By: Maya Srikrishnan Posted: 4/14/08 – The Daily Texan
UT signed an agreement Saturday at the state Capitol with Aga Khan University.
This weekend, Gov. Rick Perry hosted the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, part of the Shiite branch of Islam and descendent of the Prophet Muhammad. The agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding, was signed by UT President William Powers and President Firoz Rasul of the Aga Khan University in the presence of Perry and the Aga Khan.
“It’s a very general agreement with the university,” said Richard Flores, liberal arts associate dean for academic affairs. “UT has these agreements with lots of exchange partners. The exchange is for faculty and staff if they are interested down the road.”
Flores said the agreement was being handled primarily by the governor’s office. Perry and the Aga Khan became friends years ago and facilitated the relationship between the universities, he said.
The Aga Khan University was founded by the Aga Khan in 1983. It is an international university with campuses in Afghanistan, Kenya, Pakistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Syria, Egypt and the United Kingdom, according to the school’s Web site.
Gail Minault, a UT history professor, said the group of Muslims that follow the Aga Khan are well known in trade and commerce. They are a fairly well-off group of people who often do charity work all over the world and are very involved in education, Minault said.
“Naturally, the university is pretty well funded,” Minault said. “It is involved in medical education, engineering and technical education, but also in teaching about Islam, so sort of cultural education as well. The Aga Khan is a good guy. He’s a wealthy man, but he wants to spend his wealth to benefit not just Muslims, but the world at large.”
Shahina Virani, an education junior, is a follower of the Aga Khan. Virani said she has been anticipating the leader’s trip to Texas for a long time, since the signing of the agreement coincides with the 50th year of the Aga Khan’s guidance to the sect. Virani and her family helped plan the leader’s visit by aiding in logistics, such as registration for the Golden Jubilee Dinner that was hosted Saturday night.
She said the agreement between UT and the Aga Khan University will be beneficial to all students, not just the Islamic ones.
“I know there are a lot of stereotypes out there, and people still have the perception that people from Islamic countries are bad from past experiences,” Virani said. “It will make people realize that Muslim people are not bad. It will make people see that the faith isn’t bad and that just because one person is bad, does not mean everyone is.”
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Ismailimail 
Islam is a religion of Peace, Tolerance , compassion. It is also true that Islam encompasses the same Judaio-Christian heritage. And all these major religions are linked back to Prophet Abraham.
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