[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/takim.jpg” caption=”Liyakat Takim is the new Sharjah Chair in Global Islam. He hopes that by expanding the number of religious studies courses that deal with Islam and reaching out to the community, Muslims will be able to educate both each other and non-Muslims about their religious beliefs.”]McMaster's new Sharjah Chair in Global Islam intends to open up dialogue between all religious groups on campus and dispel some of the myths and misunderstandings about Muslims and their faith.

Ambitious goals, but Liyakat Takim, a native of Toronto who left the University of Denver for the position at McMaster, says that by expanding the number of religious studies courses that deal with Islam and reaching out to the community, Muslims will be able to educate both each other and non-Muslims about their religious beliefs.

“I recognize that there will be many challenges, but there are also many opportunities for growth,” said Takim, a former imam. “Those challenges and opportunities are what attracted me to McMaster.”

According to Takim, Muslims are in a sort of transitional period – moving from being Muslims in Canada to Canadian Muslims – which presents an ideal opportunity to work at growing an Islamic Studies program. One of his goals is to make McMaster a place that is known, both in academia and in the community-at-large, as a centre for the study of Islam.

The Chair in Global Islam was established in 2008 thanks to a gift of $1 million from His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah.

“Understanding the religions and cultures of the peoples of the world enhances the prospects of global peace and prosperity,” he said when his gift was announced.

The goal of the chair's research and scholarly activities is to give students and the community the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the principles, ideals and ethics of Islam, as well as their influence on the development of humanity in many parts of the world. The chair's research will be distinct from others elsewhere in Canada in that it will study and examine Islam through a modern, global lens.

In addition to research, Takim will also be teaching courses in global Islam.