Should Muslims have and make political allies with the LGBTQ community? Are we obliged to see the story of Lut in the Qur’an as simply implying opposition to rape or homosexuality? How does the Quranic narrative of the Prophet Yusuf (as) relate to the “Me Too” movement? In our 2020 Ramadan Reflections series, Imam Dawud Walid provides some perspectives from the 12th Juz of the Qur’an, that includes aspects of the story of Prophet Lut (as) and the Prophet Yusuf (as), to provide some fascinating social commentary on issues impacting the Muslim community today.
‘Towards Sacred Activism’ is a groundbreaking work that should be read by any Muslim interested in social activism. Take a look at this and other works recommended by the Lamppost Education Initiative.
Imam Dawud Walid
Imam Dawud Walid is currently the Executive Director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a chapter of America’s largest advocacy and civil liberties organization for 
Muslims. He frequently delivers khutbahs at Islamic centers across America and is a political blogger for the Detroit News. Imam Walid has spoken at some thirty institutions of higher learning about Islam and interfaith dialogue including DePaul University, Harvard University and the University of the Virgin Islands. He has also presented on prominent panel discussions with international leaders and academics including the 2008 and 2011 Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Conventions and the 2009 and 2010 Malian Peace & Tolerance Conferences held in Bamako, Mali, which were attended by religious scholars from twelve different countries.
Imam Walid has been a regular contributor to the Muslim Observer newspaper and Illume Magazine and has also been interviewed, quoted, and published in numerous media outlets throughout the globe including Al-Jazeera, BBC, CNN, FOX, NBC World News, National Public Radio, the New York Times, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. Imam Walid served as assistant Imam of Masjid Wali Muhammad in Detroit from 2001 until September 2011 while also serving as interim resident Imam of the Bosnian Islamic Center in Hamtramck during the summer of 2007.
