This in-person book talk by Dr. Ori Z. Soltes was a discussion on “Between Thought & Action”, Fethullah Gulen`s intellectual biography of thoughts, words, and actions including interviews with Hizmet movement followers. This volume has two goals. One is to explore the life and the thought of Fethullah Gulen and the important educational and peace-inducing activities in which he and those inspired by him have been engaged for several decades. The outcome of those efforts—of creating schools and providing diverse social and cultural services that bring people together people from diverse backgrounds—has been to provide the face of civic and civil Islam as an antidote to the uglier side of political Islam. The second goal has been to make clear how the accusations against Mr. Gulen by the minions of Turkey`s President could hardly be more false: that what Gulen and the Hizmet (service) movement</s

Dr. Parrillo and Dr. Ansari present a cross-cultural study of Hizmet schools in seven countries of varying histories and ethnic compositions. Some are fairly homogeneous, while others are longstanding multicultural, multiracial societies. Some have Muslim-majority populations, others a small Muslim minority. Through hundreds of interviews with students, parents, staff, and financial supporters, the authors explored individual perceptions and experiences, as well as the triad of student, parent, and school interaction. Analyzing the commonality of the schools' structures and processes in different settings, they offer their insights about the schools' success in achieving their twin goals of offering quality education and promoting interethnic harmony.   About the Author: Vincent N. Parrillo Prof. Emeritus, Sociology, William Paterson University Vincent N. Parrillo is the author of numerous books and journal

We think we have the answers, but we need to be asking a lot more questions. Partisanship is up, trust is down, and our social media feeds make us sure we’re right and everyone else is ignorant (or worse). But avoiding and attacking one another is breaking… everything. Journalist Mónica Guzmán is the loving liberal daughter of Mexican immigrants who voted—twice—for Donald Trump. When the country could no longer see straight across the political divide, Mónica set out to find what was blinding us and discovered the most eye-opening tool we’re not using: our own curiosity. In this timely, personal guide, Mónica Guzmán, takes you to the real front lines of a crisis that threatens to grind America to a halt—broken conversations among confounded people</strong

Religious nationalism is on the rise worldwide. In the U.S., it has primarily taken the form of White Christian Nationalism: the affiliation of being White and Christian with belonging and mattering in this country. This program explored the nature of global nationalism and its specific manifestation in the U.S. First, we heard from Dr. Mark Juergensmeyer, who is an expert who has been studying this trend for over thirty years. His keynote remarks were followed by a panel of diverse faith leaders who shared their views on building interfaith solidarity to resist the White Supremacist Christian ideology threatening our nation. This program was a forum for people of faith to learn, become activated, and feel equipped to respond together effectively. Program Outline: Opening Remarks Rev. David Lindsey, Executive Direc

While anti-Semites and Islamophobes often speak as if our faiths have been frozen in ice (and primitive thinking) for many centuries, the fact is that Jews and Muslims belong to living, breathing, stimulating faiths. On February 9, 2022, JIDS and the Rumi Forum jointly presented a dialogue that presents some of the exciting ideas and personalities that have emerged within the past century to enrich our faiths. Jews and Muslims belong to living, breathing, and stimulating faiths. On this panel, we discovered some of their inspiring modern thinkers together. We heard presentations about two modern Jewish thinkers: Rami Shapiro, who has brought a passion for various eastern faiths into his study of Judaism, and <strong data-slate-leaf= "true"

Rumi Forum, Prince George’s County Office of Human Rights, and Prince George’s County Memorial Library System presented a virtual panel discussion on “How Do We Deal With Covid, Social Injustice, and Polarization?” on February 3, 2022, for a conversation for our time, in recognition of World Interfaith Harmony Week. How do we build and use interfaith harmony to develop restoration, reconciliation, and resiliency as applicable to the world that we live in now? We are plagued: by the Covid-19 pandemic, by social injustice, by economic inequities, limited and inequitable access to resources, environmental injustice, and the polarization of our times. Three faith leaders will consider these difficult questions and provide hope and practical solutions to taking steps towards restoration, reconciliation, and resiliency today. Panelists <a href= "https://karamah.org/rahmah-a-abdulaleem-esq/" target=

On December 9, 2021, participants joined this in-person book talk for a considered study of Muslim–Christian coexistence and dialogue in the time of Prophet Muhammad. The Christians that lived around the Arabian Peninsula during Muhammad’s lifetime are shrouded in mystery. Some of the stories of the Prophet’s interactions with them are based on legends and myths, while others are more authentic and plausible. But who exactly were these Christians? Why did Muhammad interact with them as he reportedly did? And what lessons can today’s Christians and Muslims learn from these encounters? Scholar Craig Considine, one of the most powerful global voices speaking in admiration of the prophet of Islam, provides answers to these questions. Through a careful study of works by historians and theologians, he highlights an idea central to Muhammad’s vision: an inclusive Ummah, or Mu

Using inside sources and extensive field reporting about the secretive, high-stakes world of international diplomacy, Vatican reporter Victor Gaetan takes readers to the Holy See to explicate Pope Francis‘s diplomacy, show why it works, and offer readers a startling contrast to the dangerous inadequacies of recent U.S. international decisions.   About the author Victor Gaetan, Ph.D., has served as an international correspondent for Catholic News Service and the National Catholic Register. He contributes to Foreign Affairs and America magazine. He has written from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East—experiences that provided a wealth of contacts with the notoriously tight-lipped papal diplomatic corps. He gathered rare insight in the Vatican Secr

Working on an aid program in one of the most violent places in the world, North East Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, philanthropist, and business leader Steve Killelea asked himself, ‘What are the most peaceful nations?’ Unable to find an answer, he created the world’s leading measure of peace, the Global Peace Index, which receives over 16 billion media impressions annually and has become the definitive go-to index for heads of state. Steve Killelea then went on to establish a world-renowned think tank, the Institute for Economics and Peace. Today its work is used by organizations such as the World Bank, United Nations, and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and taught in thousands of university courses around the world. "Peace in The Age of Chaos" tells of Steve’s personal journey to measure and understand peace. It explores the practical application of his work, which is gathering momentum at a rapid pace. In this time when we are faced

The Qur’an often addresses Jews and Christians as “People of Scripture” to indicate that they have received revelation from God. Yet, while acknowledging the special relationship and knowledge that this revelation brings, the Qur’an at the same time criticizes the People of Scripture for not remaining true to God’s guidance and claiming special power over God’s gifts. The mixture of acknowledgment and criticism is based on actual encounters with Jews and Christians at the time of the revelation of the Qur’an. This Christian commentary on the 31 texts in which the Qur’an discusses and addresses the People of Scripture

Arson and vandalism at houses of worship. Bullying at schools and harassment at the grocery store. Political scapegoating and institutionalized discrimination. Muslims in the United States and beyond have faced Islamophobia in a range of forms. This ground-breaking book argues that Christians though they are not the targets of Islamophobia should be at the forefront of efforts to end the prejudice and discrimination that Muslims face. Writing for Christians of all denominations, Jordan Denari Duffner offers an introduction to Islamophobia, discusses the unfortunate ways that Christians have contributed to it, and offers practical steps for standing in solidarity with Muslims. Viewing Islamophobia as both a social justice and a religious freedom issue, Duffner makes the case that Christian faith calls us to combat religious discrimination even when it is not directed toward our own faith community. She weaves together insights from Catholic social teaching, examples from Prote

Fratelli Tutti (All brothers and sisters), subtitled “on Fraternity and Social Friendship” is the third encyclical of Pope Francis. The document was signed on October 3, 2020 during Pope Francis’s visit to the top of his namesake St. Francis of Assisi and was released on his feast day. It borrows its title from St. Francis’s Admonitions. Fratelli Tutti is Catholic in terms of its origin, yet universal in terms of its substance. The encyclical addresses a set of contemporary global challenges that threaten global peace and highlights “fraternity” as a remedy to build a just world. As a sign of recognition of its global appeal, the United Nations declared February 4 as the International Day of Human Fraternity beginning in 2021. Fratelli Tutti is the focal point of the 2nd Interfaith Leadership Forum. This conversation will bring together a diverse array of faith leaders and scholars in the DMV area and beyond for an interactive exchange on some of the most pressing issu

This event is a Muslim-Jewish interfaith dialogue for college students and young professionals in the DMV area. The conversation, which will feature guest speakers, will center around combating antisemitism and Islamophobia from the outside while also addressing prejudice and misunderstanding within our own communities. We hope to bring Muslim and Jewish young adults together to learn about one another's faiths and experiences and to use this knowledge and empathy to become better allies united against hatred. Amidst rising antisemitism and Islamophobia throughout the United States, we need to have these conversations and advance Muslim-Jewish solidarity. Our partners in carrying out this event will be Jewish and Muslim institutions across DMV area college campuses, faith organizations for young professionals, and interfaith institutions.

This panel is intended to explore the connection between faith and women empowerment with a particular focus on women leadership. Our aim is to highlight the potential of faith in efforts for women’s participation in decision making, elimination of violence, achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls within the framework of the SDG5. The event will shed a spotlight on the role of women leaders of faith as key stakeholders and entrepreneurs of change in achieving these goals. This event is co-hosted by the UNA-NCA, which will specifically explore the effort to adopt CEDAW at the municipal level. Speakers Samirah Majumdar, Pew Research Center, Research Associate Gayatri Patel, CARE International, Director of Advocacy Jill Christianson, UN Association of the National Capital Area, Board Chair-Elect

Using Rumi Poetry to Flip the Modern-Day Script Join author S. A. Snyder for an online discussion of her latest book, “The Value of Your Soul: Rumi Verse for Life’s Annoying Moments.” Drawing from her 2019 memoir of living at a spiritual retreat in Scotland, this new book is a witty collection of short tales. With the help of select verses from Rumi, Snyder teases out some lessons learned from her funny experiences and offers a soupçon of homespun guidance for coping with people, situations, and life. Her witty style and unique experiences combine to make this a fun, light read with a reminder not to take life too seriously. She’ll introduce her new book, read select passages, and answer questions. Learn more about the book at https://www.lunarivervoices.com/books/value-of-your-soul/

Dialogue as the path, cooperation as the code, understanding as the method. The Legacy It is hard to exaggerate the legacy of the meeting between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik Al-Kamil in 1219, a historical encounter that took place in the midst of the Fifth Crusade. This event is still remembered as a landmark of religion’s transformative power despite differences even during the most unwelcoming moments. On 3-5 February 2019, His Holiness Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyeb signed “A Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” in the United Arabic Emirates to mark the 800th anniversary of the iconic meeting. The Document The Human Fraternity Document, rather than being a symbolic commemorative text, draws inspiration from the past for concrete future action. It is realistic in admitting the challenges humanity faces today, straightforward in highlighting the vital r

“From the secretive circles of Yemen's ancient Sufi mystics to the Constantinople court of the Ottoman Sultans to the backstreets of Mercantile London, coffee has changed every society that fell under its heady sway. Abdul-Rehman Malik has spent a lifetime searching for the soul of coffee. Join us as we explore the culture, politics, spirituality and the extraordinary history of the world’s most second traded commodity – and learned how a humble bean – quite literally – changed the world.”   <div class="style-scope ytd-video-secondary-info

“Few are guilty, but all are responsible.” So said Abraham Joshua Heschel, reminding us of one the key teachings of our Abrahamic Prophets. We are indeed all responsible for confronting and resisting injustice. But how do we do this wisely, effectively, and morally? Rumi Forum and JIDS will bring in two diverse experts to provide insights on this question. Dr. Sophia Pandya is currently a full professor and department chair at California State University at Long Beach, in the Department of Religious Studies. She has written extensively on the topic of resistance efforts in the Muslim world. Rabbi Michael Pollack is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and now serves as the Executive Director of March on Harrisburg. It is our hope that by having an interfaith dialogue led by an esteemed academic and a community activist who fights injustice in the trenches, we can truly honor the spirit of Dr. King in addressing such a hallowed topic.

On October 30, Rumi Forum held a discussion of the Netflix show ‘Stateless’. ‘Stateless’, released on Netflix this summer, is a six-episode series based on a true story of an Australian citizen who was held in one of Australia’s immigrant detention centers. It follows the stories of several characters as they come into contact with Australia’s immigration system, including migrants who have fled violence and persecution in their home countries, employees of the center and Australia’s immigration agency, and advocates for immigrant rights. The experiences of the characters and their intertwining journeys are rife with lessons and opportunities for empathic consideration. We gathered via Zoom for a 75 min conversation about the content and salient themes of the show, and our takeaways from viewing it. Our discussion was centered on the ethical dilemmas faced by the different characters in their varying positions. This event was not intended to be a debate about immigrati

On October 25, the inaugural event of the new Interfaith Leadership Forum explored how to deepen interfaith work in religious communities, professional life, and our culture. Leaders from all segments of society, and those who want to become leaders, joined us for this virtual event. The ILF aims to promote pluralism by convening leaders of various religious, ethnic, racial, cultural, and gender backgrounds to exchange ideas and generate action-oriented agenda. It provides a venue where a diverse group of community leaders, scholars, clergy, and public officials can engage in in-depth discussions on shared values and explore ways to harne

On October 15, Rumi Forum held a book talk, Thirty Days With King David, by pastor, educator and leadership coach Larry Buxton. King David ranks among the world’s greatest heroes for defeating Goliath and for preaching Psalms. He is honored by Jews, Christians and Muslims. In turbulent times, he united a nation—and his hard-earned wisdom can bring us together today. In this book, pastor, educator and leadership coach Larry Buxton shows us how David embodies 14 crucial values shared by effective leaders to this day. Buxton dedicates this book “to everyone who believes that the character of any leader is of critical importance to our nation, our institutions, our congregations and our homes; and to all those who seek to let God shape their character as more virtuous human beings, that their influence may spread to heal our world.”

On October 2nd, the International Day of Non-Violence, we would like to thank Rev. Canon Leonard Hamlin, Hardy Merriman, Rivera Sun, and Mary Elizabeth King for the excellent discussion on the current state and relevance of nonviolent action in the contemporary globe. Grievance and deprivation, perceived or real, tempt groups into violent behavior. Rapid change, social upheaval, and uncertainty make violent expressions of social discontent even more likely. It is in those moments that we are called to demonstrate a heightened sense of restraint and sound judgment. It is in those moments that nonviolence presents as a timely and timeless concept for contemporary societies. And yet, while few would disagree about the virtue of nonviolence, a similarly firm belief and understanding about its power, strategy, and discipline is much harder to locate. The M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence and Rum

On September 9, our speakers Katherine Marshall, Kim R. Ford, Jerome Tennille, our moderator Stephen Moseley, and our partner UNA-NCA had a great discussion about how community solidarity has displayed itself in ways that we haven’t seen before to eradicate poverty in the age of pandemic. At a time when everyone around the world is grappling with unprecedented changes and challenges in their lives, one of the most fundamental values that continues to make positive changes in our lives is generosity. The inevitable quality of giving continues bringing individuals of all backgrounds regardless of their languages, ethnicities, races, faiths, opinions together across the globe. We have witnessed various shades of generosity as they are implemented as a means of standing together in unity. Whether that's through educating ourselves on social issues, raising awareness about humanitarian causes, supporting communities through monetary contributions or reaching out to a neighbor next

On September, 24 moderators, Joel O. Rainey, and speaker, Jason Criss Hawk, speaker, engaged in an authentic exchange on “A Baptist Army Veteran’s Journey with Islam”. Our next Coffee Night speaker program featured podcast host, award-winning author, and university lecturer Jason Howk. An army veteran of Baptist confession, Howk shared with us his stimulating story that connected his first career as a military officer to a second and no less interesting one as an interfaith speaker and lecturer on Islam. <p data-key="27" data-slate-fragment= "JTdCJTIyb2JqZWN0JTIyJTNBJTIyZG9jdW1lbnQlMjIlMkMlMjJkYXRhJTIyJTNBJTdCJTdEJTJDJTIybm9kZXMlMjIlM0ElNUIlN0IlMjJvYmplY3QlMjIlM0ElMjJibG9jayUyMiUyQyUyMnR5cGUlMjIlM0ElMjJwYXJhZ3JhcGglMjIlMkMlMjJkYXRhJTIyJTNBJTdCJTdEJTJDJTIybm9kZXMlMjIlM0ElNUIlN0IlMjJvYmplY3QlMjIlM0ElMjJ0ZXh0JTIyJTJDJTIybGVhdmVzJTIyJTNBJTVCJTdCJTIyb2JqZWN0JTIyJTNBJTIybGVhZiUyMiUyQyUyMnRleHQlMjIlM0ElMjJKb2luJTIwb3VyJTIwbmV4dCUyMENvZmZlZSUyME5pZ2h0JTIwc3BlYWtlciUyMHByb2d

On August 22 as we mark the second International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief Sabrina Dent, Richard T. Foltin, Kristen Lavery, and The Rev. William H. Lamar IV shared their insights on religious freedom. Freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is the protection of the conscience and the free exercise of people’s understanding of the ultimate truth. It is not only a fundamental right but also an individual, institutional, private and public right as well. As enshrined in the First Amendment, the Articles 18,19, and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights also protect the rights to freedom of religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to peaceful assembly and association. However, not every region is always a stronghold of allowing people to live by their core values and belie

On Thursday, August 6, with her mesmerizing storytelling narrative, Sarah Snyder was with us. She presented an illuminating and vivid depiction of her journey, which started at a retreat center in Scotland, followed by a succession of unforgettable memories. Her presentation of the humorous memoir Plant Trees, Carry Sheep: A Woman’s Spiritual Journey Among the Sufis of Scotland included the following segments. When Sarah Snyder left her home in Montana to volunteer to plant trees at a private estate in Scotland, she expected a pleasurable six-month break from her humdrum life. When she arrived, however, she learned she would also be caring for a menagerie of poultry, doing rigorous household chores, and shepherding a flock of truant sheep. Her experience turned out to be a soul-forging adven

On Tuesday, July 7, Sabeeha Rehman and Walter Ruby shared the wonderful story of their upcoming book, “We Refuse to be Enemies”, about how the paths of a Muslim woman and a Jewish man crossed and led to a joint endeavor for a meaningful purpose. Sabeeha Rehman and Walter Ruby, a Muslim-American woman of Pakistani origin and a Jewish-American man who spent his formative years in Israel, will share their story of how they connected and embarked on a mission to bring their respective communities together in their common homeland, America. Growing up in Pakistan, Sabeeha never met a Jew, her view colored by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In his youth, Walter never met a Muslim, his opinion shaped by Leon Uris's Exodus. What changed their perceptions? How did they fare in nurturing Mu

On Tuesday, May 12, Rumi Forum hosted Dr. Yehuda Stolov, the executive director of the Interfaith Encounter Association (IEA), for a discussion about IEA’s outstanding story of building interfaith bridges in Israel and Palestine. He highlighted an inter-communal model where ongoing groups of interfaith encounters prevail the opportunity to meet the ‘other’. Based in Jerusalem, IEA plants seeds of the desired long-lasting friendships coupled with respect for the unique identity of each. The IEA invites people from different traditional and cultural backgrounds and faiths to join its groups. Within the groups, participants have meaningful encounters which bring them closer to each other. Prejudice, hostility, and suspicion are transformed into a direct acquaintance, mutual respect and friendship. IEA groups are both a model for inter-communal relation

On Thursday, May 7, Rumi Forum participated in the National Day of Prayer with its third prayer event. A diverse group of leaders and clergy participated in the exceptional hour of healing words, blessings, and prayers.

On Sunday, May 3, Rumi Forum participated in the Day of Unity coordinated by Inter with its special event, “Healing with Rumi”. Three leading scholars walked us through the legacy of Rumi with a particular focus on healing during difficult times. Rumi; the great jurist, mystic, poet, and scholar was a pioneer of reconciliation and healing during the time he lived, and continues to inspire hearts and minds to this day. Rumi Forum is proud to announce its special Day of Unity event “Healing with Rumi” where we will reflect on and celebrate this legacy. Please join us for a stimulating journey into Rumi’s universe with three renowned speakers. This webinar is a great opportunity for those interested in religion, mysticism, and poetry to rediscover the healing potential of Rumi’s great example in challenging times.  <!-- wp

On Thursday, April 23, Rumi Forum in collaboration with Atlantic Institue hosted Dr. John L. Esposito from Georgetown University, who gave a great talk about pluralism in the US, recent trends in the social landscape, and the particular impact of COVID19. This marked the sixth Virtual Coffee Night Series. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

On Wednesday, April 22, Rumi Forum in collaboration with the American Turkish Friendship Association (ATFA) and Institute of Islamic and Turkish Studies (IIST) brought leaders from various faiths to offer blessings and prayers to ask for the deliverance of humanity from troubles during these testing times.

On Monday, April 20, Rumi Forum hosted Petra Alsoofy, Outreach & Partnerships Manager at Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) for the fifth Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Petra Alsoofy gave an illuminating data-based presentation about Muslim women the US in a variety of dimensions; including family, education, wellness, and institutional capacity. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conve

On Friday, April 17, Dr. Craig Considine from Rice University was with us to talk about the humanity of Muhammad from a Christian view with an emphasis on the Identification with All Humanity (IWAH) as a moral concept. It was the fourth Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. About the Speaker</str

On Wednesday, Aril 15, for the third Virtual Coffee Night speaker series, Melissa Rogers, a leading expert and scholar on religion in American public life, gave a fascinating talk on how the First Amendment encompasses common ground, and for sharing insights on controversies about religion in public life. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations.

On Monday, April 13, Rumi Forum featured Baxter Oliphant from Pew Research Center to talk about up to date Pew Research findings of how American public opinion responds to COVID-19 news in the media for the second Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. About the Speaker: <!-- /wp:i

On Friday, Aril 10, Rumi Forum launched the first Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Dr. Peter Cohen talked about ways to project empathy and compassion during these testing times. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. SPEAKER: Dr. Peter Cohen receive

On Tuesday, February 4, 2020, Rumi Forum and its’ key partners, George Washington University Interfaith Council, United Nations Association-National Capital Area, and Twelve Gates Foundation, celebrated the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week with a panel discussion about “Living Harmoniously in an Interfaith World: A Muslim Contribution”.   A world of interfaith harmony will not be achieved by religious organizations agreeing on theology. Each faith tradition has its own unique teachings and traditions, and each individual is unique in their own p

On Monday, November 18, Rumi Forum presented a comparative reading on the prominent 13th-century Sufi mystic Jelalludin Rumi and renowned 18th-century Swedish scientist, philosopher, and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. With Ori Z. Soltes from Georgetown University and Richard Tafel from the Church of the Holy City as speakers, we will discuss personal philosophy, legacy, and impact of these two prominent luminaries. It was a captivating exchange between Rev. Tafel and Dr. Soltes as they presented how similar two prominent mystics were in such a variety of dimensions. Ori Z. Soltes teaches at Georgetown University across a range of disciplines, from art history and theology to philosophy and political history. He is the former Director of the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum, and has curated more than 85 exhibitions there and in other venues across the country and overseas. He has authored or edited 21 books and scores of articles and essays. Some of his recent boo

A Fresh Perspective on Religious Freedom from One of the Nation’s Top Attorneys. On Wednesday, November 14, Rumi Forum had the honor to host Luke Goodrich of Becket Law for a talk about his latest book, Free to Believe. Goodrich discussed why religious freedom is important and how it can be defended in contemporary America. Many Americans feel like their religious freedoms are under attack and their beliefs will soon be punished as a form of bigotry. Others say these fears are overblown and Christians should stop complaining about imaginary persecution. In Free to Believe, leading religious freedom attorney Luke Goodrich challenges both sides of this debate, offering surprising insights on the most controversial religious freedom conflicts today—including gay rights, abortion rights, Islam, and the public square. Goodrich shows that threats to religious freedom are real—but they might not be what you think.<

On October 7, 2019, Rumi Forum hosted author Dr. Jon Pahl for a book talk and discussion on his recent biography of Rumi Forum's Honorary President Fethullah Gulen. The event was moderated by Ori Z. Soltes from Georgetown University. In this first critical biography of Fethullah Gülen in English, historian Dr. Jon Pahl took us on a journey where we discovered wisdom and controversy, from 1940's Turkey to the U.S. in the twenty-first century. Dr. Pahl told the story of a pious Muslim boy from a tiny and remote Turkish village who on the one hand has inspired a global movement of millions of individuals dedicated to literacy, social enterprise, and interreligious dialogue, but who on the other hand has been monitored by Turkish police, seen as a threat by autocrats, and recently declared number one enemy by the current Turkish government. With lively prose and extensive research, Dr. Pahl traces Fethullah Gülen's life and thought in its contexts, states clearly his own position

On May 1, 2019, Rumi Forum held an event about the diversity of the Muslim American community and their various situations. Muslims make up about 1% of the American public, but there are also many Americans who have a connection to Islam but do not personally identify as Muslim. This presentation discussed which Americans are most likely to personally know someone who is Muslim, intermarried couples, people who were raised Muslim but no longer identify, and people who identify as Muslim but say religion is not very important to them. How common are there situations? Are these patterns more common among some demographic groups than others? Speaker: Besheer Mohamed is a Senior Researcher at Pew Research Center. He is an expert on the views, demographic profile and size of U.S. Muslim communities. He also has extensive experience with computational science, as well as developing best practices for quantitative data collection on small populations.

On April 1st, Rumi Forum organized a book event for Anwar Alam's new book titled For the Sake of Allah at Ezher Mosque. Speaker/Author: Anwar Alam, PhD, is Senior Fellow with Policy Perspectives Foundation, New Delhi. Earlier he served as Professor of International Relations at Zirve University, Gaziantep, Turkey, and Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; Director of Centre for West Asian Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Associate Professor at School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He is a recipient of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, Germany, and specializes in West Asian and South Asian Studies.

On March 31st, Rumi Forum organized the Food and Faith Event at Sakina Halal Grill. Food and Faith both bring people together. Faith traditions have a specific relationship with food. Whether it be the role food plays in daily life or providing food to the needy, faith traditions recognize this necessity as something more. Panelists: Rev. Canon Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. began his tenure at the Washington National Cathedral in April 2018. In his role as Canon Missioner, Dr. Hamlin oversees the Cathedral’s outreach and social justice initiatives. Prior to his arrival at the Cathedral, Dr. Hamlin served as the Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Arlington, VA for 22 years. Dr. Hamlin received his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree (1983) from the Howard University School of Business, Master of Divinity Degree (1994), and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Howard University School of Divinity (1996). He has served and been appointed to numerous communi

On January 27, 2019, Rumi Forum and The Jewish-Islamic Dialogue Society of Washington (JIDS) held a joint event on mysticism at ISWA. Mysticism plays an important role in the spirituality of both Judaism and Islam. It is central to developing our relationship with God and in inspiring us to serve humankind. In this session, we’ll consider both the Jewish and Muslim mystical traditions first by hearing from devoted practitioners and then by engaging in small-group discussions. Panelists: Gabriel Abasi is a lifelong Sufi who has graced the DC-area interfaith community over the years with a devotion to selfless service and a commitment to mysticism.This devotion to service recently inspired him to work on an exciting concept called “The Culture of Compassion,” which includes creative use of blogs, social media and other forms of technology to heal the planet. Herb Levy is an experienced teacher of Kabbalah classes at multiple D.C.-area

On November 14th, Rumi Forum held a book event at our offices for God and the Goalposts: A brief History of Religion, Sports, Politics, War, and Art. The interpenetration of sports and religion is as old as history and as wide as geography. The angles of interpenetration have been diverse—from the Bible to the Iliad and the Aeneid, from gladiatorial contests to the Crusades to chess, from the Mayan game of pok-a-pok to Lacrosse to contemporary NBA championship games. Moreover, the sports/religion matrix has always been interwoven with politics (from which religion has rarely strayed) and war (for which sports has always offered a surrogate)—and art (which captures so much of this in words and images—from Greek vase paintings to contemporary films. Give this subject an hour and you will never watch a game the same way again. Speaker/Author: Ori Z. Soltes teaches art history, theology, philosophy and political history at Georgetown University. He is th

On October 5th, Dr. Saritoprak’s talk examined the place of Jesus in the Qu’ran and Hadiths. He explored Islamic theological perspectives on Jesus, including classical and contemporary theologians’ views of Jesus. Dr. Saritoprak also discussed the different theological views of the descent. Finally, he addressed the important role that Jesus can play in interfaith dialogue. Speaker/Author: Zeki Saritoprak, Ph.D, is Professor and the Bediüzzaman Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies at John Carroll University. He holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Theology from the University of Marmara in Turkey. Professor Saritoprak is the author of Islam’s Jesus (University Press of Florida, 2014) and over thirty academic articles and encyclopedia entries on topics in Islam. He has served as guest editor for issues of the journals Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations and the Muslim World. He is editor and co-translator of Fundamentals of Rumi’s Thought: A Mevlevi Sufi Perspective (

On September 13th, Dr. Katayoun Kishi, Research Associate at Pew Research Center, presented her findings from the ninth in a series of reports by Pew Research Center analyzing the extent to which governments and societies around the world impinge on religious beliefs and practices. To measure global restrictions on religion in 2016 – the most recent year for which data are available – the study, released in June 2018, ranks 198 countries and territories by their levels of government restrictions on religion and social hostilities involving religion. Speaker: Katayoun Mirfendereski Kishi is a research associate at Pew Research Center. She oversees the Center’s annual study on global restrictions on religion. Her previous work has included research on topics such as identity politics and religion, international conflict, survey research, and food security. Before joining Pew Research Center, Kishi held positions at the United States Institute of Peace

  On March 22nd, 2018 we discussed what challenges Christianity faces in a 21st century America with a group of distinguished panelists. Rumi Forum and faith leaders discussed the challenges and lessons of Christianity in America. On March 22nd, panelists presented their own narratives and facilitated strategical interfaith applications for the community. Speakers included Joel Rainey, lead pastor of Covenant Church in