The Raana Akbar Memorial Lecture Series in conjunction with the 2021 Edwards Lecture presents ~

Women and Islam: Unity and Diversity in a Global Tradition

Wednesday, September 15, 2021  •  6:30 p.m.
This event will be virtual, with a link later to be posted here.

Guest Speaker

Kecia Ali
Boston University

Kecia Ali is a professor of religion and chair of the religion department at Boston University. Her research ranges from Islam’s formative period to the present and focuses on Islamic law; gender and sexuality; and religious biography. She is the author of several books including “The Lives of Muhammad” and “Sexual Ethics and Islam: Feminist Reflections on Qur’an, Hadith, and Jurisprudence.” Her work explores the complex intertwining of Muslim and Western norms about gender, sexuality, and marriage. Her current projects include an introductory book, “Women in Muslim Traditions,” as well as work on gender, ethics, and popular fiction. You can read more about her work at www.keciaali.com. 

The Raana Akbar Memorial Lecture on Islam and Culture was established in 2011 by Dr. Waheed Akbar in memory of his wife Raana, a former member of the SVSU Board of Control, physician and community leader. The Dow Visiting Scholars and Artists program was established through an endowment from The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation to enrich our regional cultural and intellectual opportunities.

The William and Julia Edwards Lecture in Philosophy and Religion

The Edwards Lecture is a forum where recognized scholars in religion and philosophy are invited to share their work with the campus community.