HAJJ: DR. MAHMOUD AYOUB WITH JAMAL BELICA ISLAMMATTERSNOW.COM

Title:
HAJJ: DR. MAHMOUD AYOUB WITH JAMAL BELICA ISLAMMATTERSNOW.COM

Description:
Mahmoud M. Ayoub was born in South Lebanon. He received his education at the American University of Beirut (BA, Philosophy, 1964), the University of Pennsylvania (M.A., Religious Thought, 1966), and Harvard University (Ph.D., History of Religion, 1975). From 1988 to 2008, he was a Professor and director of Islamic Studies in the Department of Religion, Temple University, Philadelphia, an Adjunct Professor at the Duncan Black Macdonald Center, Hartford Seminary, Connecticut, a Research Fellow at the Middle East Center, University of Pennsylvania and the Tolson visiting professor at the Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley California. In 1998, Dr. Ayoub helped devise and launch a graduate M.A. level program in Muslim-Christian relations and comparative religion for the Centre for Christian-Muslim Studies, University of Balamand, Lebanon, and since the Spring of 1999, has been its visiting professor. Mahmoud Ayoub has also previously taught at San Diego State University, the University of Toronto, and McGill University. Throughout his academic career, Mahmoud Ayoub has received distinguished awards and scholarships, both for his achievements and researches. Among others, he was a recipient of the Kent Doctoral Fellowship and the Canada Council Fellowship. In 1994-5, he participated in the Fulbright Exchange of Scholars program for Malaysia. In the Spring-Summer of 2000, he undertook a research project on Christian-Muslim relations in Egypt and Lebanon, also on a Fulbright scholarship. Mahmoud Ayoub is the author of a number of books including, Redemptive Suffering in Islam and The Quran and Its Interpreters (vol. 1 & 2). The summer of 2000 saw the release of his two-volume publication, Dirasat fi al-Alaqat al-Masihiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Arabic (Studies in Christian-Muslim Relations). Islam: Faith and History appeared in 2004. In addition, his articles have appeared in books and journals, like, The Muslim World, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Bulletin of the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies (Tokyo, Japan) and Islamochristiana (Rome, Italy), among many others. Prof. Ayoub has also served and is still serving on a number of Advisory and Editorial Boards. Mahmoud Ayoubs authority in both the scholarship and comparative study of Islam and Muslim-Christian relations, as well as inter-religious dialogue, is demonstrated by the national and international recognition he has received. This is reflected by his numerous local and overseas scholarly engagements. Since 1999, Dr. Ayoub has participated in the United States Department of States program, serving as one of its ambassadors to various parts of the Middle East and S.E. Asia, commenting on American society and institutions, inter-religious dialogue and Islam in America. Jamal Belica: The elder son of Agron Belica and his wife Gentiana E. Topalli, Jamal was born in Westwood, Massachusetts, and has recently celebrated his seventh birthday. He likes learning about science and history and did well in his first year at school. Now looking forward to beginning the second grade this fall, he enjoys playing and watching soccer and is a member of the local Green Fire soccer team. He also takes pleasure in swimming and in travel. He recently went to Los Angeles with his parents and of course, his younger brother Benjamin. Besides his parents and Benjamin, Jamals devout maternal grandmother also plays an important part in his life. Into addition to watching over him, she tells him many interesting stories about the customs and life of his Albanian Muslim ancestors in the old country. Jamals present ambition is to become a doctor and help sick people. Perhaps influenced by his fathers literary interests, Jamal has also become an author. In the first grade at school, he wrote a small book entitled Me and My Dad Go to the Mall. Now of an age to begin learning about his religious responsibilities, he will receive instruction from his family and others, including on occasion with noted Islamic professor and scholar, Dr. Mahmoud Ayoub, with whom he has already appeared in videos with about Islam and its teachings.

Author:
Agronbelica

Tags:
jamal belica, agron belica, hajj, pilgrimage, mecca, mekkah, islam, muslim, dawah,