Kecia Ali
Associate Professor of Religion at Boston University

Schools
- Boston University
Links
Biography
Boston University
Kecia Ali (Ph.D., Religion, Duke University) held research and teaching fellowships at Brandeis University and Harvard Divinity School before joining the BU faculty in 2006. Her research addresses Islamic religious texts, especially jurisprudence; women in both classical and contemporary Muslim discourses; and religious biography. Her books include Sexual Ethics and Islam: Feminist Reflections on Qur’an, Hadith, and Jurisprudence (2006), Marriage and Slavery in Early Islam (2010), and Imam Shafi‘i: Scholar and Saint (2011). Her current project explores Muslim and non-Muslim biographies of the Prophet Muhammad, with particular attention to modern thinking about his marriages and personal life. She serves as co-chair for the Study of Islam Section of the American Academy of Religion
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Cases
How one journalist uses social media to get inside the minds of ISIS
August 3, 2016
Wired Kecia Ali, College of Arts & Sciences Rukmini Callimachi is arguably the best reporter on the most important beat in the world… View full article referencing expert Kecia Ali
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Men and women divide on religion
April 20, 2016
Religion News Service Kecia Ali, College of Arts & Sciences Fewer men than women show up in U.S. churches, and women are markedly more likely to pray and to hold up religion as important… Expert quote: “But whether women actually go to mosques varies greatly depending on local norms, and those are in flux. For […]
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Men and women divide on religion
March 23, 2016
Religion News Service Kecia Ali, College of Arts & Sciences Fewer men than women show up in U.S. churches, and women are markedly more likely to pray and to hold up religion as important… Expert quote: “But whether women actually go to mosques varies greatly depending on local norms, and those are in flux. For instance, one […]
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Editorial: Islamic State’s war on women and girls
March 21, 2016
Tampa Tribune Kecia Ali, College of Arts & Sciences It is amazing to us that Western Muslims, in Europe and even the United States, have sought to join the Islamic State, despite its brutal barbarism, particularly to those who do not embrace their radical politics and theology… Expert quote: “In the milieu in which the […]
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ISIS Enshrines a Theology of Rape
August 13, 2015
New York Times (subscription required) Kecia Ali, College of Arts & Sciences In the moments before he raped the 12-year-old girl, the Islamic State fighter took the time to explain that what he was about to do was not a sin… Expert quote: “In the milieu in which the Quran arose, there was a widespread […]
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Sex and sharia: Islamic erotica is fine – if it’s sold virtually
May 4, 2015
Haaretz Kecia Ali, College of Arts & Sciences Though Muslims’ attitudes to sex are as diverse as those in any other global religious community, the image of contemporary Islam is certainly not sexy… Expert quote: “The discourse of Islamic authenticity has had a stifling effect on intra-Muslim debates about sex and sexuality.” View full article
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Experts Media Alert – White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism
February 13, 2015
The White House will hold a “Summit on Countering Violent Extremism” on February 18. According to a statement from the White House press secretary, the summit will “highlight domestic and international efforts to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from radicalizing, recruiting, or inspiring individuals or groups in the United States and abroad to commit […]
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In LA, Women Build A Mosque Where They Can Call To Prayer
February 1, 2015
NPR “Weekend Edition Saturday” Kecia Ali, College of Arts & Sciences A women-led mosque held its first jumma’a, or Friday prayer service, in Los Angeles this week. The group is hoping to strengthen the Muslim community in America by empowering the faith’s women… Expert quote: “The Women’s Mosque is one of a number of initiatives towards […]
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Where Are Pakistan’s Female Muftis And Islamic Scholars?
January 31, 2015
Mintpress News Kecia Ali, College of Arts & Sciences “I have a problem. My husband said ‘talaaq’ (divorce) to me thrice in one sitting. Everyone says the divorce is final now although he revoked his decision within hours… Expert quote: “It is easier to perpetuate male authority and to cite men (even on ‘women’s issues’) […]
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Many Views Of Muhammad, As A Man And As A Prophet
October 20, 2014
NPR “All Things Considered” Kecia Ali, College of Arts & Sciences The Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was one of the most influential men in human history — but there’s little we can say about his life with historical certainty. The details of his life have been debated and manipulated ever since he walked […]
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