Ismail Siddiq

Ismail Siddiq, also known as Ismail Siddiq Pasha and Ismail Al Mufatsh, (1830–1876) was an Egyptian statesman who served as the finance minister from 1868 to 1876. He was one of the prominent members of the dhawāt which refers to noble individuals occupying major offices in Egypt at that period.

Biography Siddiq was born in 1830. His mother who was an Arab slave was the wet nurse of Khedive Ismail who ruled Egypt between 1863 and 1879.

Siddiq was inspector general responsible for Lower Egypt and was named inspector general of Egypt in 1866. Siddiq was appointed head of finance department in 1868 being the first non-Turk who held these two significant offices for the first time. He also served as a financial agent for Khedive Ismail dealing with his personal finance.

In November 1876 Siddiq was arrested by Khedive Ismail in Saray al Jazirah and sent to exile in Dongola, Sudan, where he was put into a prison.