DIRECTORY OF EXPERTS ON ISLAM AND MUSLIM AFFAIRS PUBLISHED

MEETING TO BE HELD IN HERNDON, VIRGINIA

        (Bethesda, MD, 7/20/09) Three American Muslim organizations have published a directory listing sixty-five top experts on Islam and Muslim affairs for the use of government, media, policymakers and academia. The directory is the product of a collaboration of two Washington DC area think tanks, the Minaret of Freedom Institute (MFI) and the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), and a professional association, the Association of Muslims Social Scientists—North America (AMSS-NA). 

        Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, Ph.D., the president of MFI, heralded the directory (available online at http://www.islamicresourcebank.org) as “a much needed resource at a time when too many pseudo-experts with a weak knowledge of these subjects, or with special agendas, have dominated the discourse.” Dr. Ahmad noted that the experts in the directory are “both Muslims and non-Muslims with a variety of views, but who have in common the fact that they have an authentic, contextualized knowledge of their areas of expertise.

        The IIIT will host a gathering of the experts in Herndon, Virginia on July 24-25 at which they will discuss emerging issues and how to effectively present accurate information about their various specialties. The workshop is open to the press who can RSVP to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or contact Eisha at 703-471-1133.

        Dr. Ahmad said that he sponsoring organizations are seeking to meet with media editors and key people in government, universities, and policy research institutes to make them aware of the directory. “We hope this will be on ongoing project,” Dr. Ahmad said.

The Minaret of Freedom Institute is an Islamic think-tank based in Bethesda, MD that promotes liberty and free market as well as being dedicated to countering distortions and misconceptions about Islamic beliefs and practice.