Abdul Cader Asmal

Abdul Cader Asmal is a retired physician who was credentialed to practice medicine in South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. He is an activist for Islam condemning both ISIS and Islamophobia alike. In promoting the ‘middle path’ of Islam Asmal has partnered with interfaith coalitions of many traditions. In the medical field, he was recognized for his academic achievements in obtaining the following credentials: an MB BS, MD, PhD, FCP, and FRCP and Board Certification in Internal Medicine, and in Endocrinology and Metabolism. In his pursuit of promoting the image of Islam he was elected as president of the Islamic Center of Boston, the Islamic Council of New England and its communications director. For his interfaith work, he was a director of Inter-Religious Center for Public Life, is on the board of the Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries and serves on the Needham Clergy Association and the Human Rights’ Committee.

Early life Asmal was born in Durban, South Africa, on July 2, 1938. His mother died shortly after his birth. His primary school was a segregated government-aided Methodist school and his middle school was a Government-aided Hindu one. His high school was exclusively for Indians. He was admitted to the White Universities of Cape Town and Witwatersrand to study medicine, but because of his non-White status, government policy denied him permission to study at these White universities.

Medical training and practice Asmal was accepted at the University of London where he obtained his medical degree in 1963. He completed his residency at the non-White King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban. In 1967, he passed the Board Certification in Internal Medicine at the College of Medicine (FCP). In 1969, he was awarded a scholarship to conduct research into diabetes at Guy's Hospital in London.

Medical awards 1969: British Council Scholarship 1980: South African Medical Councils Research Award (the first to a non-White) ‘Terrorism is not Islamic’: New York Times Op-Ed. August 4, 2005, A.C. Asmal The American Muslim: – search for articles by A.C. Asmal ‘Who is a Muslim? An intense struggle within the Muslim World for the Soul of Islam’ A.C. Asmal