicing Muslim succeeds Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the governing Scottish National Party and will take over as head of the semi-autonomous government once he wins an approval vote in the Scottish parliament.

Setting out his goals, Yousaf said he would concentrate on tackling the cost of living crisis, ending the divisions in the party, and making a renewed push for independence.

“The people of Scotland need independence now, more than ever before and we will be the generation that delivers independence,” he said in a speech in Edinburgh after the results were announced.

Yousaf’s victory was confirmed at the country’s national rugby ground after a six-week campaign where the three candidates spent much of the contest criticising each other’s record in a series of personal attacks.

Pakistan-origin Humza Yousaf wins race to be Scotland’s next leader

The SNP’s unity, which had been one of its strengths, broke down over arguments about how to achieve a second independence referendum and the best way to introduce social reforms such as transgender rights.

Yousaf takes over a party with an overriding objective to end Scotland’s three-centuries-long union with England. His predecessor stepped down after the British government repeatedly blocked a route to a new vote on independence.