Raheel Raza (born 1949–50) is a Pakistani-Canadian journalist, author, public speaker, media consultant, anti-racism activist, and interfaith discussion leader. She is among the most prominent Muslim supporters of Israel. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is the author of Their Jihad, Not My Jihad: A Muslim Canadian Woman Speaks Out. She opposes Islamic extremism. She is an honorary associate of the National Secular Society Early life Raza is a Pakistani currently living in Canada. She graduated from Karachi University with degrees in Psychology and English. In 1989, she, her husband and her two sons moved to Toronto. Activism and political views On Islam She has unequivocally condemned the September 11th terrorist attacks and all terrorism and violence in the name of religion, as well as that done in the name of Islam specifically. She claims "radicals" have their own interpretation of Islam, and that the Qur'an does not justify suicide bombings. She has said that hatred has been preached in places of worship in Canada and urges parents to be on the alert for extremism. Raza identifies herself as a libertarian. Female-led mixed gender prayers Raza has been a human rights activist, and has advocated gender equality, particularly for Muslim women. She became the first woman to lead mixed-gender Muslim prayers in Canada, in 2005. Raza termed it a "silent revolution" and said she hopes to become an imam someday. She also dreams of having a mosque "for women by women". She received death threats following the 2005 prayer event. After female imam Amina Wadud received death threats for leading mixed-gender prayers in New York City, Raza was invited by Taj Hargey in 2008 to go to Oxford and become the first Muslim-born woman to lead a mixed-gender British congregation in Friday prayers. According to Muslim reformist Tahir Aslam Gora, such prayers did not become a regular practice. The Canadian Islamic Congress said Raza's concerns were a "non-issue for Canadian Muslims". Opposition to prayers in schools Raza opposed congregational Muslim Friday prayers in public schools, saying that in 1988 the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that the use of the Lord's Prayer in public schools was not appropriate. She said such prayers are contrary to the notion of separation of church and state. She called the prayers "discrimination and harassment" for requiring girls to pray at the back of the room and for disclosing their "private personal female condition".