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Ammar Nakshawani

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Sayed
Ammar Nakshawani
عمار نقشواني
File:Nakshawani gives a speech (2014).jpg
Born1981 (age 42–43)
Alma materUniversity College London (BSc)
Shahid Beheshti University (MA)
University of Exeter (PhD)
Websitesayedammar.com

Sayed Ammar Nakshawani (born 1981) is a British Iraqi Islamic historian, lecturer, and author.[1][2][3]. He is listed as one of the The 500 Most Influential Muslims.

Early life and education

Nakshwani was born in 1981 and is the grandson of Murtadha Nakshawani, who served as a representative of Grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei in the holy city of Najaf in Iraq. In 1987, his family migrated to England, United Kingdom. He is a direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad through Musa al-Kadhim, the seventh Twelver Shia Imam.[4] He is also the nephew of Sheikh Baqir al-Irawani, one of the highest ranking Shiite jurists of the 21st century.[citation needed]

He attended the University College London and obtain his BSc in Psychology and Law in 2003, and also studied a one year diploma course at the London School of Economics.[5] He thereafter obtained his MA from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran and his doctorate from the University of Exeter.

Career

Nakshawani currently serves as the Special Representative for the Universal Muslim Association of America (UMAA). In this role, he promotes an understanding of the customs and beliefs of Shia Ithna Asheri Muslims. As Special Representative, he engages in interfaith dialogue with leaders of a variety of faith communities, and advocates on behalf of Shia Islam to a variety of elected officials, think tanks, and policy institutes.

Prior to joining UMAA, Nakshawani served as the Visiting Scholar of Islamic Studies, at the University of Cambridge in England. In this position, he performed extensive research and academic analysis of ancient Islamic texts, which he has discussed at a number of academic forums.

500 Most Influential Muslims

In 2014, Nakshawani was inducted into the list of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the "Preachers and Spiritual Guides" section. The 500 Most Influential Muslims (also known as The Muslim 500) is an annual publication first published in 2009, which ranks the most influential Muslims in the world.

Early Education

Nakshawani completed studies in Arabic Grammar, Hadith Studies, Logic, Science of Jurisprudence, History, Theology, Mysticism and Quranic Sciences. These subjects included the study of works of classical scholars such as Ibn Aqil, Rumi, Sibawayh, Baladhuri, Tabari, Ibn al-Athir, Masudi, Yaqubi, Baqillani, Qadi Numan, Sijistani, Ibn Arabi, Allama al-Hilli, Sheikh al-Mufid, Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, Shahid al-Awwal and Shahid al-Thani, Sharif al-Murtadha and Sharif al-Radhi, Suyuti, Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Qayyim al–Jawziyya, Dhahabi, Kashi, Najashi as well as contemporary scholars such as Sadr, Sobhani, Yazdi, Abdul Hadi al-Fadhli, Taleqani, Beheshti, Khoei, Mutaharri,Shariati, Muzaffar as well as his uncle Baqir al-Irawani. Many of these scholars are often quoted in his lectures.

His twenty lectures on the Quranic Sciences are listened to worldwide from Ramadan 2013. He has studied under Ayatollah Milani, Sheikh Bahmanpour, Sheikh Elmi, Sheikh Vaezi, Dr Toussi, Sheikh Ahmed Qabalan, Sayed Alaa al Halabi, Sheikh Mukhtar al-Tunisi, and Prof Ezzati..

Nakshawani completed his MA under the supervision of Dr Jassim Hussain, author of the renowned work The Occultation of the Twelfth Imam. His Phd, Examining the Caliphate of Muawiya b Abi Sufyan, was supervised by Prof Sajjad Rizvi, Prof Rob Gleave and Prof C.E. Bosworth with a defense involving Prof Robert Hoyland. He also has taught courses on Islam and Human Rights, Islam and Pluralism as well as Gender Studies through a Quranic Perspective.

Prolific Islamic Speaker

A 2009 British Government report stated that at the age of 27, Nakshawani represented the arrival of a new generation of persuasive and articulate Muslim intellectuals and personalities who are able to gain leverage amongst young Muslim audiences because they speak in a language that appeals to them...an increasingly significant figure amongst Shi'a youth both in the UK and internationally. [6]

Current Initiatives

Sayed Ammar continues to promote a contemporary understanding of Islam and dispelling myths about Shi'ism through interfaith and intrafaith initiatives under the mentorship of leading scholars in the Muslim World. He travels frequently to Iraq to consult with leading scholars including His Eminence Ayatollah Sayed Ali al-Husaini al-Sistani as well as His Eminence Ayatollah Sheikh Bashir an-Najafi and other leading experts. His uncle Mohammad Jawad al-Irawani sits on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Expediency Discernment Council. He also routinely convenes with al-Sistani's representative Sheikh Fadhel al-Sahlani, in New York City. Sayed Ammar has appeared on multiple media outlets including TV channels, such as the BBC, Ahlulbayt TV, Press TV, Al Zahra, Al Anwar, Kerbala TV, Hidayat, Wilayat, Ahlebayt and Safeer TV.

Statement on Woolwich Killing

After the Murder of Lee Rigby, Nakshawani made a famous "Statement on Woolwich Killing" denouncing the attack and expressing solidarity with the British community. In his statement Nakshawani quoted the Quran to make the point that the attack was in violation of Islam's religious edicts.

Nakshawani encouraged dialogue, saying "Its time for Muslims to sit with Christians and look at each other through eachother's lenses."

He expressed disappointment at the media focus on extremists as "representatives" of Islam, saying that there were much more representative and legitimate interview subjects. Nakshawani says in the statement "We [Muslims] are victims of terrorism."

EMERGE USA

Sayed Ammar Nakshawani spoke at the Emerge USA Miami Benefit Dinner titled "American Muslims: Breaking Barriers" in May 2014. Nakshawani spoke of the need for Muslims to become politically involved, and cited the early history of Islam as a model for understanding the concept of "swing states" in US elections.

Al Baqee Rally 2014

Sayed Ammar Nakshawani was a speaker at the 2014 Al Baqee Rally, which was held in protest of the destruction of Jannat Al-Baqi' in 1925. Nakshawani spoke for the need to preserve not only Islamic heritage sites, but Christian, Judaic, Buddhist and all manner of historical locations and monuments. Nakshawani argued that destruction of history was against the tenets of Islam.

Shia Sunni Unity at Columbia University

The "Muslim Student Association of Columbia University". held a lecture by Imam Ammar Nakshawani on the importance of uniting Sunni and Shia Muslims.

“There needs to be dialogue in order to bridge the gap,” Nakshawani said in his lecture.[7] “For so many years, when Shiites and Sunnis tried to bridge the gap, the Shiite would look through his lens. The Sunni would look through his.”

In his address, Nakshawani asked the audience to put aside political and theological differences between Sunnis and Shiites and focus on the group’s shared fundamental beliefs, such as the oneness of Allah, Muhammad’s (s) role as the prophet of Allah, and the five pillars of Islam.

“Take off your lenses and see through the eyes of someone else,” Nakshawani said.

He criticized he speeches of Sunni and Shiite clerics who use negative phrases, such as “atheist sinners” and “infidels,” to incite hatred of the other sects.

Rumble in Westminster

The "Rumble in Westminster". was a student debate at the University of Westminster on the 15th of June 2009.

There were four participants in the Rumble: Hayder Al Khoei, Nafeesa Amanat, Ahmed Butt, and Mira Hammad. The judges panel included a diverse panel of four expert communicators in difficult situations: comedian Jeff Mirza, debater Adam Deen, Sayed Ammar Nakshawani and Professor Tariq Ramadan.

Islam and Life

Nakshawani appeared on the November 2010 episode of Press TV's "Islam and Life", speaking about media appearances by Muslims in the 21st century.

EMEL Magazine

Nakshawani was the subject of a profile in EMEL Magazine, entitled "Watch this face". The magazine said "A natural orator, Sayed Ammar combines his knowledge of Islam – acquired from an MA in Islam Studies and a current PhD in Islamic History – with an innate passion to communicate his faith."

Muharram Lecture Circuit
  • 2003 - Birmingham, UK
  • 2004 - Cape Town, South Africa
  • 2005 - Sydney, Australia
  • 2006 - Dearborn, MI, USA
  • 2007 - New York, NY, USA
  • 2008 - Sydney, Australia
  • 2009 - Toronto, Canada
  • 2009/2010 - Maryland & DC, USA
  • 2010-11 - Sydney, Australia
  • 2011 - Toronto, Canada
  • 2012 - Leicester, UK
  • 2013 - Maryland & DC, USA
  • 2014 - Mombasa, Kenya
Ramadan Lecture Circuit
  • 2003 - Dubai
  • 2004 - USA
  • 2005 - USA
  • 2006 - Tanzania
  • 2007 - Tanzania
  • 2008 - Tanzania
  • 2009 - UK
  • 2010 - USA
  • 2011 - Tanzania
  • 2012 - Kenya
  • 2013 - Kenya
  • 2014 - Kenya
Yasser Al-Habib

Nakshawani is one of the leading critics of Yasser Al-Habib, denouncing him as an extremist and not representative of Shiaism.

Although both have the most followed lectures on YouTube in the shia world, with figures in the millions, their differences escalated in 2011 when Nakshawani indirectly attacking Habib saying "We have some disgraceful representatives of our madhhab. On Youtube today you will find people dressed like clerics hiding in a house in London and sending curses on personalities revered by others in Islam. I may disagree with those personalities, but do not talk offensively - people in Peshawar, Bahrain, Iraq, die because of our lecturers. Do not compromise your beliefs, but be tolerant of others beliefs."

Yassir Habib's television channel Fadak TV then produced a three part documentary replying back to Nakshawani's attack. The differences between the two escalated to the extent it was published in the British Newspaper the Daily Mail.

Personal life

He is a supporter of Liverpool F.C.[8]

Books

After the destruction of an important Shrine in Syria, Nakshawani wrote the above book, "Hujr ibn 'Adi al-Kindi (died 660 CE) was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. He was sentenced to death by the Umayyad Caliph Muawiyah I for his unwavering support and praise for Ali, the first Imam of the Shias."

References

  1. ^ "Speakers: Dr. Sayed Ammar Nakshawani". Imam Ali Foundation. Retrieved 31 July 2014. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ Elgot, Jessica (1 July 2013). "Shia And Sunni Tensions In Syria Threaten To Split British Muslim Community". Huffington Post. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  3. ^ Rawstorne, Tom (5 July 2013). "The sheikh of the Home Counties". Daily Mail. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Profile: Sayed Ammar Nakshawani". Universal Muslim Association of America. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Crossroads of Islamic Divisions". www.nyu.edu. Shuruq. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  6. ^ http://dclg.ptfs-europe.com/AWData/Library1/Departmental%20Publications/Department%20for%20Communities%20and%20Local%20Government/2009/The%20Iraqi%20Muslim%20Community%20in%20England.pdf
  7. ^ http://columbiaspectator.com/2010/02/23/muslim-student-group-explores-sunni-shiite-division
  8. ^ "Nakshawani with Raheem Sterling". Retrieved 31 July 2014.

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