Qamar-ul Huda ’90
Qamar-ul Huda ’90 was listed in The Muslim 500: The World’s 500 Most Influential Muslims for 2016, published by The Royal Islamic Strategic Centre in Jordan. Huda is a senior policy advisor to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s Office of Religion and Global Affairs.
The annual publication selected Muslims from 13 categories ranging from business to science and technology, based on research and interviews by an international board. Huda was recognized for his scholarly influence in public policy and increasing awareness of religion in international relations. He authored Striving for Divine Union: Spiritual Exercises for Suhrawardi Sufis, edited Crescent and Dove: Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam, and has written on conflict resolution, mediation, and civil society actors in fragile states.
“I’m honored to be recognized and to be listed with a distinguished group of policy makers, entrepreneurs, scholars, and innovative thinkers,” he said.
Prior to joining the secretary’s office, the State Department sent Huda as a subject-matter expert on countering violent extremism to establish and implement activities for the International Centre of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism, based in the United Arab Emirates. “It’s a privilege to serve the U.S. State Department at a time when emerging threats need to be fully understood and I can be a part of team bringing new long-term thinking on the intersection of religion and policy,” Huda said.
