Saudi Prince Donates $40M to Universities

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BOSTON - A Saudi prince believed to be the wealthiest businessman in the Muslim world has donated $40 million for Harvard and Georgetown to expand their Islamic studies programs, the schools announced Monday.

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud, who gave $20 million to each university, is a nephew of the late King Fahd and worth upward of $20 billion, according to Forbes magazine, which ranked him fifth on its 2005 list of the world's billionaires.

Harvard and Georgetown officials said they will use the gifts to add faculty and scholarships and expand their Islamic studies curricula.

"Bridging the understanding between East and West is important for peace and tolerance," Prince Alwaleed said in a statement issued by both schools.

Harvard, which is naming its newly created program after Alwaleed, already has more than two dozen faculty researching or teaching in the field of Islamic studies.

"This program will enable us to recruit additional faculty of the highest caliber, adding to our strong team of professors who are focusing on this important area of scholarship," Harvard President Lawrence Summers said in a statement.

Georgetown will use the gift, the second-largest in its history, to expand its Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding. The center, which was founded in 1993, also will be renamed after Alwaleed.

"At this time of world conflict, Georgetown is committed to build upon our role as a Catholic, Jesuit institution in fostering greater understanding among religions around the world," said the university's president, John DeGioia.

Harvard plans to use its gift to launch the Islamic Heritage Project, which will digitally preserve Islamic texts and make them available on the Internet.

Georgetown plans to endow three new faculty chairs and expand its center's library.

Alwaleed is an investor who chairs the Kingdom Holding Co.

 

Rudy Guliani refused this guy's donations after 9/11. What did he know ?

 

So why did Guliani refuse the money ?

Also, if Catholic universities are considered Christian, then my question, if Christ taught there, would he teach islam ?

 

Answer my question first. Would Jesus teach Islam ? Remember, the catholic church claims to be his representative.

 

For once, John, take a stand and give us an honest asnwer. Would Jesus teach Islam ?

Then answer why Guliani refused the gift.

 

John, you gave no answer. Jesus would never teach Islam in any way, and we all know it. And I'd like to see scripture supporting your claim that Jesus didn't believe in scholastic education.

Now to Daisy....

Micheal Moore, & you, in the past, have told us Saudi's should be looked at, due to Bush's relationship with them, and the trail of oil money that allegedly comes from Saudi to the white house. So why would you not be alarmed at this ?

 

Would Jesus teach Islam ? Answer my question first.

 

You never answered it, John, as I can't look at your answer, and find where you stand.

 

Jesus often told people they didn't know scripture, and often tells us to study, read, & re-read. Do you think he meant the Koran ?

 

You are wrong. Jesus commands us to study scripture. His word. Not muhammud's or anyone elses.