Hamline University reaches settlement with instructor who showed images of Prophet Muhammad in class

Hamline University reached a settlement this week with a former art history instructor whose contract wasn’t renewed after she showed centuries-old artworks in class that depicted the Prophet Muhammad.

The details of the settlement between the St. Paul private school and former adjunct instructor Erika López Prater are under seal and are expected to remain so indefinitely, according to Rebeccah Parks, a spokesperson for the U.S. District Court in Minnesota.

López Prater had sued the private school, which has a long history of connections to the United Methodist Church, for religious discrimination. Her case had placed the university at the center of an uncomfortable debate over academic freedom, Islamophobia and religious tolerance.

López Prater was working as an adjunct professor at the university in the fall of 2022 when she showed students two centuries-old artworks depicting the Prophet Muhammad. One showed the prophet — including his face — as he received a revelation from the Angel Gabriel that would later form the basis of the Qur’an. The second showed a similar moment, but with the prophet’s face veiled and his image surrounded by a halo.

Scholars and religious leaders have sometimes disagreed about whether Islam permits images of the Prophet Muhammad. Some Muslims argue that the images are strictly prohibited to avoid idolization. Others have images of the prophet in their homes.

López Prater has said she provided a disclaimer in the syllabus for the course and spent “at least a couple minutes” preparing students for the images. One of her students, Aram Wedatalla, president of the Muslim Student Association, said she heard the professor give a “trigger warning,” wondered what it was for “and then I looked and it was the prophet.” Wedatalla contacted university administrators to raise concerns.

Many academics rallied around López Prater, saying that she had done more than most instructors to prepare her students for the images and that they feared the decision not to renew her contract would have a chilling effect on professors who teach controversial material.

Groups supporting Wedatalla argued the university had an obligation to support Muslim students if it wanted to make good on its promises to promote diversity and inclusion.

Attorneys for López Prater and the university had a settlement conference on Monday. David Redden, an attorney representing López Prater, declined to comment Tuesday except to confirm they “did reach a resolution to the satisfaction of both parties.” Mark Berhow, a lawyer for the university, also issued a statement saying both parties were satisfied and declined further comment.