Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad (also known as Dean Ahmad) (born August 11, 1948) is a Palestinian American scholar and the president of the Minaret of Freedom Institute, a libertarian501(c)(3) tax-exempt think-tank.[1] He also is president of the Islamic-American Zakat Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt religious and charitable organization that primarily serves poor and needy Muslims in the United States.[2]
Ahmad was born en route to the United States when his family left Palestine in 1948. He was raised in Pennsylvania and graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree from Harvard University (1970) and a doctoral degree in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of Arizona (1975). He is a Muslim.[3]
Ahmad has written and spoken on Islam and legal and religious freedom, democracy in the Muslim world, Islamic civil society, property rights in Islam, women in Islam and female circumcision, Middle East conflicts in Palestine and Iraq, Palestinian human and property rights, terrorism and jihad, and American civil liberties.[6]
Ahmad is the author of Signs in the Heavens: A Muslim Astronomer's Perspective on Religion and Science and Islamic Rules of Order, co-editor of Islam and the West: A Dialog, and co-author of Islam and the Discovery of Freedom. He also contributed to The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism with an article on Islam.[7] His address on "Islam, Commerce and Business Ethics" was published in Nicholas Capaldi's Business and Religion: A Clash of Civilizations?[8] He has been published by Middle East Policy, , Economic Affairs and Georgetown Journal of International Affairs.[6] Ahmad has been a frequent guest lecturer at the Foreign Services Institute.[3]
Ahmad is a Muslim chaplain at American University,[9] the Islamic chaplain at the Clifton T. Perkins Hospital, Imam of the Dar-adh-Dhikr Mosque and arbitrator for the Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations in the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area.[3] In 1998, in his role as the American Muslim Council Liaison to the Coalition for Free Exercise of Religion, he testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, supporting the need for federal protection of religious freedom after the City of Boerne v. Flores case decided by the United States Supreme Court.[10] Ahmad also is a spokesperson for the National Coalition for the Protection of Civil Liberties, a national coalition of over 20 Muslim and civil liberties organizations.[11]
Political activism
Ahmad has been an outspoken critic of the role of neoconservatives in shaping United States' foreign policy, especially in the Middle East.[12]
In 2001 Ahmad joined a delegation of American Muslims participating in the "First Conference on Jerusalem" in Beirut, which was "dedicated to the liberation of Jerusalem."[13]
Ahmad has been a libertarian activist since 1975, serving as chair of the Libertarian Party of Maryland, managing four political campaigns,[14] and participating in various Libertarian Party of Maryland political activities[15] He was a member of Academics for Ron Paul during congressman Paul's run for the 2008 presidential nomination.[16]
He also has been active in the national Libertarian Party activities, serving as its national secretary,[14] chair of its Judicial Committee,[17] chair of its platform committee,[18] and chair of the Muslim Outreach Committee of the Michael Badnarik for President Campaign in 2004.[14]
In 1988 Ahmad ran as a Libertarian for the United States Senate even though only Republicans and Democrats were allowed to have their name printed unless they collected tens of thousands of signatures. Ahmad's court challenge to the law failed, but he received 500 write-in votes. Maryland law subsequently allowed the Libertarian Party to collect just 10,000 signatures to obtain ballot status.[14][19][20]
2012 United States Senate campaign
In May 2012 the Libertarian Party of Maryland nominated Ahmad as its 2012 Senate candidate. After a successful legal battle for ballot status, he ran against Democratic incumbent Ben Cardin, Republican Dan Bongino,[14][21][22][23] and independent Rob Sobhani.[24] Ahmad's platform issues included bringing U.S. troops home, restoring civil liberties compromised by the "war on terror," working for federal government fiscal responsibility, and ending corporate welfare.[21]
Ahmad was endorsed by former Governor Gary Johnson, Libertarian Party candidate for President of the United States. Johnson wrote "Dr. Ahmad is a strong consistent voice calling for individual Liberty for ALL Americans. His record of success as a civic activist for decades proves that Dr. Dean Ahmad is the kind of U.S. Senator this nation truly needs." Ahmad also endorsed Johnson.[25][26]
Ahmad participated in the October 24, 2012 WOLB Radio debate.[27] Montgomery County Media aired his statement on his candidacy.[28] Ahmad raised $8,565 to fund his campaign.[29] He received 32,252 votes, 1.3 percent of the total.[30]
Awards
Ahmad, a former President of both the East Bethesda Citizens Association and the Montgomery County Civic Federation, has received the "Star Cup for Outstanding Public Service" award from the Montgomery County Civic Federation, the "Champion of Democracy Award" from Marylanders for Democracy and the "Sentinel Award" from the Montgomery County Civic Federation. In 2012 Ahmad was one of several Arab-Americans recognized in a city of Gaithersburg award ceremony.[3] In 1990 he received the Libertarian Party of Maryland's "Samuel P. Chase award, named after the Maryland signer of the Declaration of Independence.[3][31]
^National Coalition Decries NYPD Spying As As Symptomatic of Erosion of Civil Freedoms (February 23, 2012); NCPCF Objects To Federal Prison Refusal To Respect Religious Freedom Of Prisoners In Disregard Of Court Orders (June 1, 2012); Press Releases on the National Coalition for the Protection of Civil Liberties website.
^Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, "The Role of Neoconservatives in Shaping U.S. Policy", originally published in American Muslim Magazine 2008-03-23 at the Wayback Machine, at Minaret.org, (undated).
^Imad-ad-dean Ahmad's Address to the First Conference on Jerusalem; Carl Cameron, Clues Alerted White House to Potential Attacks, FoxNews.Com, May 17, 2002.
^ abcdeAhmad for Senate “Meet the Candidate” 2012-07-10 at the Wayback Machine web page.
^*Maryland Libertarian Party Newsletter, January 2000 2008-05-15 at the Wayback Machine.
Maryland Libertarian Party photo album 2013-04-03 at the Wayback Machine, 1999.
Maryland Libertarian Party photo album 2013-04-03 at the Wayback Machine, 2004.
^Academics for Ron Paul site. February 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^Libertarian Party FAQ: Directory of National LP Officials, June 1996.
^Maryland Libertarian Party ballot access page 2012-09-05 at the Wayback Machine.
^Imad Ahmad on "Metro Week in Review", C-SPAN, November 6, 1988 .
^ abLen Lazarick, Greens and Libertarians back on the ballot, Chestertow Spy, August 30, 2012.
^Allison Bourg, Political Notes: Greens, Libertarians back on ballot Archived 2013-01-21 at archive.today, Capital Gazette, August 30, 2012; Updated September 18, 2012.
^National Libertarian Party 2012 candidate listing 2012-10-01 at the Wayback Machine.
^Sobhani for Maryland 2012-08-29 at the Wayback Machine campaign page.
^Gary Johnson testimonial endorsing Dean Ahmad 2012-07-12 at the Wayback Machine, Ahmad for Senate web site.
^Gary Johnson Campaign Endorses Third Set of Libertarian Candidates, Gary Johnson Campaign press release, June 25, 2012.
^"Official 2012 Presidential General Election Results". elections.maryland.gov.
^Gerald Schneider, The Samuel P. Chase Freedom Award 2013-05-11 at the Wayback Machine, Libertarian Party of Maryland website.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad.
Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad personal web site
Islamic-American Zakat Foundation
Minaret of Freedom web site
Public Broadcasting Service "Religion and Ethics" feature on "Ramadan Moon", including Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad and other guests, November 8, 2002, Episode no. 610.
Public Broadcasting Service Discussion of "The Pope's Journey", featuring Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, May 8, 2001.
imad, dean, ahmad, also, known, dean, ahmad, born, august, 1948, palestinian, american, scholar, president, minaret, freedom, institute, libertarian, exempt, think, tank, also, president, islamic, american, zakat, foundation, exempt, religious, charitable, org. Imad ad Dean Ahmad also known as Dean Ahmad born August 11 1948 is a Palestinian American scholar and the president of the Minaret of Freedom Institute a libertarian 501 c 3 tax exempt think tank 1 He also is president of the Islamic American Zakat Foundation a 501 c 3 tax exempt religious and charitable organization that primarily serves poor and needy Muslims in the United States 2 Imad ad Dean Ahmad in 2012This biography of a living person relies too much on references to primary sources Please help by adding secondary or tertiary sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately especially if potentially libelous or harmful Find sources Imad ad Dean Ahmad news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Contents 1 Biography 2 Academic career 3 Political activism 4 2012 United States Senate campaign 5 Awards 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksBiography EditAhmad was born en route to the United States when his family left Palestine in 1948 He was raised in Pennsylvania and graduated cum laude with a bachelor s degree from Harvard University 1970 and a doctoral degree in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of Arizona 1975 He is a Muslim 3 Academic career EditAhmad teaches an introductory course on Islam at Wesley Theological Seminary 4 He also has taught courses religion science and freedom at the University of Maryland College Park 5 and courses relating to Islam and development at Georgetown University the Johns Hopkins University School for Advanced International Studies and the Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim Christian Understanding 3 Ahmad has written and spoken on Islam and legal and religious freedom democracy in the Muslim world Islamic civil society property rights in Islam women in Islam and female circumcision Middle East conflicts in Palestine and Iraq Palestinian human and property rights terrorism and jihad and American civil liberties 6 Ahmad is the author of Signs in the Heavens A Muslim Astronomer s Perspective on Religion and Science and Islamic Rules of Order co editor of Islam and the West A Dialog and co author of Islam and the Discovery of Freedom He also contributed to The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism with an article on Islam 7 His address on Islam Commerce and Business Ethics was published in Nicholas Capaldi s Business and Religion A Clash of Civilizations 8 He has been published by Middle East Policy American Muslim Magazine Economic Affairs and Georgetown Journal of International Affairs 6 Ahmad has been a frequent guest lecturer at the Foreign Services Institute 3 Ahmad is a Muslim chaplain at American University 9 the Islamic chaplain at the Clifton T Perkins Hospital Imam of the Dar adh Dhikr Mosque and arbitrator for the Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations in the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area 3 In 1998 in his role as the American Muslim Council Liaison to the Coalition for Free Exercise of Religion he testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution Civil Rights and Human Rights supporting the need for federal protection of religious freedom after the City of Boerne v Flores case decided by the United States Supreme Court 10 Ahmad also is a spokesperson for the National Coalition for the Protection of Civil Liberties a national coalition of over 20 Muslim and civil liberties organizations 11 Political activism EditAhmad has been an outspoken critic of the role of neoconservatives in shaping United States foreign policy especially in the Middle East 12 In 2001 Ahmad joined a delegation of American Muslims participating in the First Conference on Jerusalem in Beirut which was dedicated to the liberation of Jerusalem 13 Ahmad has been a libertarian activist since 1975 serving as chair of the Libertarian Party of Maryland managing four political campaigns 14 and participating in various Libertarian Party of Maryland political activities 15 He was a member of Academics for Ron Paul during congressman Paul s run for the 2008 presidential nomination 16 He also has been active in the national Libertarian Party activities serving as its national secretary 14 chair of its Judicial Committee 17 chair of its platform committee 18 and chair of the Muslim Outreach Committee of the Michael Badnarik for President Campaign in 2004 14 In 1988 Ahmad ran as a Libertarian for the United States Senate even though only Republicans and Democrats were allowed to have their name printed unless they collected tens of thousands of signatures Ahmad s court challenge to the law failed but he received 500 write in votes Maryland law subsequently allowed the Libertarian Party to collect just 10 000 signatures to obtain ballot status 14 19 20 2012 United States Senate campaign EditIn May 2012 the Libertarian Party of Maryland nominated Ahmad as its 2012 Senate candidate After a successful legal battle for ballot status he ran against Democratic incumbent Ben Cardin Republican Dan Bongino 14 21 22 23 and independent Rob Sobhani 24 Ahmad s platform issues included bringing U S troops home restoring civil liberties compromised by the war on terror working for federal government fiscal responsibility and ending corporate welfare 21 Ahmad was endorsed by former Governor Gary Johnson Libertarian Party candidate for President of the United States Johnson wrote Dr Ahmad is a strong consistent voice calling for individual Liberty for ALL Americans His record of success as a civic activist for decades proves that Dr Dean Ahmad is the kind of U S Senator this nation truly needs Ahmad also endorsed Johnson 25 26 Ahmad participated in the October 24 2012 WOLB Radio debate 27 Montgomery County Media aired his statement on his candidacy 28 Ahmad raised 8 565 to fund his campaign 29 He received 32 252 votes 1 3 percent of the total 30 Awards EditAhmad a former President of both the East Bethesda Citizens Association and the Montgomery County Civic Federation has received the Star Cup for Outstanding Public Service award from the Montgomery County Civic Federation the Champion of Democracy Award from Marylanders for Democracy and the Sentinel Award from the Montgomery County Civic Federation In 2012 Ahmad was one of several Arab Americans recognized in a city of Gaithersburg award ceremony 3 In 1990 he received the Libertarian Party of Maryland s Samuel P Chase award named after the Maryland signer of the Declaration of Independence 3 31 See also EditList of Arab Americans List of Palestinian AmericansReferences Edit Staff Minaret of Freedom Institute www minaret org Islamic American Zakat Foundation web site a b c d e f Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy Biographical Data on Imad ad Dean Ahmad Wesley Seminary Personnel listing p 5 Archived 2014 06 11 at the Wayback Machine Fall 2003 University of Maryland HONR Course Descriptions Archived from the original on September 7 2006 a b Links to Ahmad s articles and speeches Ahmad Imad ad Dean 2008 Islam In Hamowy Ronald ed The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism Thousand Oaks CA Sage Cato Institute pp 256 258 doi 10 4135 9781412965811 n155 ISBN 978 1412965804 LCCN 2008009151 OCLC 750831024 Nicholas Capaldi Business and Religion A Clash of Civilizations M amp M Scrivener Press September 30 2005 Kay Spiritual Life Center listing of chaplains American University web site Congressional Testimony of Testimony of Imad A Dean Ahmad Ph D American Muslim Council Liaison to the Coalition for Free Exercise of Religion to the Subcommittee on the Constitution of the Senate Judiciary Committee on the Need for Federal Protection of Religious Freedom after Boerne V Flores ProQuest LLC March 26 1998 National Coalition Decries NYPD Spying As As Symptomatic of Erosion of Civil Freedoms February 23 2012 NCPCF Objects To Federal Prison Refusal To Respect Religious Freedom Of Prisoners In Disregard Of Court Orders June 1 2012 Press Releases on the National Coalition for the Protection of Civil Liberties website Imad ad Dean Ahmad The Role of Neoconservatives in Shaping U S Policy originally published in American Muslim Magazine Archived 2008 03 23 at the Wayback Machine at Minaret org undated Imad ad dean Ahmad s Address to the First Conference on Jerusalem Carl Cameron Clues Alerted White House to Potential Attacks FoxNews Com May 17 2002 a b c d e Ahmad for Senate Meet the Candidate Archived 2012 07 10 at the Wayback Machine web page Maryland Libertarian Party Newsletter January 2000 Archived 2008 05 15 at the Wayback Machine Maryland Libertarian Party photo album Archived 2013 04 03 at the Wayback Machine 1999 Maryland Libertarian Party photo album Archived 2013 04 03 at the Wayback Machine 2004 Academics for Ron Paul site Archived February 22 2008 at the Wayback Machine Minutes of 2002 Libertarian National Convention Archived 2012 05 11 at the Wayback Machine p 11 Libertarian Party website Libertarian Party FAQ Directory of National LP Officials June 1996 Maryland Libertarian Party ballot access page Archived 2012 09 05 at the Wayback Machine Imad Ahmad on Metro Week in Review C SPAN November 6 1988 a b Len Lazarick Greens and Libertarians back on the ballot Chestertow Spy August 30 2012 Allison Bourg Political Notes Greens Libertarians back on ballot Archived 2013 01 21 at archive today Capital Gazette August 30 2012 Updated September 18 2012 National Libertarian Party 2012 candidate listing Archived 2012 10 01 at the Wayback Machine Sobhani for Maryland Archived 2012 08 29 at the Wayback Machine campaign page Gary Johnson testimonial endorsing Dean Ahmad Archived 2012 07 12 at the Wayback Machine Ahmad for Senate web site Gary Johnson Campaign Endorses Third Set of Libertarian Candidates Gary Johnson Campaign press release June 25 2012 WOLB radio October 24th Senate debate page YouTube www youtube com Ahmad FEC report Official 2012 Presidential General Election Results elections maryland gov Gerald Schneider The Samuel P Chase Freedom Award Archived 2013 05 11 at the Wayback Machine Libertarian Party of Maryland website External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Imad ad Dean Ahmad Imad ad Dean Ahmad personal web site Islamic American Zakat Foundation Minaret of Freedom web site Reason magazine interview with Imad ad Dean Ahmad Public Broadcasting Service Religion and Ethics feature on Ramadan Moon including Imad ad Dean Ahmad and other guests November 8 2002 Episode no 610 Public Broadcasting Service Discussion of The Pope s Journey featuring Imad ad Dean Ahmad May 8 2001 Appearances on C SPAN Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Imad ad Dean Ahmad amp oldid 1147487454, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
