“Muslims in America: Where Do We Go From Here?” is the topic of the annual Imam Khattab Lecture on Islamic Thought by Dr. Ovamir Anjum, University of Toledo Imam Khattab Endowed Chair of Islamic Studies.

The free, public lecture is 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 15 in the Driscoll Alumni Center Auditorium.

“I will address the multiple challenges and threats Muslims in America face in the new political climate,” Anjum said. “Most American Muslims have no ‘back home’ to which they can go. The majority of Muslims in America are American citizens. Many are born here and have no substantial ties to another country. Nearly half are African-American, and a growing minority are Caucasian and Latin-American.”

The lecture is part of the UT Center for Religious Understanding’s annual lecture series, which has been active for more than a decade. The center promotes a deeper understanding of religion on campus and throughout greater Toledo.

“The new political climate has not increased threats to Muslims in America, but only brought these threats into the limelight, at least temporarily,” Anjum said. “These threats are significant, but the greatest threats come from within. The American Muslim community is a microcosm of the American society, and the rifts that threaten its thriving are those of racial tensions, economic inequality, inter-generational rupture, and breakdown of family and community. The lecture will invoke historical and contemporary examples to inspire hope for intellectual and social action.”

Tickets are required for the event. RSVP at cfru.eventbrite.com.

Last year’s Imam Khattab Lecture on Islamtic Thought given by Anjum was titled “Is ISIS Islamic?”