Hisham Ahmed Funeral and Family Expenses
Donation protected
After a long battle with cancer, Hisham Ahmed passed away on 7 July 2019 at age 56. The above photo was taken just a few weeks before. We are fundraising to pay for his memorial, burial and associated expenses. If there are extra funds, they will be donated to help Hisham's family at this time of sorrow and need.
The following tribute to Prof Hisham Ahmed explains what an inspiring and special person he was.
Dear Colleagues,
By now you have seen the sad news that our beloved colleague, Professor Hisham Ahmed, has passed away, in the presence of family and friends on Sunday evening. I am grateful to his colleagues and friends in the Politics Department and beyond who have contributed to this notice, which attempts to do some justice to his profound legacy.
Dr. Hisham H. Ahmed, Ph.D. was Professor of Politics at Saint Mary’s College of California since 2006. A prodigious scholar of Middle East Politics and International Relations, he was an expert on Terrorism and the Hamas movement. He also wrote poetry and was well versed in Arabic poetry and literature. He was a beloved professor and colleague, having served the Department and the College in many roles during his 13 years at Saint Mary’s.
Born in the Deheisheh Refugee camp near Bethlehem, Palestine, in 1963, Professor Ahmed was an adamant advocate for the human rights of the Palestinian People. He was the author of significant research on politics in the Middle East, Islamic movements, and American foreign policy. His books include From Religious Salvation to Political Transformation: The Rise of Hamas in Palestinian Society, and a study on the prominent Palestinian academic and statesman entitled Ibrahim Abu-Lughod: Resistance, Exile and Return. He is the author of dozens of book chapters and scholarly articles in English and Arabic, and was often featured in domestic and international television and radio interviews on Palestinian and Middle East affairs.
Before arriving at Saint Mary’s College, he held previous positions at Florida International University, the University of North Dakota, and Bir Zeit University in the West Bank, Palestine.
At Saint Mary's College of California, he served as Chair of the Politics Department from 2013-2016, was Chair of the Academic Senate from 2015-2016, and served on more than 20 campus committees. In 2017-18, he was honored with the College’s Outstanding Scholar Award.
Professor Ahmed taught courses on International Relations, Comparative Politics, Middle East Politics, Politics of the Developing countries, the Dynamics of Terrorism, United Nations, and Culture and Society in the Arab World.
He listed as his career objective on his CV “to enhance international understanding through teaching and research,” and his life demonstrated that calling. He was the founder or co-founder of several international bodies to enhance peace, democracy and human rights in the Middle East.
Hisham was a loving husband and father and is survived by his wife, Amneh, and their two school-aged children, Noor and Ahmed. He had a wonderful sense of humor that revealed his playful nature and as well as his belief that his disability was an inconvenience but hardly an impediment to living a full life.
In a 2011 profile, Professor Ahmed, who was blind from birth, spoke of his origins: "When I view my own experience and wonder how I managed to overcome the many hardships, it is not computable … I made it against all odds and adversity. It was a constant struggle from day one.” In his life’s work as a teacher, scholar, and advocate, and in his personal relationships, Professor Hisham Ahmed worked to remove walls, build trust, and empower others. He spoke truth to power and wedded reason with empathy. He was a man of deep integrity who pursued high ideals. He firmly believed that the implausible is not impossible, and that appearances are often deceiving.
Hisham Ahmed touched and inspired the hearts of those who knew him, and we are all saddened by his passing. He will be deeply missed by Saint Mary’s faculty, staff, and students alike.
In peace,
Sheila Hassell Hughes
Dean, School of Liberal Arts
Saint Mary's College of California
NOTE / 22 July 2019
I have been requested by Go Fund Me to clarify the following information for donors:
1) This Go Fund Me campaign was set up by me, Rick Sterling, at the request of Sam Kharouf who organized the memorial and burial service for Hisham.
2) I am a long time friend of Hisham and became very close with him and his wife, especially in the last couple months as he was suffering and having to spend nights in the hospital. Hisham and Amneh said they consider me a brother.
3) Donations are going to be transferred to my bank account so that, with Sam, we can make the appropriate payments and transfers.
4) All of the funds and transfers will be documented and donations will be given in cash and bank transfer to Hisham's wife Amneh, in the proportions she requests.
Go Fund Me retains about 3% of the total donations. Sam and I will not receive any compensation for our efforts. In fact, we each donated hundreds to the cause. If anyone has a question feel free to contact me. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this campaign. Hisham is gone but will always be in our hearts.
The following tribute to Prof Hisham Ahmed explains what an inspiring and special person he was.
Dear Colleagues,
By now you have seen the sad news that our beloved colleague, Professor Hisham Ahmed, has passed away, in the presence of family and friends on Sunday evening. I am grateful to his colleagues and friends in the Politics Department and beyond who have contributed to this notice, which attempts to do some justice to his profound legacy.
Dr. Hisham H. Ahmed, Ph.D. was Professor of Politics at Saint Mary’s College of California since 2006. A prodigious scholar of Middle East Politics and International Relations, he was an expert on Terrorism and the Hamas movement. He also wrote poetry and was well versed in Arabic poetry and literature. He was a beloved professor and colleague, having served the Department and the College in many roles during his 13 years at Saint Mary’s.
Born in the Deheisheh Refugee camp near Bethlehem, Palestine, in 1963, Professor Ahmed was an adamant advocate for the human rights of the Palestinian People. He was the author of significant research on politics in the Middle East, Islamic movements, and American foreign policy. His books include From Religious Salvation to Political Transformation: The Rise of Hamas in Palestinian Society, and a study on the prominent Palestinian academic and statesman entitled Ibrahim Abu-Lughod: Resistance, Exile and Return. He is the author of dozens of book chapters and scholarly articles in English and Arabic, and was often featured in domestic and international television and radio interviews on Palestinian and Middle East affairs.
Before arriving at Saint Mary’s College, he held previous positions at Florida International University, the University of North Dakota, and Bir Zeit University in the West Bank, Palestine.
At Saint Mary's College of California, he served as Chair of the Politics Department from 2013-2016, was Chair of the Academic Senate from 2015-2016, and served on more than 20 campus committees. In 2017-18, he was honored with the College’s Outstanding Scholar Award.
Professor Ahmed taught courses on International Relations, Comparative Politics, Middle East Politics, Politics of the Developing countries, the Dynamics of Terrorism, United Nations, and Culture and Society in the Arab World.
He listed as his career objective on his CV “to enhance international understanding through teaching and research,” and his life demonstrated that calling. He was the founder or co-founder of several international bodies to enhance peace, democracy and human rights in the Middle East.
Hisham was a loving husband and father and is survived by his wife, Amneh, and their two school-aged children, Noor and Ahmed. He had a wonderful sense of humor that revealed his playful nature and as well as his belief that his disability was an inconvenience but hardly an impediment to living a full life.
In a 2011 profile, Professor Ahmed, who was blind from birth, spoke of his origins: "When I view my own experience and wonder how I managed to overcome the many hardships, it is not computable … I made it against all odds and adversity. It was a constant struggle from day one.” In his life’s work as a teacher, scholar, and advocate, and in his personal relationships, Professor Hisham Ahmed worked to remove walls, build trust, and empower others. He spoke truth to power and wedded reason with empathy. He was a man of deep integrity who pursued high ideals. He firmly believed that the implausible is not impossible, and that appearances are often deceiving.
Hisham Ahmed touched and inspired the hearts of those who knew him, and we are all saddened by his passing. He will be deeply missed by Saint Mary’s faculty, staff, and students alike.
In peace,
Sheila Hassell Hughes
Dean, School of Liberal Arts
Saint Mary's College of California
NOTE / 22 July 2019
I have been requested by Go Fund Me to clarify the following information for donors:
1) This Go Fund Me campaign was set up by me, Rick Sterling, at the request of Sam Kharouf who organized the memorial and burial service for Hisham.
2) I am a long time friend of Hisham and became very close with him and his wife, especially in the last couple months as he was suffering and having to spend nights in the hospital. Hisham and Amneh said they consider me a brother.
3) Donations are going to be transferred to my bank account so that, with Sam, we can make the appropriate payments and transfers.
4) All of the funds and transfers will be documented and donations will be given in cash and bank transfer to Hisham's wife Amneh, in the proportions she requests.
Go Fund Me retains about 3% of the total donations. Sam and I will not receive any compensation for our efforts. In fact, we each donated hundreds to the cause. If anyone has a question feel free to contact me. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this campaign. Hisham is gone but will always be in our hearts.
Organizer
Rick Sterling
Organizer
Walnut Creek, CA