Farid Esack

Farid Esack (* 1959 in Wynberg, South Africa) is a South African Muslim theologian and political activist. He achieved fame through his work against apartheid.

Life

Farid Esack was born in South Africa and grew up there in poor conditions. At the age of nine, he joined the Tabligh Jamaat movement and at the age of ten years he taught at a madrassa ( religious school). Since his youth he was active against apartheid. He received a scholarship to study in Pakistan. Farid Esack was very impressed with the relations between Muslims and Christians in Pakistan. This prompted him to consider the Qur'an from a different perspective. Later he studied in the United Kingdom and in Germany at the Philosophical - Theological College Sankt Georgen in Frankfurt am Main.

Esack taught, inter alia, at the University of the Western Cape, in Hamburg, at the Gadjah Mada University, at Union Theological Seminary in New York and at Xavier University of Cincinnati and was a visiting professor at Harvard University in the United States. Since 2008 he is professor of Islamic theology at the University of Johannesburg.

Political activity

Farid Esack was a member of numerous organizations, such as the Positive Muslims. In these organizations he was active mainly against apartheid and for Islam. In addition, he was from 1994 for four years Equality agent of the government of Nelson Mandela. Especially socially engaged he was in the fight against AIDS.

Works

  • The Struggle. (1988 ) ISBN 0-620-12519-5
  • But Musa went to Fir'aun! (1989 ) ISBN 0-620-14105-0 ( collection of questions and answers on the role of Muslims in the South African struggle for freedom )
  • Qur'an, Liberation and Pluralism! (Oxford, 1997) ISBN 1-85168-121-3 (dedicated to Quranic statements on relations between Muslims and members of other religions)
  • On being a Muslim. (Oxford, 1999) ISBN 1-85168-146-9 ( addresses the search for a religious way, in today's world)
  • The Qur'an: A Short Introduction. (Oxford, 2002) ISBN 1-85168-231-7
  • The Qur'an: A User's Guide. (Oxford, 2005) ISBN 1-85168-354-2
Wynberg, Cape Town Union Theological Seminary (Manhattan) Integrated Authority File
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