Abdullah Saeed is currently the Sultan of Oman Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies and director of the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne. He is an internationally recognized scholar and contributor to modern Islamic thought and writes for both scholarly and general audiences. His research focus is a key area of Islamic thought: the negotiation of text and context, jihad and interpretation. His publications cover Qur'anic hermeneutics, Islamic finance, Islam in the West, Islam and human rights, reform of Islamic education and Islamic law. He is a member of the UNESCO Commission of Australia and a board member of the Australia-Thailand Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Australia. He contributes to print and electronic media on Islamic issues. He is well-known for his inter-faith activities in Australia and overseas and for his progressive outlook. Website: ww.abdullahsaeed.org. Dr. Saeed holds degrees from Saudi Arabia (B.A.) and Australia (M.A. and Ph.D.).