IN the Muslim world, Asghar Ali Engineer is known to be a fierce fighter for gender equality and women’s rights. He also sides with the poor who have been marginalized by the inequitable social structure. They are, to quote Iranian sociologist Ali Syariati, the oppressed. Engineer heads the well-known Bohra Ismailiyah Shiite community in India.

Lately, Engineer has been speaking out on the importance of mutual respect between people of diffe