Second Annual Muslim Unity Conference to bring Shias and Sunnis together - Page 2
Who were the Unity Conference Speakers?
Dr. Nazeer Ahmed is an internationally acclaimed NASA scientist, inventor, author, legislator, historian and philanthropist. He was a Chief Scientist on the NASA Hubble Space Telescope and author of Islam in Global History. Dr. Nazeer Ahmed is the Director of the American Institute of Islamic History and Culture.
Philadelphia born, Dr. Kasraie, holds a doctorate in Educational leadership. He is an Associate professor of Education and has trained hundreds of teachers and school administrators in USA. He is a student at the Islamic seminary in Iran and is passionate about helping the youth and the Islamic schools in North America.
Parvez Ahmed serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of San Francisco where he teaches a course on Islamic Jurisprudence. He is an attorney specializing in business litigation and electronic discovery. He has taught undergraduate courses related to Islam and Islamic Civilizations at the University of Arkansas and Wayne State University.
Ahmad Rashid Salim was born in Kabul, Afghanistan and raised in the bay area. He leads the spiritual services at Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California in Oakland. He is a PhD student at UC Berkeley, focusing on Farsi mystical literature, Islam and Afghanistan.
Panel discussion
After the speeches there was a lively panel discussion. The panelists were:
Dr. Rania Awaad, Maulana Abazar Wahedi, Sis. Maimoona Ahmad, Maulana Seyed Hadi Yassin and Maulana Nabi Raza Abidi.
Dr. Rania Awad, MD is the Clinical Asst. Director of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, where she is the Director of the Muslim Mental Health lab and Wellness Program and Co-Director of the Diversity Clinic. She is also the Clinical Director of the Bay Area branches of Khalil center, a spiritual center pioneering in application of traditional Islamic healing methods to modern psychology. Before studying Medicine, she pursued classic Islamic studies in Damascus, holding certifications (Ijaza) in Qur’an, Islamic Law and other branches of Islamic sciences. She is a recognized national speaker, award winning teacher, researcher and author in both Islamic and medical sciences.
Sayed Abazar Wahedi – originally from Afghanistan – grew up in Qom, Iran where he studied Islamic theology for over 12 years in the Islamic seminaries. He is currently leading Islamic Center of Fatimiyyah in Hayward, CA and is also a teacher at Saba Academy. He is also a well known Qu’ran reciter – having won 1st place in the international Qu’ran competition in Iran. He is currently in process of recording his recitation of the entire Qu’ran.
Maimoona M. Ahmed accepted Islam about 45 years ago. She has organized four successful Muslim-Christian spiritual retreats and has been a speaker at many interfaith events. She is a retired nutritionist with M.S. from Cornell University and currently helps cancer patients heal & recover.
Seyed Hadi Yassin is the imam at Islamic Center of Zahra in Pleasanton. He attended Islamic Seminary in Iran for 12 years. After completing the Howza program, he obtained two Bachelor’s degrees in Qur’anic Science & Hadith and Fundamentals of Islamic Jurisprudence. He is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC), specializing in children, parenting, and family/marital relationships and has a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. He served as the behavioral instructor/Associate Clinical Supervisor at California Psych Care, assisting families with Autistic children
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The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
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