Islam/Expert Profile

Expertise

Islamic History Islamic Philosophy Contemporary Islamic Thought Jihad Doctrine Islam in Southeast Asia Sufism Mysticism Political Islam Islam in the Netherlands Progressive Muslims Moderate Muslims Contemporary Muslim Thinkers Islamic Studies Islamicists or Islamologists

Experience in the area

Tertiary educator and academic researcher. Contributing Author to a textbook on world religions (Linda Chisholm (ed.) VISIONS OF SERVICE. New York: IPS-L Press, 2004). Degrees in Arabic and Islamic Studies, as well as Southeast Asian Studies; Sworn translator of Arabic. More than fifteen years experience as an expatriate studying, working and teaching in four countries on three different continents. Academic and journalistic writings have appeared in learned journals, current affairs periodicals, and the news media in the USA, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

What do you like about this subject?

Contrary to the average media image, the Muslim civilization is an unbelievably diversified culture.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

Enhance people's awareness of the plurality of the Muslim world. Continue writing on the intellectual history of the Muslim world.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

Usually Islam is exclusively associated with the Middle East or Arab World, but the largest Muslim nation in the world is Indonesia with nearly 200 million people, followed by countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Even China has a Muslim minority exceeding 50 million.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

Islam is the most misunderstood of all world religions