Omar Ahmad

This article is about the founder of CAIR. For the American politician, see Omar Ahmad (American politician).
Omar Ahmad
Born Amman, Jordan
Alma mater Santa Clara University
Occupation Businessman, founder of Council on American-Islamic Relations

Omar Ahmad (Arabic: عمر أحمد‎) was the founder of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Washington D.C.-based Muslim civil rights organization. He also worked for the Islamic Association of Palestine, a precursor to CAIR. He was born in Amman, Jordan. He holds a Masters in Computer Science from Santa Clara University as well as a Masters in Political Science. He also served on the Board of Trustees for the Santa Clara City Library for 8 years.

He had been the chairman of CAIR's board of directors since its founding in 1994, but stepped down from that position in May 2005. At the time that he resigned, CAIR claimed to be the largest Muslim civil liberties organization in the United States, with over 30 regional offices and chapters.[1]

Controversies

In 1998 Omar Ahmad allegedly declared in a public speech in California that "Islam isn't in America to be equal to any other faith, but to become dominant. The Koran is the highest authority in America, and Islam is the only accepted religion on earth."[2] He has since denied saying it.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "25 facts about CAIR". cair.com. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
  2. ↑ Jocelyne Cesari: Encyclopedia of Islam in the United States, Vol. 1, Greenwood Press, 2007, ISBN 978-0-313-33625-6, p. 167
  3. ↑ Moore, Art (December 11, 2006). "Did CAIR founder say Islam to rule America?". WorldNetDaily.

External links



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