Letter to economist Prof M Shahid Alam: Message for Youth

I do not seek any kind of self-gratification by publishing this email conversation with a scholar (as you'd testify it doesn't exist in the post). I am reading these days articles of an economist and social scientist, Dr Shahid Alam, a Pakistani teaching at Northeastern University these days. He writes on politics, neo-liberalism economics, euro-centrism, Israel-Palestine conflict - he's a spokesperson for the oppressed, depressed and stressed who have no voice in the mainstream media outlets. He sees the world with eyes of his own Tradition and civilization, Islam. His outspoken critique of Israel has led open and liberal government of US, the greatest nation on earth to ever exist, to harass him by spying on him. You can read some of his articles here: PakPatriot, SSRN Author Page: Shahid Alam, and his website Q-Reason to which you can submit articles and/or share links to other scholarly articles.

I seek these voice with such a perspective grounded not in mere sentimentality but scholarship. I want to him but can't do it in a year or two, as he's in US... So want to thank him; here's the conversation which I'm only sharing because it has a simple, harmless message for Pakistani students:

Umer:


Assalamualaekum!

Sir, I'm writing this email from Pakistan, and pray that you may remain safe from spying on you or any other form of harassment. I wish I could meet you in person and thank you for intellectual courage and discernment with which are destroying "the idols of modern ideologies" and oppressors. You are a rare voice traditional Muslims (with all of our shortcoming) yearn to hear. I can only thank you and Allah for being that voice for Islam. And I only wish to request you to expand topics you write on in greater multitude.

HH Prof Shahid Alam:

Dear Umer Mian, WA

Thanks for getting in touch. I am glad that you have benefited from some of my writings. Encourage your friends to read books. We have many people with college degrees, but very few of them own or read books.

Wassalaam,

Shahid

M. Shahid Alam
Professor of Economics
Northeastern University
Boston, MA 02115

http://qreason.com