Hey! I’m Shelina and I am one of the founders of Hidayah.
I decided to set Hidayah up as a result of my own personal experiences. I felt like there were very few spaces to be open about one’s faith in the LGBTQI+ community without receiving ridicule or criticism from a community who may feel that religious institutions are fundamentally oppressive.
Hidayah aims to undermine and deconstruct these hegemonic views and offer safe spaces and meeting groups for LGBTQI+ Muslims (whether an individual is practising or not) and provide them with resources that show that Islam is compatible with LGBTQI+. We’re here to make an invisible minority, within a minority, visible again.
Hey everyone! My name is Mo, I am in charge of wellbeing at Hidayah and the tech side of our operations.
I wanted to join Hidayah to make a change within our community, to help people like me understand what it means to be LGBT+ and a Muslim, how to navigate that and what that life can mean. I also wanted to have the opportunity to help other queer Muslims connect with their wider community.
I am looking forward to improving the services Hidayah currently provides and working with the other trustees to facilitate their projects, hope to meet you guys soon inshaAllah 💜
My name is Selina, I live in England with my husband and 6 children. I work in accounts for a construction company. My upbringing was that of a Latter Day Saint. My religion has taught the importance of treating everyone equally and helping others with the talents you have been given. For this reason I am a keen advocate for charity work. I enjoy sports like running and swimming, socialising and spending time with my family.
Hey! I’m Deenah. I’m a journalist and poet, and I started volunteering for Hidayah after being approached by Shelina, the Chair. I’ve written about being a Muslim lesbian in several publications, including the Metro, AZ Magazine and Lacuna Magazine.
Before finding Hidayah, I didn’t really have a safe space to be entirely and comfortably myself. As a hijabi and practicing Muslim, it continues to frustrate me seeing queer spaces dominated by alcohol. But also, conversely, as a queer woman and trans ally, the casual homophobia in Muslim spaces makes me feel out of place too.
Creating spaces and holding events for queer Muslims to unabashedly be who we all are is incredibly important to me. I’m honoured to be part of the board, and I hope to take the charity in new directions in the coming year, insha allah.
Hi, my name is Dòm and I’m the Wellbeing Officer for Hidayah’s awesome volunteers and trustees!
As an LGBTQ+ person of faith, I know that being LGBTQ+ does not make you anything less in the eyes of God. This conviction moved me to get involved with Hidayah, as I want to help those who are struggling understand that God’s love extends to everyone, regardless of their gender identity or sexuality.
I’m thrilled to be part of the Hidayah team and to have the opportunity to contribute to the wellbeing of such an amazing group of people.
I’m Rabia, having spent the past 6 years working for equalities and human rights organisations, I’ve encountered thousands of worthy causes. One of those organisations close to my heart is Hidayah which is why I’m pleased to be joining Hidayah as an Outreach Officer and Trustee.
During my time as Director of Media, Engagement and Lobbying for British Muslims for Secular Democracy, I partnered with Hidayah for our Supporting Minority Muslims campaign. Working with the team at Hidayah was a beautiful experience; I relearned many things about my faith through the special space Hidayah has created.
Through working with Hidayah, I’ve seen first hand how inspiring and important the space Hidayah creates is for LGBT+ Muslims. It’s an honour to be part of such vital and life changing work.
Hi everyone! I’m Amber and I’m the stand-in Social Media and Marketing Trustee for Hidayah UK.
I found Hidayah while researching for my masters dissertation, and thought it would be a great way to give back to the community I was writing about. Initially I joined as a Content Creator, and have really enjoyed the experience of getting creative and being able to spread awareness of issues within the LGBTQ+ Muslim community.
I was fortunate when I came out as bisexual that it was well-received by my family, friends and peers, but I recognise that this privilege is sadly not afforded to all. Everyone should have the right to live their most authentic life, and I hope to promote acceptance, understanding and tolerance as much as I can through this role.
I’m honoured and delighted to have the chance to work with the amazing people in the Hidayah team, and can’t wait to see what the future brings!
I received a master’s in Art Psychotherapy, the final year of which included working at an LGBT Health Centre in Edinburgh, Scotland. This experience was a catalyst for what has since become a life-long endeavour to better support marginalised and minoritised individuals, especially LGBTQ+ communities. In a professional capacity, I have worked with the NHS and several regulatory bodies to deliver training, generate educational resources and ensure that inclusive practices are embedded across a range of services in the UK.
I have a particular interest in gender, identity and intersectionality within both religious and secular communities. I’m passionate about creating safe spaces where individuals can explore the complexities of life, share ways to navigate challenges and find connections in the vulnerability that these conversations both require and facilitate.
I am Samie and I have been involved with Hidayah for a number of years now. I am interested in the way race, religion and queerness shape people’s lives, including my own. With experience in decolonised education, supporting vulnerable adults and young people and anti-racist practice, I hope to make Hidayah a place that supports LGBT+ Muslims to be who they want to be.
Hi all! I’m Ruth, a queer game dev and I help out with all things tech at Hidayah! I was introduced to the great work Hidayah does through a friend and I am grateful to have the opportunity to support the organisation in their mission to provide care and connection. Queer community and chosen family are such a powerful force in how we navigate life. In the time I’ve been working with Hidayah, I’ve seen the positive impact that technology can have on fostering these connections, sharing resources, and creating a supportive space for the LGBT+ Muslim community.
