Lecture Series

Islamic law is a rich and diverse tradition of legal thought that has been used for centuries across the globe. Shari’ah shares many core values with the American legal system, but a lack of public knowledge about Islam has allowed a small group of individuals to spread fear and misinformation about this tradition. The lack of quality information about Islamic law has led to waves of anti-Shari’ah sentiments, some of which have infringed on the civil rights of American-Muslims.

The recent wave of anti-Shari‘ah sentiment, marked by moves in several states to outlaw Shari‘ah, is based on misinformation about Shari‘ah in particular and Islam in general. In order to address these misunderstandings, KARAMAH is presenting a lecture series on Islam, Shari’ah and Religious Freedom in the U.S. These lectures are aimed at educating Muslims and non-Muslims about what Shari‘ah is, how it is practiced in the U.S., constitutional issues surrounding a potential ban, and the effects a ban would have on religious freedom in America.

KARAMAH Holds a Town Hall Meeting on Islam, Shari’ah and Religious Freedom at The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture NY

Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Dr. Azizah al-Hibri, Prof. Theodore Shaw

On Monday October 17, 2011, KARAMAH, in collaboration with Women in Islam, held a town hall meeting at The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York. The event featured: Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Dr. Azizah al-Hibri, and Prof. Theodore Shaw and was moderated by Anisa Mehdi. During this event, panelists discussed misconceptions [...]

KARAMAH Speaks about Islam, Shari’ah and Religious Freedom at the Islamic Center of Long Island, NY.

Mr. Abed Awad, Ms. Engy Abdelkader and Reverend Mark Lukens

On October 2, 2011, KARAMAH held a town hall meeting at the Islamic Center of Long Island, NY, featuring Mr. Abed Awad, Ms. Engy Abdelkader, Reverend Mark Lukens. During this event, scholars and experts explained what Shari’ah is, how it is practiced in the U.S., constitutional issues surrounding a potential ban, and the effects a [...]

KARAMAH’s Founder and Chair Dr. Azizah al-Hibri Speaks about Islamic Shari’ah and the American Constitution in Knoxville, Tennessee

Dr.Azizah al-Hibri

In the Spring of 2011, a bill was introduced in the Tennessee Legislature to make the practice of Shari’ah a felony in Tennessee. On September 22, 2011, KARAMAH along with other organizations co-sponsored a town hall meeting at the Church of the Savior in Knoxville, TN. The event revolved around “Islamic Shari’ah and the American [...]