Famous music star Salman Ahmad to perform at university.
By: Hilary Parker
When the Rev. Paul Raushenbush, Princeton University’s associate dean of religious life, first began to reflect on the clash between religious beliefs and artistic expression, he had no idea that it would lead to a campus-hosted performance by Salman Ahmad, India’s and Pakistan’s most famous rock star.
In fact, he’d never heard of Salman Ahmad.
After learning of the murder of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh by an Islamic fundamentalist, the Rev. Raushenbush was discussing the conflict between art and religion with Zia Mian, a research scientist at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the Program on Science and Global Security. Mr. Mian mentioned Salman Ahmad’s name to him, and gave the Rev. Raushenbush a copy of "The Rockstar and the Mullah," a PBS and BBC documentary that investigates the tension between religious fundamentalists in Pakistan and Mr. Ahmad and his Sufi-inspired rock music.
The Rev. Raushenbush was hooked, and, within five minutes of sending out an e-mail to Pakistani and Indian students on campus asking them if they’d heard of Salman Ahmad and would enjoy a performance, the Rev. Raushenbush had his answer: "The student response was like, ‘Have you heard of Bruce Springsteen?’" he said.
And so, a Thursday event, "When Art and Religion Collide," has been organized for Mr. Ahmad to show the documentary and answer questions, and then perform an evening concert at the Princeton University Chapel.
After the Oct. 8 earthquake devastated the Pakistani region of Kashmir, the evening concert grew into a fundraiser that will benefit earthquake survivors and relief efforts. The 8 p.m. acoustic concert will feature Mr. Ahmad and his band, Junooni, and organizers are requesting a donation of $25, or $10 from students with a Princeton University ID.
"I’m very big on people from different religious traditions making the chapel their home and feeling at home in the chapel," said the Rev. Raushenbush. He is thrilled that the chapel, and Princeton University, can be a center for the local and global community, and recently received a phone call from a Princeton University security officer who lost relatives in the earthquake thanking him for the event. "She was so overwhelmed with the idea that we were doing this," he said.
Prior to the concert, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in McCormick Auditorium in the Art Museum, "The Rockstar and the Mullah" will be shown, followed by a short, academic response, and a question-and-answer session.
"It’s the beginning of a conversation," the Rev. Raushenbush said about the event. He commended Mr. Ahmad on the fact that he sat down and had a conversation with fundamentalist clerics, rather than ranting against them.
"There was a civility there that I think was very powerful and positive that’s another lesson to be gained," the Rev. Raushenbush said. "Actual conversations can go a long way toward understanding."

