IRSHAD MANJI Friday, 6pm Eastern

Courage in a Time of Corruption

The New York Times calls Irshad Manji “Osama bin Laden’s worst nightmare.” Oprah Winfrey gave her the first annual Chutzpah Award for “audacity, nerve, boldness, and conviction.” Manji, director of the Moral Courage Project at New York University, accepts both as compliments. The project develops young leaders who will challenge conformity and champion creativity, including reform-minded Muslims. She is the internationally bestselling author of The Trouble with Islam Today: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her Faith. In those countries that have banned her book, Manji is reaching readers by posting free translations on her popular blog. In just over a year, the Arabic translation has been downloaded 300,000 times and circulated by youth throughout the Middle East. She created the acclaimed PBS documentary, Faith Without Fear, which follows her journey to reconcile Islam with freedom and human rights. For her pioneering work, Manji receives both death threats and distinctions: The World Economic Forum has selected her as a Young Global Leader; The European Foundation for Democracy has made her a Senior Scholar; and The Jakarta Post in Indonesia — the world’s largest Muslim country — identifies Manji as one of three Muslim women creating positive change in Islam today.