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Salman Ahmad performs at the American University
By Jerusha Ghazanfari
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 23, 2005 – Internationally-renowned Pakistani rock star Salman Ahmad delighted American University students in Washington, D.C. on October 20, 2005 with his candid stories of life as a rock star and as a Sufi Muslim. Ahmad, an active voice in the Islamic community and U.N. Goodwill Ambassador, is also the lead guitarist for the international super-band Junoon.
“The highlight of my visit to Dr. Akbar's class at American University was the post screening dialogue between the multicultural gathering of students and myself. It was electric, engaging and humorous,” Ahmad said. “I think it's important to engage in these dialogues between Muslims and non-Muslims because it leads to a clearer understanding of the challenges that we collectively face in the 21st Century.”
Dr. Louis Goodman, Dean of the School of International Service, welcomed Ahmad, and Dr. Nisar Chaudhry of the Pakistan American League introduced him and Pakistan to the audience.
Students representing a variety of religions and organizations attended the event. Members from the American University Hillel, Muslim Student Association and students from Dr. Akbar S. Ahmed’s popular class “Contemporary Islam and International Relations” came to hear Salman’s lecture and acoustic performance of Sufi music and to see the PBS-BBC documentary “The Rockstar and the Mullahs.”
“I was happy to dedicate my performance of Sufi music to Danny Pearl's memory and to the families affected by the recent earthquake in Pakistan,” said Ahmad.
Dr. Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies and professor of International Relations at American University, has been actively involved in inter-faith dialogue for several years. He continues to foster understanding between Islam and the West by inviting distinguished guests such as Salman Ahmad to speak to his classes. Eminent guest scholars this fall have included Dr. Radwan Masmoudi of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, Imam Muhammad Magid of the Adams Center, John Milewski from C-SPAN’s “Close Up,” Dr. Nisar Chaudhry of the Pakistan American League, American University’s Chaplain Rabbi Kenneth Cohen and other leading scholars. Future speakers include Mohammad Sadiq Khan, The Embassy of Pakistan’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Khalid Hasan of the Daily Times, and Dan Sutherland, Advisor to the Department of Homeland Security.
Dr. Ahmed’s teaching method is to introduce his subject as “living Islam” to demonstrate that it is not only through books and articles that a student learns but also through those who are shaping U.S.-Muslim relations. This explains why Dr. Ahmed’s classes are over-subscribed.
“In this post-September 11th society, people are questioning Islam’s compatibility with democracy as well as the idea of a clash or dialogue of civilizations between Islam and the West. I want my students to walk away from this course with their own answers to these questions by exploring essential features of Islam and how they relate to the contemporary world of Islam. My guest speakers play a large role in helping students achieve understanding,” said Dr. Ahmed. He also pointed to the needs of the suffering people of Pakistan after the earthquake.
Students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to hear from Salman. Rob Ianelli, a junior majoring in International Economic Policy at AU, said he gained a better understanding of the complexities within the Islamic culture itself.
“The division within Islam was not easy to understand until I sat through Salman’s documentary and heard what he felt concerning the issues in Pakistan and his religion,” Ianelli said. “All in all, it was a highlight of the year.”
Contact: Jerusha Ghazanfari
Phone: 405-613-8535
Email: jg6444a@american.edu
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