Mona Siddiqui is Professor of Islamic Studies and Public Understanding at the University of Glasgow and the Director of the Centre for the Study of Islam. Born in Pakistan she grew up in England and, since 1991, has been living in Glasgow. She graduated from the university of Leeds with an Honours degree in Arabic and French and went on to do a Masters in Middle-Eastern Studies at the university of Manchester where she also completed her doctorate on the rules of marriage in classical Islamic law.

Between 2002 and 2005, Professor Siddiqui became the first Muslim woman to be appointed Head of the Theology and Religious Studies Department at Glasgow University. She now sits on the University Court and represents the university as a governor for Glasgow Academy. In addition to her academic commitments, she works with a wide range of media and broadcasts frequently for the BBC. She is a regular contributor to the religious slot, Thought for the Day, on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Scotland. She is currently Chair of the Scottish Religious Advisory Committee for BBC Scotland. She also contributes frequently to opinion pieces in the national press.