Ammar Nakshawani


Ammar al-Nakshawani, commonly known as Sayed Ammar Nakshawani, is a British-Iraqi intellectual scholar, author and orator.
Nakshawani was listed as one of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in 2014. He was a visiting scholar at Columbia University's Middle East Institute and University of Cambridge Centre of Islamic Studies. He previously held the Imam Ali Chair for Shi’i Studies and Dialogue among Islamic Legal Schools at Hartford Seminary.

Early life and education

Nakshwani was born to Emad Nakshawani, the son of Hujjat al-Islam Murtadha Nakshawani, who served as a representative of grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei in Kufa. His mother is the daughter of the late sheikh, Muhammad-Taqi al-Irawani. He has an ethnic Azerbaijani background on his father's side, and claims descent from Muhammad through Musa al-Kadhim, the seventh Shia Imam. His uncle, Baqir al-Irawani is a jurist and teacher at the Islamic seminary of Najaf. In 1987, his family migrated to England, United Kingdom

Education

Nakshawani attended University College London and obtained his BSc in Psychology and Law in 2003, while also studying a one-year diploma course at the London School of Economics. He thereafter obtained his MA from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran and his doctorate from the University of Exeter.
He has taught courses on Islam and Human Rights, Islam and Pluralism, and Gender Studies through a Quranic Perspective.

Initiatives

Nakshawani serves as the Special Representative to the United Nations for the Universal Muslim Association of America. In this role, he promotes women's rights initiatives, social development, and religious tolerance. Nakshawani uses this position to speak out for the preservation of cultural heritage, historical art and architecture, and ancient literature.
Prior to joining UMAA, Nakshawani served as the Visiting Scholar of Islamic Studies, at the University of Cambridge in England. In this position, he performed extensive research and academic analysis of ancient Islamic texts, which he has discussed at a number of academic forums.

Career

In 2014, Nakshawani was included in the list of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the "Preachers and Spiritual Guides" section.
;University of Cambridge
Nakshawani served as a Visiting Scholar of Islamic Studies and performed advanced research and academic analysis of Shia historic texts.
Hartford Seminary
Nakshawani served as the inaugural chair of the Imam Ali Chair in Shi'a Studies at Hartford Seminary.
Columbia University
In 2016, Columbia University announced that Dr. Nakshawani would serve as a Visiting Scholar.
Harvard University
Dr. Nakshawani is an Associate of the Iran Project at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. His focus is on Islamic politics as well as conflict and peace building in the Middle East.

Professional affiliations

After the destruction of an important shrine in Syria, Nakshawani wrote in the above book, "Hujr ibn 'Adi al-Kindi was a companion of Muhammad. He was sentenced to death by the Umayyad Caliph Muawiyah I for his unwavering support and praise for Ali, the first Imam of the Shias."