Irshad Manji

Irshad Manji is a renowned author, educator, and advocate of a reformist interpretation of Islam. She is the bestselling author of The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her Faith, published in more than 30 countries. Her Emmy-nominated PBS film, Faith Without Fear, artfully follows her personal campaign to reconcile Islam with women’s equality, respect for minorities, and honest debate.

In January 2008, Manji joined New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service to spearhead the Moral Courage Project, an initiative to help young people speak truth to power within their own communities. In 2015, Manji brought the initiative to the University of Southern California, where she currently teaches courses on the subject.

Recognizing Manji’s leadership, Oprah Winfrey honored her with a Chutzpah Award for “audacity, nerve, boldness, and conviction.” The New York Times describes her as “Osama bin Laden’s worst nightmare,” while Ms. magazine has named her a “Feminist for the 21st Century.” She is also a recipient of the Simon Wiesenthal Award for Valor, as well as a number of other awards and citations from groups such as the National Organization for Women, the Association of Women Entrepreneurs, the New York Society for Ethical Culture, and many others.