Explore the theoretical foundations of Islamic pastoral care, the practical skills required for effective counseling, and the ethical considerations that guide Muslim pastoral caregivers.
Dates: December 20, 2023 – January 12, 2024
Asynchronous and Synchronous Online Sessions
Open to non-degree students
Take the course for credit or audit!
3-credit course cost: $750
Audit course cost: $450
Questions? Contact Ozlen Keskin at registrar@aicusa.edu
Dr. Nisa Muhammad is the Assistant Dean for Religious Life. She is responsible for programming that serves the faith, service, and justice needs of the Howard University community. Dr. Muhammad organizes Muslim worship services and answers questions about challenges from race to religion to relationships. She is also the advisor to the Muslim Students Association, the Youth Justice Advocates, the Nepalese Students Association and the Chess Club. Dr. Muhammad is on the executive boards of the ACSLHE (Association for Chaplaincy and Spiritual Life in Higher Education) and the Institute for Muslim Mental Health. She is the past president of the Association of Muslim Chaplains.
Learn about AIC’s degree & course offerings, student life, scholarships, and admissions requirements for our Spring 2024 semester and learn where AIC can take you.
Date: Sunday, October 22, 2023
Time: 12:00 PM CT
Platform: Virtual on Zoom
Registration in Advance: Click here
Welcoming students of all faiths and backgrounds, American Islamic College (AIC) is a Chicago-based institution of higher learning grounded in Islamic values and steeped in Islam’s rich and diverse intellectual and cultural traditions. AIC promotes appreciation for the scope and richness of Islamic history and civilization both in and beyond the classroom by means of significant research, impactful teaching, and informative public events highlighting Islam’s intellectual, artistic, and cultural expressions. Through rigorous scholarship and a commitment to social justice, the collective good, civic involvement, interfaith understanding, and intercultural engagement, AIC prepares students to become critical thinkers, visionary leaders, and responsible global citizens.
The Hassan Institute for Interfaith Encounter at American Islamic College, A Center for Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace & Justice at The Lutheran School of Theology, and Interfaith Institute at Chicago Theological Union bring you a tour of the “Interfaith Alley” a 1.6-mile stretch in Willowbrook of diverse congregations.
The tour group will visit worship sites, hear from practitioners, and discuss what it means to live in a multi-faith community over a shared meal at the end. In just 1.6 miles of Kingery Highway, the group will encounter Buddhist, Christian Orthodox, Hindu, Islamic, and Zoroastrian traditions.
Transportation is provided from Hyde Park (departure at 3:00 p.m. and return by 8:00 pm), or folks can meet us in Willowbrook from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Date: Sunday, October 8, 2023
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Bus departs Chicago Theological Seminary, 1407 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637, or Meet us at 4 pm at the first stop (see below)
Tour Schedule
3:00 pm – Depart Chicago Theological Seminary by bus
4:00 pm – Zoroastrian Center of Chicago
4:30 pm – Wat Buddha Damma Meditation Center
5:00 pm – Macedonian Orthodox Church
5:30 pm – Anjuman-e-Saifee Chicago
6:15 pm – The MECCA Center Dinner and Interfaith Discussion
7:00 pm – Departure and return to Chicago Theological Seminary
$20 for non-students, $10 for students, free for 12 and under – financial assistance available upon request. Fare covers transportation and dinner.
The dinner is graciously being sponsored by The MECCA Center.
For more information, contact Sara Trumm at strumm@lstc.edu or Romana Manzoor at romana@aicusa.edu.
American Islamic College’s Hassan Institute for Interfaith Encounter and the Chicago History Museum invite you to a celebration of two intertwined Chicago Muslim stories: Dr. Shakeela Hassan and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, two lives that became forever connected after their first encounter in the summer of 1956 in Chicago. Please come for a rich program to commemorate the transfer of stewardship of the Honourable Elijah Muhammad’s “Starry Crown” from Dr. Shakeela’s keeping to the Chicago History Museum, where it will be safeguarded, treasured, and displayed for generations to come.
Date: Saturday, October 7, 2023
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Venue: American Islamic College – Auditorium
Parking: Limited parking on-site/street parking on Irving Park Rd.
Free & Open to the Public; Registration Required
Register here, or use widget below
Ceremonial procession and light refreshments to follow
American Islamic College’s Hassan Institute for Interfaith Encounter and the Chicago History Museum invite you to commemorate two intertwined Chicago Muslim stories that have made an enduring impact on Chicago’s Muslim community and the city as a whole.
On this special occasion, being the birthday of the Honourable Elijah Muhammad and the slightly belated birthday of Dr. Shakeela Hassan, who’s birthday is just one day before, we honor the deep relationship between the Muhammad and Hassan families in the artifact that has come to be known as the “Starry Crown.”
The iconic image of Honourable Elijah Muhammad adorning a velvet cap with quintessential Islamic moon and star imagery became a standard feature starting in 1961, when he first wore the “fez” designed by Dr. Shakeela Hassan at the Chicago International Amphitheater. Their story begins when she met her future husband, Dr. Mohamed Zia Hassan, after her arrival from Hyderabad, British India, in July 1956. She had come to Chicago for her post-graduate medical training at Northwestern University. Dr. Zia Hassan, a graduate student at the time, immediately introduced her to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and his wife, Sister Clara Muhammad, in the third week of August 1956. It did not take long for Dr. Shakeela to consider “brother” Elijah, “sister” Clara, and their family her family.
In 1960, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad remarked that he wanted to enliven his wardrobe. Dr. Shakeela recalled saying “I am thinking about a cap for you.” She sketched a Fez design that included a crescent and star motif inspired by the flags of Pakistan and Turkey and patterns of Islamic art and architecture. Dr. Shakeela then bought the fabric from Marshall Field & Co.’s flagship store in Chicago, sketched a prototype design, and sent it to Lahore, Pakistan, to be sewn on luxurious silky velvet with zari embroidery. Zari is the intricate art of weaving gold and silver metallic threads by hand in South Asian dress. Sometimes calling Dr. Shakeela’s gift a “Starry Crown,” the Honourable Elijah Muhammad frequently appeared wearing the fez ever after, making the Starry Crown a symbol of the leader of the Nation of Islam.
Join us as we celebrate this incredible Chicago story.
Chicago History Museum: CHM’s mission—to serve as the primary destination for learning, inspiration, and civic engagement to connect people to Chicago’s history and each other—is the foundation of the Museum’s programs and events, exhibitions, educational initiatives, publications, and collecting activities that touch the lives of all Chicagoans.
The Hassan Institute serves and enables meaningful, life-changing inter and intra-religious encounters across the city of Chicago and beyond. The scope of the Hassan Institute’s vision and activism includes public programs all for the promotion of transformative encounters between diverse believers and faith communities.
Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Time: 6:30 PM in-person
Venue: American Islamic College Library
Free & Open to the Public; Registration Required
The only AIC alumnus who holds both a Master of Arts (MA) and a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from AIC, Tauseef is currently the Associate Director of Muslim Life at the University of Chicago. He advises, facilitates, advocates for, and supports the vibrant and diverse Muslim community on campus. As a chaplain, Tauseef also offers spiritual care and counseling to the whole campus community. Previously Tauseef served as Chaplain of Muslim and Interfaith Life at Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges in Minnesota. Tauseef also enjoys discussions around shared interests in Islamic/religious studies, literature, history, creative writing, graffiti, travel and chess!
Learn about AIC’s graduate degree & course offerings, student life, scholarships, and admissions requirements for our Fall 2023 semester and learn where AIC can take you.
Date: Sunday, August 6, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM CT
Platform: Virtual on Zoom
Registration in Advance: Click here
Welcoming students of all faiths and backgrounds, American Islamic College (AIC) is a Chicago-based institution of higher learning grounded in Islamic values and steeped in Islam’s rich and diverse intellectual and cultural traditions. AIC promotes appreciation for the scope and richness of Islamic history and civilization both in and beyond the classroom by means of significant research, impactful teaching, and informative public events highlighting Islam’s intellectual, artistic, and cultural expressions. Through rigorous scholarship and a commitment to social justice, the collective good, civic involvement, interfaith understanding, and intercultural engagement, AIC prepares students to become critical thinkers, visionary leaders, and responsible global citizens.
Back by popular demand, American Islamic College’s Hassan Institute for Interfaith Encounter, The Lutheran School of Theology’s A Center for Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice, Chicago Theological Seminary’s Interreligious Institute, and The Niagara Foundation are collaborating to host another tour of Chicago-area religious sites. This April 2nd, we will venture to the north of Chicago and visit the first Black church of Evanston, Second Baptist, a social justice and interfaith-centered synagogue, Sukkat Shalom, the beautiful Bahai Temple of North America, and more. Conclude the tour over a shared meal and conversation as we open fast with our Muslim sisters and Brothers with an “Iftar.” Mark your calendar and stay tuned for details.
Take a look at this video highlighting the first Chicago Interfaith Trolley Tour.
Modeled after one of Dr. Gianotti’s community programs in Canada, AIC’s “Light Upon Light” evenings of spiritual discussion and fellowship feature a variety of spiritually nourishing (sometimes challenging) subjects in an inclusive space where participants of all ages and faiths actively contribute in a manner that is respectful to all. In these gatherings, we frequently interweave textual study and facilitated discussion in an effort to deepen ourselves and promote a sense of spiritual fellowship across denominational and religious boundaries.
March topic: Probing the Practice of Fasting
In-person only
President Gianotti interviews a special guest each month to discuss the formative encounters of their lives.
March special guest: Scott C. Alexander
Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations
Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program
at Catholic Theological Union
In-person and Live-streamed
On Saturday, March 11th, American Islamic College and The Muslim InterScholastic Tournament of Chicago (MIST-Chicago) welcomed high school students from around the midwestern region for a series of competitions ranging from math to tajweed to spoken word.
Dr. Feryal Salem, Director of AIC’s MDiv program, awarded the grand prize winner the “MIST Scholar’s Award” which covers full-tuition to the Arabic Language Institute (ALI). The College also recognized winners from each category. Congrats to all the winners!
