Feisal Abdul Rauf
American imam / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Feisal Abdul Rauf (Arabic: فيصل عبد الرؤوف, born October 23, 1948)[1] is a Kuwaiti-born Egyptian-American Sufi[2][3] imam, author, and activist whose stated goal is to improve relations between the Muslim world and the West.[4] From 1983 to 2009, he served as Imam of Masjid al-Farah, a mosque in New York City.[5][6] He has written three books on Islam and its place in contemporary Western society, including What's Right with Islam Is What's Right with America, and founded two non-profit organizations whose stated missions are to enhance the discourse on Islam in society.
Feisal Abdul Rauf | |
---|---|
Born | (1948-10-23) October 23, 1948 (age 75) |
Nationality | American |
Education | Columbia University (BS) Stevens Institute of Technology (MS) |
Occupation(s) | Imam, author, landlord |
Known for | Sponsor and director of Park51 |
He has condemned the 9/11 attacks as un-Islamic and called on the U.S. government to reduce the threat of terrorism by altering its Middle Eastern foreign policy.[7][8] Author Karen Armstrong, among others, has praised him for his attempts to build bridges between the West and the Muslim world.[9] In 2010, Sufi Imam Rauf received national attention for his plans to build Park51, an Islamic Community Center, two blocks from Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan.[3]