Feminist Perspectives of the Divine in Islam

Conversation with Asma Uddin, moderated by Nabila Mansoor
Live sign language interpretation was offered for this program

How does a Muslim woman's perspective of the Divine shape a person's faith and commitment to religious liberty and social equity? Asma Uddin is at the forefront of this conversation, creating the space for women to make their faith their own. Uddin is the Director of Strategy for the Center on Islam and Religious Freedom. She is also the founder and editor-in-chief of altmuslimah.com, a highly praised web magazine dedicated to issues on gender and Islam. Uddin speaks and publishes widely on issues of national and international religious freedom, as well as gender and faith. Her work has been published by numerous law reviews and prominent university presses. She guest-edited a special issue of The Review of Faith & International Affairs and is co-editing a forthcoming book of essays by women who have faced religious persecution. She also serves on the Advisory Council for The Institute for Global Engagement's Center for Women, Faith and Leadership. A reception follows the program.

Moderator Nabila Mansoor works with EmergeUSA, a civic engagement organization helping minority communities become politically active. Prior to joining EmergeUSA, Mansoor had a private law practice in the Sugar Land-area specializing in family law. Mansoor has been active in the community on several volunteer fronts – she currently serves as Secretary of AADT, Asian American Democrats of Texas and is on the board of Everest Academy, a Muslim school in the Southwest area. Mansoor is also a Muslim Leadership Initiative Fellow under the Shalom Hartman Institute, a program that invites American Muslims to explore how Jews understand Judaism and Israel. She is the Southwest co-lead of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, a women’s group working to build bridges and fight hate through a sisterhood of Muslim and Jewish women.

Concept of the Divine series provides a unique opportunity for speakers to share how their personal concept of the Divine has changed over time and shaped their lives, their service to the community, and views about their place in the cosmos. As an organization committed to interfaith dialogue and engagement, this series offers an excellent opportunity to hear from people representing diverse faith communities and other sectors of society about this important topic.