The Rumi Forum presented ‘Minority Rights in Islam’ with Dr. Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, President of the Minaret of Freedom Institute.
In his speech at Rumi Forum, Dr. Ahmad discussed the doctrinal approach of Islam to minorities and underprotected groups. He compared how these approaches have changed throughout history, from the time of Muhammad until modern times. As Dr. Ahmad detailed, Islam has always been very tolerant and peaceful towards other faiths. The decline in this tolerance of Muslims today comes from the perceived notion that Islam is “under attack”. It is, according to Dr. Ahmad, the lack of education and credibility of many Muslim scholars that has led to these ideas.
Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, Ph.D., President of the Minaret of Freedom Institute, is an internationally known interdisciplinary scientist, author of Signs in the Heavens: A Muslim Astronomer’s Perspective on Religion and Science. He is a senior lecturer at the University of Maryland where he teaches courses on religion and progress and on religion, science and freedom. He also teaches a course on Islam, Science and Development at Georgetown University for the Center on Muslim-Christian Understanding.