Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari

Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari is an Islamic scholar, public speaker and author of Islamic books and translator of several Arabic works to the English language.
Works
His authored books include Islamic Guide to Sexual Relations, Birth Control & Abortion in Islam, and The Issue of Shares and Simplified Rules of Zakat. He has also published Shaykh Zakariyya Kandahlawi’s Wujub I’fa’ al-Lihya (the obligation of growing a beard) and Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri’s Mabahith fi Aqa’id Ahl al-Sunna aka: Al-Muhannad ala‘l-Mufannad (Discussions in the beliefs of the Ahl al-Sunna), both with critical analysis and footnotes in Arabic.
Controversy
In February 2011, University of York student media reported on the controversy surrounding al-Kawthari's visit. Various campus groups launched an official complaint on the grounds of social cohesion, focusing on a recent report by Civitas. Key criticisms included allegations that al-Kawthari's views "legitimis rape," and accusations that his opposition to women traveling more than 48 miles without their husbands was inherently sexist. The Member of the UK Parliament for York Outer, Julian Sturdy stated: "I believe in the absolute importance of freedom of speech, but I am not happy that this vile speaker is using the university as a platform to create tension in the community."
Defenders of al-Kawthari, including the University of York Islamic Society, stated that his views were taken "bizarrely out of context" and accused the campaigners of hypocrisy in selectively defending free speech. A statement by al-Kawthari responding to the allegations was read on BBC York. Following the controversy, al-Kawthari delivered the talk entitled "Misconceptions of Islam" on February 16, 2011 without incident. The evening ended with a question and answer session, which raised some controversial and challenging questions about homophobia and honour killings. Al-Kawthari argued that honour killings are a result of culture, not religion, and ended by hoping Islamaphobia will reduce, not only at York, but across the country.

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