A Pioneering Program to Educate Muslim Community Leaders

Recognizing the importance of educating Muslim leaders for leadership in the American context, Hartford Seminary is pleased to announce a Graduate Certificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership.

The certificate, offered in cooperation with the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) in Herndon, VA., is the first formal education program offered specifically for imams and Muslim community leaders in the United States.

The program is designed for already experienced imams and Muslim community leaders. It combines the Seminary’s expertise in congregational studies and religious leadership, through its Hartford Institute for Religion Research, with its expertise in Islam and interfaith relations.

By the end of the program, students will be better prepared to encounter the theological, pastoral and organizational challenges of providing excellent religious leadership to the growing Muslim community in the United States.

“Once again, Hartford Seminary is a pioneer in theological education and innovative partnerships,” President Heidi Hadsell said. “For more than 100 years we have offered education in Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations. In the last decade we have launched Islamic Chaplaincy and Building Abrahamic Partnerships programs. Now we are meeting the educational needs of imams and Muslim community leaders in the United States.”

“It is vitally important to prepare religious leaders to lead their faith communities in the American context. Hartford Seminary is a key player in this effort, through our various interfaith initiatives and now through this certificate in community leadership,” Hadsell said.

“Ten years ago Hartford Seminary started its Islamic Chaplaincy Program at the request of the military and others who were in need of additional trained Muslim chaplains. The program has blossomed and trains chaplains for service in the military and at colleges, hospitals and prisons.” Hadsell said.

“Now we see a similar need to provide leadership education for Muslim community leaders, and this program with IIIT is designed to fill this need,” she said.

"We value our partnership with Hartford Seminary in this unique program," said Dr. Jamal Barzinji, vice president of IIIT. "We look forward to being the seminary's off-site campus not only for this jointly-sponsored certificate program but also for expanded instructional activities in the future,” he said.

Following completion of a pilot program that brought together a dozen imams and community leaders in the Washington, D.C., area for leadership education, Hartford Seminary and IIIT have signed a five-year agreement that adds the program to the Seminary’s academic offerings.

The program will require imams and community leaders both to take courses in various academic disciplines and to take field education that provides practical experience.

"This graduate certificate program seeks to enhance the ability of Muslim imams to better lead and serve their communities within the American social context. For that purpose, Hartford Seminary indeed offers the right set of courses and a unique group of scholars to teach them," said Iqbal Unus, director of The Fairfax Institute at IIIT.

The program includes a unique course that provides the Muslim leaders an opportunity to reflect theologically on their leadership practices with colleagues, thereby improving their ability to lead.

from left, Ms. Saloua Aliuoa, Admissions Officer, The Fairfax Institute
Dr. Iqbal Unus, Director, The Fairfax Institute
Dr. Hisham Altalib, Director of Finance, IIIT (back row)
Dr. Jamal Barzinji, Vice President, IIIT
Dr. Heidi Hadsell, President, Hartford Seminary
Dr. M. Yaqub Mirza, President, Sterling Management Group (back row)
Dr. James Nieman, Academic Dean and Professor of Practical Theology, Hartford Seminary
Dr. Abubaker Al-Shingieti, Director of Research, IIIT

The first session of the course, titled “Reflection on Ministry Experience,” was taught by James Nieman, Academic Dean and Professor of Practical Theology at Hartford Seminary, and Larry Golemon, a consultant and researcher in theological education who is co-author of “Educating Clergy: Teaching Practices and Practical Imagination.”

Nieman said the course is unique because:

• It is a way of building upon a leader’s existing experience as a basis of learning
• It teaches the discipline of reflecting theology on an experience from an Islamic perspective
• It does this in a collegial atmosphere, combining both imams and other Muslim leaders
• It does this with the specific aim of helping them be more effective leaders in the American context

By giving imams and community leaders the opportunity to reflect on actual situations, the course helps fulfill one of the goals of the graduate certificate program, which is to help participants explore what it means to be an imam or community leader in America.

Nieman pointed out that imams in the United States are asked to do many things that may not be expected of imams in other countries. They may have more pastoral and administrative duties. This course helps them consider and anticipate their additional responsibilities.

Further information on the Graduate Certificate is available at www.hartsem.edu or by writing to admissions@hartsem.edu.

About the International Institute of Islamic Thought: The Institute promotes research, publications and conferences related to Islamic thought and contemporary social sciences. The Institute stands at the forefront of Islamic scholarship in contemporary social sciences and humanities. It is committed to the revival and reform of Islamic thought to help Muslims deal effectively with modern social challenges and contribute to the progress of civilization.

About Hartford Seminary: The Seminary engages leaders in international inter-religious initiatives; prepares leaders, students, scholars and religious institutions to understand and live faithfully in today's multi-faith, world; engages a diverse array of people in dialogue; and affirms the particularities of faith and social context while openly exploring differences and commonalities.  The Seminary provides educational opportunities that enable participants to understand themselves and their faith traditions better and to contribute more fully to a culture of dialogue and creative leadership in their civic and faith communities locally, nationally and abroad.

For further information, please contact David Barrett, Director of Public and Institutional Affairs, at 860.509.9519 or dbarrett@hartsem.edu. President Heidi Hadsell is available for interviews at 860.509.9502 or Hadsell@hartsem.edu.