Sherman Jackson

Biography Sherman Jackson

Sherman Jackson also known as Abdal Hakim Jackson, is an American scholar of Islam. He is the King Faisal Chair of Islamic Thought and Culture and Professor of Religion and American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. He was formerly the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Visiting Professor of Law and Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Michigan.

Jackson was born in 1956 in the United States. He received his Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990. His dissertation was on the constitutional jurisprudence of the medieval Muslim scholar Shihāb al-Dīn al-Qarāfī.

Jackson has published extensively on Islamic law, theology, and intellectual history. His books include Islamic Law and the State: The Constitutional Jurisprudence of Shihāb al-Dīn al-Qarâfī (1996), On the Boundaries of Theological Tolerance in Islam: Abû Hâmid al-Ghazâlî’s Faysal al-Tafriqa (2002), Islam and the Blackamerican: Looking Towards the Third Resurrection (2005), and Islam and the Problem of Black Suffering (2009).

Jackson is a frequent speaker on Islam and interfaith relations. He has been featured in numerous media outlets, including CNN, NPR, and The New York Times. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Council of Learned Societies.

In 2011, Jackson was named the King Faisal Chair of Islamic Thought and Culture at USC. This is a prestigious endowed chair that recognizes outstanding scholarship in the field of Islamic studies. Jackson is the first African American to hold this chair.

Jackson is a leading scholar of Islam in the United States. His work has helped to shape the understanding of Islam in American society. He is a respected voice for interfaith dialogue and understanding.

He is also the founder and director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at USC. Jackson is a dedicated scholar and educator. He is committed to promoting understanding and tolerance between Muslims and non-Muslims. His work has made a significant contribution to the field of Islamic studies and to the public understanding of Islam.