FAISALKUTTY

Professor, Lawyer, Writer, Human Rights

Activist and Public Speaker

 

Featured Event

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Take on Islamophobia, May 5th 2017

Topic: Take on Islamophobia – Understanding anti-Muslim sentiment in the 21st century.

Keynote Speaker: Faisal Kutty.

Interview: An interview by Terry McLeod of CBC Radio One with Faisal Kutty.

Date: Friday, May 5th, 2017

Time: 6:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Location: Grand Mosque

2445 Waverly St.

Winnipeg, MB



Faisal Kutty

Faisal Kutty is a Muslim lawyer, law professor, writer and public speaker. A proper and nuanced understanding of Islam and Muslims is vital in today’s world. Faisal’s unique background, experience, and education provide a fresh approach in understanding the basics of Islam and its relevance to the world around you, be it your school, workplace, or society in general.

 Faisal was born in India and grew up in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. He attended French Catholic grade schools, public middle and high school, and studied at three different institutions of higher learning. He practiced law in Toronto servicing the unique needs of the growing Muslim population, and he currently teaches law at Valparaiso University Law School in Indiana (a Lutheran affiliated institution) and at Canada’s largest law school, Osgoode Hall Law School of York University.

 He has extensive experience in interfaith and intercultural dialogue and is an expert on the Muslim community, Islamic law, Islamic culture, national security and their intersections.  Faisal has been educating groups, communities, the media and politicians about Islam and Muslims from a very young age, and developed extensive experience in his role as one of the leading spokespersons on Islam and Muslims in North America.

 During undergraduate years, he was the president of the Muslim student group on campus and he founded the Muslim Law Students’ Association while in law school.  After graduating from law school, he co-founded the Canadian Muslim Civil Liberties Association (CMCLA) and went on to serve as its general counsel for more than a decade.  He also co-founded and served as vice chair and legal counsel to CAIR-CAN (Council on American Islamic Relations Canadian Chapter) and he immediately recognized the need to educate people on rights, diversity and how to co-exist with differences. The CMCLA and CAIR-CAN are both leading civil rights and advocacy groups.

 Faisal also served as the first Islamic culture content consultant to the Little Mosque on the Prairie, an award winning internationally acclaimed sitcom produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Faisal has set up dozens of non-profits/charities in the Muslim community, and he has served on a number of their boards including Human Concern International and the Bosnian Canadian Relief Association.  He recently served as co-chair of the Islamic Law Section of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).

He is currently an executive member of both the International Human Rights Law Section and the Islamic Law Sections of the AALS. He is also a Director of the American Society of Comparative Law.

Faisal has published more than 250 articles in newspapers, magazines and academic publications on Islam, Muslims, Islamophobia, human rights, national security, multiculturalism, constitutional law, international affairs, etc.  Faisal has also delivered more than 300 lectures around the world on the same subjects. He has also been quoted or featured in hundreds of media stories around the world.

For the past six consecutive years, Faisal has been included in The Muslim 500: The World’s Most Influential Muslims, compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Jordan.

Faisal’s wealth of experience, knowledge and his unique & engaging style of delivering talks or conducting diversity training makes him the best candidate to help you with your goal of educating, whether it is to make a better world or to increase productivity and growing your bottom line by facilitating dialogue, diversity and inclusion.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

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For the past 8 consecutive years Faisal has been included in The Muslim 500: The World’s Most Influential Muslims, an annual compilation published by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Institute which is affiliated with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought headquartered in Amman, Jordan.

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In 2017, he was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award by Valparaiso University for exemplifying Dr. King’s vision through words and deeds on campus and the broader community

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In 2015, he was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award by the Valparaiso University Alumni Association.

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In 2016, he was presented with an Award of Excellence for his work in promoting human rights and justice by the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA).

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In 2012, he was awarded the iCair Civil Rights Award from the Cleveland chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) for his work in advancing human rights globally.

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In 2007, he was awarded the Maher Arar and Monia Award in Civil and Human Rights from Maher Arar/Monia Mazigh and the Canadian Muslim Network for his work in advancing civil and human rights in Canada.

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In 2004, he was awarded the Professional Excellence Award by the American Federation of Muslims from India.

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In 2003, he was awarded the Community Service Award from the Toronto Community Resources Consultants for his work in advancing human rights in Toronto.

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Faisal Kutty was profiled as one of the 150 natives of Scarborough who work to improve Scarborough for others in commemoration of Canada’s 150th Anniversary.

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In 2018, Nominated – Canadian Lawyer Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in Canada

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