UCLA School of Law professor Khaled Abou El Fadl has been named as a 2005 Carnegie Scholar by the Carnegie Corp. of New York.

"As one of the preeminent scholars in Islamic legal studies, Professor Khaled Abou El Fadl is richly deserving of this honor, which truly underscores the influence of his scholarship and teachings," said Michael Schill, dean of the law school.

Abou El Fadl is one of the leading authorities in Islamic law in the United States and the world, and has studied Islamic legal sciences in Egypt, Kuwait and the United States. He has been a member of the UCLA law faculty since 1998. Abou El Fadl has written 10 books, the most recent being "Islam and the Challenge of Democracy" (2004), an insightful discourse on the challenges of democracy in contemporary Islam. He also has published numerous articles that have been translated into many languages, and has been interviewed and quoted on Islamic issues in major publications around the globe.

In addition to his scholarly work, Abou El Fadl was appointed by President George W. Bush as a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Abou El Fadl was selected to serve as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations independent task force on U.S. policy toward reform in the Arab world. He has acted as an expert witness free of charge on numerous terrorism cases on behalf of the U.S. government, and serves on the board of directors of Human Rights Watch.

"I am truly delighted and honored that Carnegie is acknowledging the critical importance of work focused on Islamic law in the world today," Abou El Fadl said. "More important than honoring me, Carnegie is honoring the field of Islamic law, which, frankly, is long due. I commend Carnegie for its pioneering stand."

Carnegie Corp. recently announced a new emphasis on Islam to encourage the development and expansion of the study of Islam within the United States and to stimulate research resulting in thoughtful and original scholarship.

"The Corporation has decided to focus the Carnegie Scholars Program on one specific area of vital importance: Islam," said Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corp. "Our overall aim is to expand the range of scholarship in order to promote knowledge and understanding
about Islam as a religion and about the cultures and communities of Muslim societies both in the United States and abroad."

Carnegie Scholars receive up to $100,000 over a two-year period to pursue research. The 2005 class of scholars reflects a diversity of professional, ethnic and geographical backgrounds. Notably, half the honorees are young, having received a doctorate in or after 1994; one-third are women; and several have lived in Muslim societies around the world. The range of their professional fields includes Islamic studies, law, religion, history, international relations, politics, anthropology, and English and comparative literature.

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Founded in 1949, the UCLA School of Law is the youngest major law school in the nation, and has established a tradition of innovation in its approach to teaching, research and scholarship. With approximately 70 faculty and 970 students, the school pioneered clinical teaching, is a leader in interdisciplinary research and training, and is at the forefront of efforts to link research to its effects on society and the legal profession.