UEIC: University of Essex Islamic Conference 2008 - A Journey Into Islamic Values

Pressbox (Press Release) - PRESS STATEMENT – 01st February 2008

UEIC: University of Essex Islamic Conference 2008

On the 23rd of February 2008, the University of Essex will play host to its second annual Islamic Conference. Organised by the University of Essex Islamic Society, the theme this year is ‘A Journey into Islamic Values’. It will take place at the Ivor Crewe lecture hall at the Wivenhoe Park campus, and scheduled to commence at 0900 hrs.

Attendees will be received in a vibrant and lively atmosphere and treated to a dynamic and intellectually stimulating day. The inaugural event last year rose to international prominence. Our diverse set of speakers, alongside several government representatives and the presence of various international organisations truly contributed to its enormous success.

Adopting a different theme we intend to keep the rationale and philosophy behind the conference equally intriguing. Being held under the auspices of the Islamic Awareness Week (18th – 23rd February), the event strives to serve as both an informative and intellectual platform that portrays the real essence of Islam, not only as a religion, but as a comprehensive way of life. We hope to clear misconceptions and misunderstandings that often blind society.

Key contributors include, Sheikh Khalid Yasin who was born in New York, USA where he spent most of his childhood and youth as a Christian. He embraced Islam in 1965 with the Islamic Mission of America. Sheikh Khalid has studied a variety of Islamic teachings including Fiqh us-Sunnah, Aqeedah and Islamic History.

Jaafar Sheikh Idris is considered one of few Muslim Scholars of this age who comprehend both Islamic and Western Ideologies. He grew up in the city of Port Sudan where he completed his academic studies along with Fiqh, Hadith, Arabic Language and Aqeedah before commencing his post graduate studies in London.

Khola Hassan, was born Saudi Arabia and lived in Kenya before moving to England. She is currently the chairwoman of the executive committee women's wing of the Masjid Tawhid in London, and an outspoken figure on the position of women in Islam. Hassan participated in an acclaimed debate regarding women in Islam on BBC Radio 4 for which the program received a Sony Gold Award. Since publishing her first book at the age of 17, Hassan has
written regularly for Islamic magazines.

Ahmad ibn Saifuddin Turkistani is an associate professor at Al-Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Saudi Arabia. Turkistani is the former director of the Institute of Islamic & Arab Sciences in Fairfax. He has attended many conferences of religious, scholarly, inter-religious and inter-cultural nature and was a member of the Muslim World League’s delegation which toured many US cities.

Rodney Wilson is a Professor of Economics at the University of Durham, England. He is an expert in Islamic Finance and Economics and his research interests include the Middle Eastern political economy and the political economy of oil and gas. He has authored and coauthored many books and journals. Some of his titles include: Islamic Economics: A Short
History (2006) and Economic Development in Saudi Arabia. He is also currently working on two papers on economics and religion.

Members of the media are invited to attend the conference. Please visit
http://ueic.essexisoc.com for free registeration.
For further information please contact:
Mr. Umair Baloch
Mobile No: 07828113257
E-mail: ubaloc@essex.ac.uk
-- ENDS --