Jamillah Karim Lecture

I found the lecture by Jamillah Karim extremely interesting and thought provoking. She began by speaking about Prophet Muhammad and the Qur’an and went on to relay many interesting facts about Islam in the United States. Interestingly enough Islam is the fastest growing religion in the US because of the many converts. I also found it very interesting that the majority of hate crimes committed are not done in the name of religion, but more so because of social discrimination.

Karim also related her lecture to politics today. Many Muslims today participate in voting, donations, volunteering, etc. and it is evident racial disparities continue to run our lives. However with the election of Obama, tensions between races may hopefully (!)begin to dissolve.

I also found it interesting to hear her speak of Malcolm X, a Muslim who wanted to erase the issue of race. He helped bring together people of all races and ethnicities because he was striving for a sense of brotherhood within the Islamic religion. He greatly respected all individuals regardless of race, which is an idea that should be stressed in all aspects of society.