Islamic Studies Professor Seeks More Interfaith Dialogue

July 5, 2007

Source: The Vancouver Sun

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=26954553-cb61-4224-b2e7-fc5191dda91d

EDMONTON -- The man who will take on the task of building up the University of Alberta's Islamic studies program hopes to open more interfaith dialogue.

"It's very clear there is a major hunger at the academic level on Islam and the Muslim world," says Ibrahim Abu-Rabi, currently a professor at the Hartford Theological Seminary in Connecticut.

"It is very important, especially after 9/11, to teach academic courses on the Muslim world and to have dialogue between Muslims and Westerners." Abu-Rabi became the university's first Islamic studies research chair, starting July 1, 2008.