“War on terror or war on Islam?” is an ominous topic that is not only a question that awaits an answer, it is also a harsh statement on the current realities affecting the ummah that seeks resolution. The International Islamic Fair 2008 brings Dr. Parvez Ahmed, an Associate Professor at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, to speak on this topic and to shed some light on the issue. Dr. Ahmed served as the Chairman of the Board for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) from 2005-2008 and also served as the Chairman for the Florida chapter of CAIR from 2002-2005. An outspoken champion against injustices wrought by the global war against terrorism, Dr Parvez writes:
“The tactic of terrorism—and yes it is a tactic, not an ideology—has been deployed by a multitude of groups of different religions, ethnicities and ideologies and yet the Islamic faith, unlike any other, is erroneously and incessantly associated with terrorism. The association of a faith practiced by 1.2 billion people worldwide to terrorism creates the perception that the GWOT is a war against Islam.”
Dr. Parvez is an active researcher whose articles have been published in leading finance journals such as The Journal of Banking and Finance, Financial Management, Journal of Portfolio Management etc. He recently authored a book on Mutual Funds titled Mutual Funds – Fifty Years of Academic Research. In an interview published in Inside UNF campus newsletter, Dr Parvez listed his passion, besides academic research, as writing opinion editorials about Islam and the American Muslim experience. His articles have been published in several leading newspapers around the country such as the Orlando Sentinel, Miami Herald, San Francisco Chronicle, Chicago Sun Tribune, Houston Chronicle, New York Newsday, Seattle Times, Charlotte Observer, and Tampa Tribune. You can read many of his thoughts on his blog www.drparvezahmad.blogspot.com.
He currently serves on the Board of OneJax, formerly the National Conference on Community and Justice (NCCJ). From 2005-08, Dr. Ahmed served as the Chairman of the Board for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). From 2002-2005, he also served as the Chairman for the Florida chapter of CAIR. In 2006-2007 Dr. Ahmed served as an at-large board member for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Florida.
In the Inside UNF interview, Dr Parvez was asked:
If you could choose any other career, what would it be and why?
I like what I do. I have never contemplated having another career. But if I were forced to choose then I would perhaps like to be a human rights lawyer or advocate. I am passionate about universal human rights. I find the advocacy of those rights intellectually quite challenging, as it requires addressing prejudices and stereotypes in creative ways.
When it comes to issues affecting the Muslim ummah, Dr Pavez Ahmad is indeed an uncommon advocate. He can be contacted via email – drparvezahmed@gmail.com
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