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Dr.Liyakat Takim is
the new Sharjah Chair in Global Islam
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Liyakat Takim is the new Sharjah Chair in Global
Islam. He hopes that by expanding the number of religious studies courses
that deal with Islam and reaching out to the community, Muslims will be
able to educate both each other and non-Muslims about their religious
beliefs.
New chair examines Islam through modern
lens
- by Matt Terry
October 06, 2009
McMaster's new Sharjah Chair in Global Islam intends
to open up dialogue between all religious groups on campus and dispel some
of the myths and misunderstandings about Muslims and their faith.
Ambitious goals, but Liyakat Takim, a native of
Toronto who left the University of Denver for the position at McMaster,
says that by expanding the number of religious studies courses that deal
with Islam and reaching out to the community, Muslims will be able to
educate both each other and non-Muslims about their religious beliefs.
"I recognize that there will be many challenges, but
there are also many opportunities for growth," said Takim, a former imam.
"Those challenges and opportunities are what attracted me to McMaster."
According to Takim, Muslims are in a sort of
transitional period - moving from being Muslims in Canada to Canadian
Muslims - which presents an ideal opportunity to work at growing an
Islamic Studies program. One of his goals is to make McMaster a place that
is known, both in academia and in the community-at- large, as a centre for
the study of Islam.
The Chair in Global Islam was established in 2008
thanks to a gift of $1 million from His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin
Mohammed Al-Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah.
"Understanding the religions and cultures of the
peoples of the world enhances the prospects of global peace and
prosperity," he said when his gift was announced.
The goal of the chair's research and scholarly
activities is to give students and the community the opportunity to expand
their knowledge of the principles, ideals and ethics of Islam, as well as
their influence on the development of humanity in many parts of the world.
The chair's research will be distinct from others elsewhere in Canada in
that it will study and examine Islam through a modern, global lens.
In addition to research, Takim will also be teaching
courses in global Islam.
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Professor Takim’s second book titled
Shi'ism in America,
has been published by
NYU Press.
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Islam In America
In recent years, Islam has emerged as the nation's
fastest growing religion, making it, says DU religious studies
Associate Professor Liyakat Takim, "a very American phenomenon."
Takim's book--Shi'ism in America--is due in
bookstores in late summer or early fall. According to Takim's
editor, Jennifer Hammer of New York University Press, the book
breaks new ground, describing a community that has been largely
ignored by scholars.
The New York University Press will post
publication details about
Shi'ism in America in spring 2009 at www.nyupress.org.
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Bridging the Gap
Professor Takim will be the interfaith
scholar-in-residence at the Beth Ami Congregation,
Boca Raton on Feb. 27-28 2009. Accompanied by Professor Fred
Greenspahn, they will engage in a Jewish-Muslim conversation, and
discuss in various aspects of Jewish-Muslim beliefs and historical
encounters.
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EID
Greetings October 1 2008
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Outline
of Professor Takim’s second book: The Shi’i Experience in America
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An
Invitation to a Wedding
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On
April 25, 2008 Professor Takim spoke on
“Teaching Islam in a post 9/11 world” Symposium on Religion on the
Secular
University Campus, University of Denver
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"Muslim Awareness Week 2008" event,
organized by
Muslim Students' Association -
University of Colorado 335 UCB Boulder, CO 80309-0036
"Islam in America, Post 9/11"
Professor Liyakat Takim, will speak on Thursday April 24 2008,
7:00Pm, University memorial Center Room 235.
Brochure
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Dr. Takim will speak at a symposium on
“Islam
in America,” to be held at Carthage College Kenosha, WI, in April
2008.
Islam
in America brochure
Islam in America, April 15-16, 2008
http://www.carthage.edu/insider/calendar/detail/2332/
The event is sponsored by the President of the College, the Dean
of the College, the Dean of the Chapel, the Heritage Studies
Program, the Clausen Center for World Business, and the Carthage
Religion Department.
Location: Siebert Chapel
Contact Person: Tom Simpson, PhD.
Phone: 262-551-6312
tsimpson1@carthage.edu
Tue. April, 15: 3:30 p.m. - Tue. April, 15: 5:00 p.m.
Carthage College
2001 Alford Park Drive
Kenosha, WI 53140-1994
262-551-8500
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On Saturday, March 29, 2008 Dr Takim presented a
paper at the American Academy of Religion Great Plains,
Region Conference in Denver. The paper was titled “Reformation or
Reinterpretation: Islamic Law in America”
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March 29th, 2008: Professor Takim spoke to a
largely Muslim audience at Metro State College. To mark the
birthday of the Prophet Muhammad he spoke on “The History of the
Mawlid in the Muslim Tradition”
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"Prophetic Paradigm & The Changing Face of
Islam Post 9/11"
Lecture by
Dr. Liyakatali Takim, followed
by dinner.
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Sponsored by ORGANIZATION FOR ISLAMIC
LEARNING
1945 Dundas Street, Unit 201,
Mississauga, Ontario L4X 2T8 Canada
Tel: (905) 629-7720 Fax: (905) 629-1947
www.islamicherald.com
Date: March 22nd, 2008
Time: 7:00pm to 9:30pm
Venue:
Bayview Hill Community Center
114 Spadina Road
Richmond Hill, Ontario
905-508-5995
Cost: $10.00 per person
Contact:
Awni
Mamdani (905-470-2378), or
Riyaz Visram
(905-997-4667)
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On March 15th, Professor Takim spoke at a conference titled
“The Shia, Modernity, and the Legacy of Musa
as-Sadr”. The Conference was held at the University of
Michigan in Ann Arbor. Professor Takim’s talk was titled: "Musa
al-Sadr and the Impact of Modernity on Shi'i Jurisprudence."
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Conference Description:
The southern Lebanese Shia community's spectacular rise from the
bottom rung of an entrenched sectarian political order owes much to
the activism of Iranian-born cleric Musa al-Sadr. The frenetic pace
of institution building, political maneuvering, and mass
mobilization that he undertook during the 1960s and 1970s produced a
new socio-political landscape for Lebanon. Similarly, in Iran,
Ayatollah Khomeini was creating a new explicitly Shia political
discourse who impact is still felt across the region. This symposium
will explore different aspects of the Shia "international", as well
the role and legacy of Musa al-Sadr. Speakers include: Augustus R.
Norton, Boston University, "Musa as-Sadr-Reformer in Vengeful
Times", Imam Sayed Mostafa al-Qazwini, Islamic Education Center of
Orange County, Roschanack Shaery-Eisenlohr, independent scholar,
"Who was Musa al-Sadr? Multiple Narratives of a Transnational
Religious Figure", Max Weiss, Princeton University, "Legacies of
Violence in Lebanese Shi'i Historiography", Roy Mottahedeh, Harvard
University, "Following the Leader: Taqlid in Contemporary Shi'ite
Manuals", Rula Abisaab, McGill University, "Modern Anxiety: Musa
al-Sadr and the Nation-State", and Liyakat Takim, University of
Denver, "Musa al-Sadr and the Impact of Modernity on Shi'i
Jurisprudence."
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As part of the Humanities Institute Faculty Lecture on March 13,
Professor Takim delivered a talk, at the University of Denver, titled “Islam in America,
post-September 11,” March 13, at 4:00 pm.
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