Victor Begg | |
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| Born | Mirza Ghalib Begg 1947 (age 77–78) |
Mirza Ghalib (Victor) Begg (born 1947) is an Indian-born Muslim American author, philanthropist and community leader. Alongside his column-writing and community activism, Begg is a former entrepreneur and businessman who opened several furniture stores throughout metro-Detroit in the 1980s.
Victor Begg was born to an upper-class family of eight siblings in Hyderabad, India. [1]
In the midst of opening the first of his Naked Furniture franchises, Begg began to invest time as a leader in metro-Detroit. [2] In the early 1980s, he co-founded an umbrella organization that would eventually become the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan (CIOM) focused on “civic, interfaith, media and other forums to represent a ‘singular’ community voice.” [2] The council was formally established in 1988 and incorporated in 1993. [3] During the incorporation phase, he established the Muslim Unity Center mosque in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan with the intention of creating an inclusive environment for a diversity of ethnic groups and various schools of thought within Islam. [4] He has been widely regarded as a religious leader for Muslims in metro-Detroit since the 1980s. [5]
After establishing the CIOM and the Muslim Unity Center in the 1990s, Begg headed the Muslim American Alliance. The group focused on media, networking and advocacy, and Begg effectively became a spokesman for the community where he fielded queries from journalists and offered perspective on issues affecting Islamic communities. [1]
In 2007, then-CIOM-chairmen Begg organized Sunni and Shi’ite leaders in Michigan to sign a peace pact affirming their commitment to speak out against conflicts between the two sects. [6] [7] Then in 2009, he began a collaboration with Jewish community volunteers in metro-Detroit called “Mitzvah Day,” where non-profit Islamic and Jewish groups collaborated to feed and clothe local residents on and around Christmas. [8] [9] In 2011, Begg, alongside Jewish and Assyrian leaders, organized an Interfaith Health Fair run by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Detroit and the CIOM. [10]
Throughout 2012, Begg spoke out against Muslim violence in response to the publishing of "Innocence of Muslims," a film critical of Muhammad and the Muslim faith. [11]
In 2013, Begg criticized McDonald's for rolling back the decision to sell halal food in Dearborn after a $700,000 settlement against the restaurant chain that alleged the menu items were not consistently halal. [12]
Currently, Begg serves as a guest columnist for several Michigan- and Florida-based newspapers. He has published work in the Treasure Coast Palm , [13] Detroit Free Press , [14] USA Today, [15] Florida Today , [16] and Lebanon Daily News , [17] among others. He has also made guest appearances on several national news and regional media outlets, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NPR, and the Los Angeles Times [18] His columns often revolve around acknowledging and working to resolve conflicts worldwide involving Muslims and tensions surrounding Muslim-Americans. [19] Begg is a self-proclaimed supporter of the Republican Party. [20]
In February 2019, Begg released his first full-length book, Our Muslim Neighbors: Achieving the American Dream, an Immigrant's Memoir. [21]
Begg married Lata Shanbhag in 1975 after meeting at the University of Detroit. They have 3 children.