Rethinking religion and modernity at SoGED discourse
On April 30th, the School of General Education (SoGED) organised an informative discussion titled “Rethinking Religion, Modernity and the Future” by reputed Islamic scholar Jonathan A.C. Brown (Professor, Georgetown University, USA) at the lecture theatre. The event was graced by Dr Samia Huq (Dean, SoGED) and Syed M. Hashemi (Professor, SoGED), along with other esteemed faculty members.
Photo credit: Subah Amin
Professor Brown earned his doctorate in “Islamic Thought” from the University of Chicago, USA, and he currently specialises in various fields of Islamic studies and has published several books and research papers on them. He also holds the “Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilisation” at Georgetown University.
Professor Huq opened the event with an introductory note, introducing the speaker. In the seminar, Professor Brown mentioned the reality of today’s Muslims, including the pervasiveness of Islamophobia internationally and how Muslims are perceived. His speech extended to the hurdles a Muslim overcomes today to participate on global platforms.
Photo credit: Subah Amin
His speech focused on the Islamic justice system and its commitment to fairness and neutrality. Professor Brown spoke of the diversity in Islamic opinions throughout generations, the range of interpretations of Islamic rulings, and the different schools of thought. An open discussion, followed by his lecture, gave attendees different perspectives.
His lecture received resounding praise, which was attended by several students and esteemed faculty members. Shaiya Binte Mahbub (Senior Lecturer, SoGEd) remarked, “Indeed, this was such an exceptional learning experience.” Students were equally impressed by him, and Mehjad Mehrin (Junior, ESS) commented, “This was really enlightening, but there is still so much to discover. This seminar was a stepping stone.”
Photo credit:Subah Amin
As the curtains fell, the participants were urged to reflect on the importance of discussions on faith for our ever-evolving world.
