Zayn Kassam

Last updated

Zayn Kassam
Born
Kenya
Academic background
Alma mater McGill University

Zayn R. Kassam is an American religious studies scholar known for her work on gender roles in Islam and Indian philosophy [1] [2] with 29 publications of her work as of July 2022. She was the chair of the religious studies department at Pomona College, and in January 2023, she began her term as director of the Institute of Ismaili Studies. [3] [4]

Contents

Early life and education

Kassam was born and raised in Kenya. [5] She attended the Aga Khan Primary Schools in Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nairobi. Kassam went on to receive her high school diploma from Aga Khan High School in Nairobi. It was here where she was first introduced to the subjects of racial and religious diversity. Upon her move to Canada, Kassam began to study literature at McGill University. [1] After learning about the Bible and other religious texts, Kassam decided to switch her major to religious studies. She completed her undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees at McGill University. Kassam received a B.A. in Religious Studies in 1977, a M.A. in Islamic Studies in 1985, and a Ph.D. in History of Religions in 1995, with a focus on Indian and Islamic philosophy.

Career

Kassam spent one year at The Institute of Ismaili Studies in 1998 as a research fellow where she taught a course on gender. She began working at Pomona College in Claremont, California in 1995, where she served as the chair of the religious studies department twice, co-chair of the Climate Study Group, co-ordinator for Gender and Women’s Studies, and co-ordinator for Middle Eastern studies. [6] Kassam was later appointed to Associate Dean for DEI and the John Knox McLean Professor of Religious Studies. [1] During her career at Pomona College, she was awarded three Wig Awards for Distinguished Teaching, as well as an American Academy of Religion Excellence in Teaching Award. [1] She also served as director of the Pacific Basin Institute. [1] Kassam is currently serving on the national boards of the Journal of Feminist Studies In Religion and the Journal of the American Academy of Religion. She continues to teach various courses in the subjects of mysticism, gender, literature, ethics, and environmentalism. [7]

Academic Awards [1]

AwardInstitutionYear
National Teacher of the Year AwardAmerican Academy of Religion2005
Wig Distinguished Professorship Award for Excellence in TeachingPomona College1998, 2005, 2015
Kathleen Connolly-Weinart Leader of the Year Award Theta Alpha Kappa 2015

Publications

Following the 9/11 attacks, Kassam began educating people about Islam and politics in the middle east. [8] She is the author of Introduction to the World's Major Religion's: Islam (2006), editor of Women and Islam (2010) and Women in Asian Religions (2018). She is a section editor for Islam in the volume on Islam, Judaism and Zoroastrianism in the Encyclopedia for Indian Religions (2018).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aga Khan III</span> 48th imam of the Nizari Ismaili community

Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah, known as Aga Khan III, was the 48th imam of the Nizari Ism'aili branch of Shia Islam. He was one of the founders and the first permanent president of the All-India Muslim League (AIML). His goal was the advancement of Muslim agendas and the protection of Muslim rights in British India. The League, until the late 1930s, was not a large organisation but represented landed and commercial Muslim interests as well as advocating for British education during the British Raj. There were similarities in Aga Khan's views on education with those of other Muslim social reformers, but the scholar Shenila Khoja-Moolji argues that he also expressed a distinct interest in advancing women's education for women themselves. Aga Khan called on the British Raj to consider Muslims to be a separate nation within India, the famous 'Two Nation Theory'. Even after he resigned as president of the AIML in 1912, he still exerted a major influence on its policies and agendas. He was nominated to represent India at the League of Nations in 1932 and served as President of the League of Nations from 1937 to 1938.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isma'ilism</span> Branch of Shia Islam

Isma'ilism is a branch or sect of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor (imām) to Ja'far al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the Twelver Shia, who accept Musa al-Kadhim, the younger brother of Isma'il, as the true Imām.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aga Khan</span> Imām of the Nizari Ismāʿīli Shias

Aga Khan is a title held by the Imām of the Nizari Ismāʿīli Shias. Since 1957, the holder of the title has been the 49th Imām, Prince Shah Karim al-Husseini, Aga Khan IV. Aga Khan claims to be a direct descendant of Muhammad, the last prophet according to the religion of Islam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aga Khan IV</span> 49th Imam of the Ismaili (born 1936)

Shah Karim al-Husayni (Arabic: شاه كريم الحسيني, romanized: Shāh Karīm al-Ḥusaynī; born 13 December 1936; known as Aga Khan IV is the 49th and current imam of Nizari Isma'ilis. He has held the position of Imam and the title of Aga Khan since 11 July 1957 when, at the age of 20, he succeeded his grandfather, Aga Khan III. The Aga Khan claims direct lineal descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, Ali, who is considered an Imam by Nizari Isma'ilis, and Ali's wife Fatima, Muhammad's daughter from his first marriage. Aga Khan IV is also known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Isma'ili followers.

Nizari Isma'ilism are the largest segment of the Ismaili Muslims, who are the second-largest branch of Shia Islam after the Twelvers. Nizari teachings emphasize independent reasoning or ijtihad; pluralism—the acceptance of racial, ethnic, cultural and inter-religious differences; and social justice. Nizaris, along with Twelvers, adhere to the Jaʽfari school of jurisprudence. The Aga Khan, currently Aga Khan IV, is the spiritual leader and Imam of the Nizaris. The global seat of the Ismaili Imamate is in Lisbon, Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jama'at Khana</span> Term used by some Muslim communities for a place of gathering

Jamatkhana or Jamat Khana is an amalgamation derived from the Arabic word jama‘a (gathering) and the Persian word khana. It is a term used by some Muslim communities around the world, particularly sufi ones, to a place of gathering. Among some communities of Muslims, the term is often used interchangeably with the Arabic word musallah. The Nizārī Ismā'īlī community uses the term Jama'at Khana to denote their places of worship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Institute of Ismaili Studies</span> Research institute in London

The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) is a research institute in London, United Kingdom. It aims to promote the study of Muslim cultures and societies, both historical and contemporary, in order to foster a greater understanding of their relationships with other societies and faiths. It also functions as a gathering point for the Ismaili community as it endeavors to understand its own history and thought, including the often neglected fields of esoteric Islam and Shi'ism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khoja</span> Nizari Ismaili Shia Islamic community in India

The Khoja are a prominent, mainly Shia, merchant tribe who once resided on the western Indian subcontinent but have now formed a diaspora. The Khoja, derived from the Persian Khwāja, are believed by many to have once been a caste of Indian Muslims, converted from Hinduism to Islam in the 14th century by the Persian Saḍr-al-Dīn. Some oral history however purports lineage from Alexander’s India campaign. They are well-dispersed globally and referred to be many names such as Al-Lawatia in the Gulf and Karana in France and Madagascar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islam in Singapore</span> Religious community

Islam constitutes the third largest religion in Singapore, with Muslims accounting for approximately 15.6% of the population, as indicated by the 2020 census. Predominantly, Singaporean Muslims are Sunni Muslims adhering to either the Shafi‘i or Hanafi schools of thought. The majority of the Muslim population, about 80%, are ethnic Malays, while 13% are of Indian descent. The remaining fraction comprises local Chinese, Eurasian, and Arab communities, in addition to foreign migrants. Buddhism and Christianity are the two larger religious affiliations in the country.

Musta'li Isma'ilism are a branch of Isma'ilism named for their acceptance of al-Musta'li as the legitimate nineteenth Fatimid caliph and legitimate successor to his father, al-Mustansir Billah. In contrast, the Nizari—the other living branch of Ismailism, presently led by Aga Khan IV—believe the nineteenth caliph was al-Musta'li's elder brother, Nizar. Isma'ilism is a branch of Shia Islam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aga Khan University</span> University in Karachi, Pakistan, with campuses in various countries

Aga Khan University is a not-for-profit institution and an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network. It was founded in 1983 as Pakistan's first private university. Starting in 2000, the university expanded to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aga Khan Museum</span> Museum of Islamic art in Toronto, Canada

The Aga Khan Museum is a museum of Islamic art located at 77 Wynford Drive in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum is dedicated to Islamic art and objects, and it houses approximately 1,200 rare objects assembled by Shah Karim al-Husayni and Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. As an initiative of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network, the museum is dedicated to sparking wonder, curiosity, and understanding of Muslim cultures and their connection with other cultures through the arts. In addition to the Permanent Collection, the Aga Khan Museum features several temporary exhibitions each year that respond to current scholarship, emerging themes, and new artistic developments. The Museum Collection and exhibitions are complemented by educational programs and performing arts events.

Professor Azim Nanji is a Kenyan-born professor of Islamic studies. From 1998 until 2008, he served as Director of The Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, England. He is also on the Board of Directors of the Global Centre for Pluralism a joint partnership between His Highness the Aga Khan and the Government of Canada.

Satpanth is a Sanskrit term used initially by Nizari Isma'ilis and Ismaili Sufis to identify their faith formed over 700 years ago by Pir Sadardin. Although the term is today used mainly by its subgroup formed in the 15th century by his grandson Pir Imam Shah which itself consists of various sub-sects, and differs from the mainstream Nizari Khojas in that they reject the Aga Khan as their leader and are known more commonly as Imamshahi. Uniquely, the term Satpanth has been historically used by Ismaili, as well as by adherents of subgroups. There are villages in Gujarat which are totally Satpanthi such as Pirana near Ahmedabad where Imam Shah is buried. Satpanthi dargahs are known to be venerated with a stark contrast in the devotees, with outward Muslims who may wear a hijab, and outward Hindus wearing traditional garb such as the sari.

Bernadette Louise Dean is a Christian Pakistani academic and educator, of Portuguese and Anglo-Indian descent. Formerly the principal of two women's colleges in Pakistan and a participant in revising Pakistan's national curriculum, she was accused of being a foreigner and forced to leave the country in 2015 by death threats from Islamic extremists after being accused of working to secularize school textbooks. She has since become an academic administrator at the University of Central Asia.

Farhad Daftary is a Belgian-born Iranian-British Islamic scholar who is co-director and head of the Department of Academic Research and Publications at the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London. He is related to the Aga Khan IV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naguib Kheraj</span> British banker (born 1964)

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Women of the Ismaili sect are part of Shia Islam. Some subsects have women's rights issues, others observe a relatively progressive environment within their sects, which is also dependent on the laws in the countries practicing this sect.

Aly Kassam-Remtulla is a U.S.-based academic, writer and scholar who is Associate Provost for International Affairs and Operations at Princeton University. Previously, he was associated with the MacArthur Foundation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Zayn Kassam". Pomona College. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  2. Kalow, Jared (March 2, 2012). "Two Pomona Faculty Get Named Professorships". The Student Life . Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  3. "IIS Welcomes Dr Zayn Kassam as New Director". www.iis.ac.uk. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  4. "Zayn Kassam Appointed New Director of the Institute of Ismaili Studies as Farhad Daftary, Who Has Dedicated His Life to Ismaili Scholarship, Retires from Management Roles". Simerg - Insights from Around the World. September 23, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  5. "Dr Zayn Kassam". www.iis.ac.uk. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  6. "Professor Zayn Kassam Appointed Director of The Institute of Ismaili Studies". Ismailimail. September 21, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  7. "Kassam, Zayn | AANATE". www.aanate.org. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  8. Kingdom, United (May 30, 2023). ""A solid foundation" : Impact of an Aga Khan Schools education". AKDN. Retrieved December 2, 2023.