BA, Arabic and French; PhD, Classical Islamic Law, Univ. of Manchester. Research areas in Christian-Muslim relations, religion and public life and Islamic ethics. Currently, only Muslim female professor in Islamic studies in the UK; recognized public intellectual. Regular contributor to the print and radio media. Chair, Scottish Religious Advisory Committee, BBC. 2005, Fellow, Royal Soc. of Edinburgh and Royal Soc. of Arts. 2016, will give Gifford lectures, Aberdeen Univ. Visiting professorships, univ. of Tilburg, Georgetown and Cambridge. Author: Christians, Muslims and Jesus; The Good Muslim. Four honorary doctorates. Awarded OBE (2011).