Victor Begg
A head and shoulders portrait of a fifty-something man with white hair and glasses, looking into the camera
Born
Mirza Ghalib Begg

Mirza Ghalib (Victor) Begg (born 1947) is an Indian-born Muslim American author, philanthropist and community leader. Alongside his column-writing and community activism, Begg is a former entrepreneur and businessman who opened several furniture stores throughout metro-Detroit in the 1980s.

Early life and education

Victor Begg was born to an upper-class family of eight siblings in Hyderabad, India.[1]

Career

Muslim community activist

In the midst of opening the first of his Naked Furniture franchises, Begg began to invest time as a leader in metro-Detroit.[2] In the early 1980s, he co-founded an umbrella organization that would eventually become the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan (CIOM) focused on “civic, interfaith, media and other forums to represent a ‘singular’ community voice.”[2] The council was formally established in 1988 and incorporated in 1993.[3] During the incorporation phase, he established the Muslim Unity Center mosque in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan with the intention of creating an inclusive environment for a diversity of ethnic groups and various schools of thought within Islam.[4] He has been widely regarded as a religious leader for Muslims in metro-Detroit since the 1980s.[5]

After establishing the CIOM and the Muslim Unity Center in the 1990s, Begg headed the Muslim American Alliance. The group focused on media, networking and advocacy, and Begg effectively became a spokesman for the community where he fielded queries from journalists and offered perspective on issues affecting Islamic communities.[1]

In 2007, then-CIOM-chairmen Begg organized Sunni and Shi’ite leaders in Michigan to sign a peace pact affirming their commitment to speak out against conflicts between the two sects.[6][7] Then in 2009, he began a collaboration with Jewish community volunteers in metro-Detroit called “Mitzvah Day,” where non-profit Islamic and Jewish groups collaborated to feed and clothe local residents on and around Christmas.[8][9] In 2011, Begg, alongside Jewish and Chaldean leaders, organized an Interfaith Health Fair run by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Detroit and the CIOM.[10]

Throughout 2012, Begg spoke out against Muslim violence in response to the publishing of "Innocence of Muslims," a film critical of Muhammad and the Muslim faith.[11]

In 2013, Begg criticized McDonald's for rolling back the decision to sell halal food in Dearborn after a $700,000 settlement against the restaurant chain that alleged the menu items were not consistently halal.[12]

Writer and author

Currently, Begg serves as a guest columnist for several Michigan- and Florida-based newspapers. He has published work in the Treasure Coast Palm,[13] Detroit Free Press,[14] USA Today,[15] Florida Today,[16] and Lebanon Daily News,[17] among others. He has also made guest appearances on several national news and regional media outlets, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NPR, and the Los Angeles Times [18] His columns often revolve around acknowledging and working to resolve conflicts worldwide involving Muslims and tensions surrounding Muslim-Americans.[19] Begg is a self-proclaimed supporter of the Republican Party.[20]

In February 2019, Begg released his first full-length book, Our Muslim Neighbors: Achieving the American Dream, an Immigrant's Memoir.[21]

Personal life

Begg married Lata Shanbhag in 1975 after meeting at the University of Detroit. They have 3 children.

References

  1. 1 2 Hicks, Mark. "Muslim activist details interfaith work in 'true-blue American story'". Detroit News. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  2. 1 2 "Get to Know: Victor Begg '74, sharing his American story". 2019-09-18. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  3. ↑ "History". mimuslimcouncil. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  4. ↑ "Muslim Unity Center (CJ)". hwpi.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  5. ↑ Pupcenoks, Juris (2015-12-07). Western Muslims and Conflicts Abroad: Conflict Spillovers to Diasporas. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-42632-5.
  6. ↑ "Sunni and Shiite Muslims in the U.S. Come Together in Life and Prayer". Fox News. 2015-03-25. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  7. ↑ "Area Muslims promote new code of unity". Los Angeles Times. 2007-04-23. Retrieved 2020-04-01.
  8. ↑ "Detroit's Muslim community joins Jewish groups to help with Mitzvah Day". Crain's Detroit Business. 2009-12-18. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  9. ↑ Karoub, Jeff (2009-12-24). "Mich. Muslims join Jews for Christmas Day Mitzvah". Boston.com. Retrieved 2020-04-01.
  10. ↑ "Mixing it up in Motor City mosque". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  11. ↑ SLEZAK, JOE. "Detroit-area Islamic, Catholic leaders: Violence not answer to anti-Muhammad film". The Oakland Press. Retrieved 2020-04-01.
  12. ↑ AP.com, Katie Little With (2013-06-25). "McDonald's Retreats From Selling Halal Food After Lawsuit". www.cnbc.com. Retrieved 2020-04-01.
  13. ↑ "Guest column: Anti-sharia protesters are selling phantom threats". Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  14. ↑ "ISIS, extremists do not represent majority of Muslims (Guest column)". Michigan. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  15. ↑ Begg, Victor. "Kashmir, rugged and beautiful, is a ticking time bomb between India and Pakistan". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  16. ↑ "Opinion: After NYC attack, Muslim-Americans face fear of retaliation". Florida Today. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  17. ↑ "Don't let terrorists define the narrative". Lebanon Daily News. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  18. ↑ "Longtime Metro Detroit Muslim advocate returning to Michigan for April book tour". 2019-03-31. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  19. ↑ "After NYC attack, Muslim-Americans face fear of retaliation | Guest column". Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  20. ↑ "I'm a Republican, an immigrant and a Muslim — and I want my party back | Guest column". TCPalm. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  21. ↑ "Victor Begg's 'Our Muslim Neighbors': Meet a Muslim this year—build a healthier community". Explore. 2019-02-04. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
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