News & Ideas

The founder of the first Muslim liberal arts college explores Islam and freedom of religion.

The United States was founded in part on religious freedom. Many today consider Muslims a grave threat to that principle. Is Islam incompatible with the free exercise of religion? That was a question posed in a talk on May 18 by Hamza Yusuf, the founder of Zaytuna College—the first Muslim liberal arts college. SCU political scientist Farid Senzai moderated the Q&A, and the program was hosted by the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education. Yusuf’s work to foster an understanding of Islam grounded in empathy and intellectual rigor has earned admiration from many—and a death threat from ISIS.

Watch a video of the whole talk here.