PRESS RELEASE
INVITING A FORMER TERRORIST AND CURRENT ISLAMIC THINKER AND REFORMER TO YOUR
COMMUNITY
Author of the recently published book The Roots of Jihad, Dr. Tawfik Hamid
is available for media interviews and / or speaking engagements.
When he was in medical school, Dr. Hamid was himself an early participant in
an Egyptian terrorist group, along with Dr. Zawaheri, now the #2 man in Al
Qaeda.
Born in Egypt to a secular Muslim family, Tawfik Hamid joined the extremist
Islamic group Jamma'a Islameia, when he was a student in medical school. In
his studies he was learning to heal, but in his thoughts, as he says, he
"dreamed to die for Allah and to share in terrorist acts." His colleague in
these formative days of the terror movement was Dr. Al Zawaheri, then an
acquaintance with whom Tawfik used to pray, and now the number 2 person of
Al Qaeda.
Eventually Dr. Hamid questioned the hatred and impulses to violence that
participation in extremist Islam was fomenting within him. He became a
physician, specializing now in medical education, and also a scholar of
Islamic texts. When he began to preach in Mosques to promote a message of
peace instead of violence and hatred, however, he himself became a target of
the Islamic extremists who had been his friends. They threatened his life,
forcing him and his family to flee Egypt, and then Saudi Arabia. As Dr.
Hamid says "The powers of darkness were overwhelming and I was forced to
emigrate with my family to the West seeking freedom."
From his insider understanding of terrorist mentality, Dr. Hamid predicted
the Twin Towers (9-11), Madrid, and London attacks. Now his mission has
become "to speak out against Islamic Fundamentalism, a cancer that is
spreading with frightening rapidity across the globe today."
A courageous as well as scholarly initiator of Islamic reformation, Dr.
Hamid seeks to build new thinking within Islam to overcome the hatred and
violent extremism that have metastasized within his religious tradition as
he states; "in order to make LOVE prevail you should defeat Hatred"!
Dr. Hamid appeared on Fox TV in early 2006--See
http://www.intelligencesummit.org/news/TawfikHamid/TH022506.php.
His testimony at the first major Intelligence Summit in Washington further
established his reputation as a leading authority on global terror. He
serves now on The Advisory Council for the Intelligence Summit and was
invited as a keynote speaker for the upcoming March 2007 Summit.
Dr. Hamid explains why extremist Islam is far more prevalent and poses a far
more serious threat than most Americans and the West in general appreciate;
to our economy, ecology, and national security.
Dr. Hamid holds degrees in Internal Medicine, and Education. Additionally,
He had been designing software educational programs for Medical,
pharmaceutical and other grade school students. He is also interested in and
presents talk on the field of Natural medicine
The topics on which Dr. Hamid speaks include:
-
- The Roots of Jihad: What Americans Need to Understand to Save America
-
- The Mentality of Terror: Understanding Why and How Terrorists Are
Proliferating in the West
-
- The Arab-Israeli Conflict: Views From a Concerned Arab Insider on How
Israel Could Lose
-
- An Islamic Liberal's Plea for American Understanding of Why the World is
losing the War on Terror
-
- Reformation of Islam - The challenges and the future
Speaking engagements
Intelligence Summit - Washington DC
Georgetown University, Washington DC
University of Denver, CO
Houghton College, NY
Radio Interviews
Institute for Public Affairs - Montreal CA
Mitch Albom show - Detroit
Parents Perspective - Washington DC
Mimi Geerges - Washington DC
Several radio shows in Denver CO
WBEN Kathy Weppner show - Buffalo, NY
TV Interviews
Fox News
PM Buffalo - ABC Affiliate - buffalo NY
Michael Coren Show - Toronto, CA
Newspaper Interviews
Sunday Express - UK
Rocky Mountain News - CO
Intermountain Jewish News - CO
Detroit News - MI
Buffalo News - NY
National Post - CA
Born and raised in Egypt and now a medical doctor, Dr. Tawfik Hamid is a
scholar/reformer of Islam who courageously exposes the real source of the terror
against which America is at war: the teaching of violence and Jihad in Salafi (Wahabi)
Islam.
As a
medical student in Egypt, a "moderate" Islamic country, the young Dr. Hamid fell
under the spell of an early Islamic terror group, the Jemahia Islamia (JI) His
mentor at that time was Dr. Ayman Al Zawaheri, now the #2 man in Al Qaeda. Dr.
Hamid prayed with Al Zawaheri, admired his gentle style, and was inspired by his
strong speeches.
Increasingly swayed by the teachings of Zawaheri and other Jemahia Islamia
leaders, Dr. Hamid found that violent images filled his thoughts day and night.
When the time to implement his violent plans of action neared, however, Dr.
Hamid experienced intense personal conflict.
Instead of implementing the violent acts he had planned, Dr. Hamid distanced
himself from the Jemahia Islamia group. He became a charismatic speaker in
mosques, offering an alternative to the violent Salafi teachings that were
becoming increasingly prevalent at that time. Threats on his life, however,
eventually forced him to flee Egypt for the freedom of the West.
If the West is to win the
so-called War on Terror, Westerners must learn the truth about terror’s roots.
In spite of intimidation against those like Dr. Hamid who dare to voice such
truths, Dr. Hamid speaks out, sharing his Islamic scholarship and clarity of
vision. Will the American public, journalists, and policy makers have the
courage to listen?
Clarification
Dr. Hamid would like to clarify the criticism expressed in the
first part of his book. It is only relating to the “Salafi” version
of Islam. This criticism is not a critique of the peaceful
understanding of the religion. Dr. Hamid fully supports the latter.
In Dr. Hamid’s view, the current dominant version of Islam (Salafi Islam)
is certainly not peaceful. But Islam could be understood in a peaceful
manner.
Dr. Hamid's profile for The Intelligence Summit
Audios
Dr. Tawfik Hamid on Voice of America (02-16-06) [MP3 audio, 26min 9sec, 10.4MB]
Dr. Tawfik Hamid's interview on Ireland's Orla Barry radio show [MP3 audio, 20min 31sec, 4.69MB]
"INSIDE THE MIND OF A TERRORIST" (01-08-06) [MP3 audio, Total: 19min 41sec, 7.88MB]
Part 1 - Dr. Tawfik Hamid, an ex-member of Al Gama Al Islamiya, a terror group based in Egypt talks about suicide bombers and how he was recruited into a terrorist organization.[MP3 audio, 9min 45sec, 3.9MB]
Part 2 - How Tawfik met and prayed with Ayman Al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's No. 2 man. [MP3 audio, 9min 56sec, 3.97MB]
Articles
Is there a hope to reform Islam? by T. Hamid
Here are
more articles by and about Dr. Hamid.
Thanks to Righteous Arabs and Muslims for the links!
"In this book, the reader will understand the real roots of Islamic terrorism, why it proliferated again in the last 30 years, and how it really carries a great threat to human civilization. The role of the Hejab (head scarf) in terrorism, as well as the role of sex in the prenomenon of Islamic violence, will be revealed." [from the dust cover]
Letter of recommendation
To Whom It May Concern:
Dr. Tawfik Hamid MD has been a constant source of inspiration to me and my
family since the murder of our son, Daniel Pearl, by terrorists in Karachi,
Pakistan, in 2002.
I heard him on a video tape taken in a Synagogue in New Zealand, in which he
described his life in Egypt and the transition that compelled him to migrate
to the free world and devote his life to educate people about the nature of
Islam and the mindset of Islamic Jihadists.
I had the chance to meet Dr. Hamid in Los Angeles in 2005, and to
discuss with him a few aspects of his book "The Roots of Jihad". It is one
of the few books that speak against Jihad in the language of Jihadists.
I have also had the pleasure of a long and fruitful correspondence with him
on the interpretation of the Koran, Fatwas, and contemporary Jihadi mindset.
He could be a most effective voice in our struggle to win the heart and mind
of youngsters in the Muslim world.
I consider Dr. Hamid to be a knowledgeable scholar, a true humanist and a great
friend.
Sincerely,
Judea Pearl, President,
Daniel Pearl Foundation
16161 Ventura Blvd, #671
Encino, Ca. 91436
