Scholar

Upon completing his Ph.D., Nayed pursued an academic career as a professor of philosophy and comparative religion. Gaining a reputation as a leading scholar and pioneering figure in interfaith dialogue and Muslim-Christian relations, Nayed has taught at institutions in Libya, Italy, Malaysia, UK, the US, and Jordan. A professor for over 20 years, he has written books, monographs and more than 70 articles. The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center named him as one of the top 50 most influential Muslims in the world.

In Libya, Nayed has taught a variety of courses on interfaith dialogue, comparative religion, and Islamic jurisprudence at many respected, historical institutions such as the Othman Pasha Madrasa, Islamic Call College, Tripoli University, and Al-Jihad Historical Studies Institute.

In February 2011, together with religious scholars (ulema) from across Libya, Aref established the Network of Free Ulema. The Network united Libya’s most senior Muslim to ensure the preservation of the orthodox, mainstream, compassionate, pluralistic and humane Islamic theological and religious outlook, that shunned all extremism. The Network of Free Ulema has since grown from an informal group of scholars to eventually form the League of Libyan Ulema (Rabita Ulema Libya) which continues to serve as an authority that guides Libya’s moral, social, and political values.

Nayed is a pioneering figure in the field of inter-faith relations. He was the only Libyan original signatory to the “A Common Word Between Us and You” Declaration which calls for peace and understanding between Muslims and Christians. In 2006, when Pope Benedict XVI made controversial comments on Islam, Nayed was instrumental in drafting a letter inviting Catholic-Muslim dialogue. He also took part in a conference of clerics which reinterpreted the 14th-century scholar Ibn Taymiyya’s fatwa on jihad, arguing that radical Islamists who use it to justify killing are misguided. Nayed represents Libyan theologians as a member of the Board of Advisors of Templeton Foundation, a Senior Advisor to the Interfaith Program at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow at the Royal Aal Al-Bayt Institute in Jordan.

In 2009, when Aref noticed a lack of research and training on Islamic studies and comparative religion in the Arab region, he established Kalam Research and Media, a non-profit think tank honored by the John Templeton Foundation as one of the world’s leading research institutions on interfaith dialogue. Kalam Research and Media (KRM) publishes research on Libya’s traditions, cultural values, and religious practices. Its Libyan Studies Center has contributed to the restoration of Libya’s historical religious institutions such as the Othman Pasha Madrasa in the Old City of Tripoli. Through its publications, forums, and support of the League of Libyan Ulema, Kalam Research and Media has also ensured a fair and balanced religious dialogue that reflects the views of all Libyan Ulema.

In 2012, Nayed founded the Libya Institute for Advanced Studies (LIAS), a leading non-profit training institution dedicated to educating Libya’s next generation of leaders based in Tripoli. It offers courses in areas such as public sector management, finance, media and communications, and environmental technologies which respond to current curricula gaps in Libyan higher education and technical and vocational training.

LIAS has built academic partnerships with elite institutions across the globe and is committed to exploring and analyzing the most pressing issues facing Libya through applied research. LIAS has hosted a series of stakeholder consultations to encourage the conceptualization of innovative and practical on-the-ground projects that address key development challenges in Libya. These stakeholder consultations led to the Arab region’s first participatory, crowd-sourced national vision called Ihya Libya Vision 2030.

Aref’s Record Thus Far

As a Leading Libyan Scholar and Scientist

• Aref Nayed supports an education system that meets the needs of the labor market and that provides a solid grounding in Libyan values, traditions, cultural heritage
• Aref Nayed believes an immediate focus on human development is essential to national progress and overcoming Libya’s current challenges
• Aref Nayed Is a leading global advocate for increasing Muslim-Christian understanding and views mutual understanding as a foundational basis for foreign policy
• Aref played a key role in establishing the League of Libyan Ulema which united Libya’s religious leaders to call for the previous regime to step down and continues to provide moral guidance to youth
• Aref Nayed encourages a religious discourse and national dialogue based on compassion
• Aref Nayed supports broad-based national dialogue for reconciliation
• Aref Nayed believes more inclusive dialogue is necessary to define a national vision that reflects the aspirations of all Libyans
• Aref Nayed believes more youth need to participate in the political process
• Aref Nayed views the February 17th Revolution as an opportunity for Libyan youth to redefine Libya’s future
• Aref Nayed believes stability must be achieved while addressing key economic, human development, and government challenges in parallel