西瓜视频

西瓜视频 has achieved membership with NC-SARA, State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement, which authorizes AIC to provide quality distance learning to students across the United States, Alhumdulillah!

To students living outside Illinois (across the USA and across the globe): This is your opportunity to access a faith-rooted, academically rigorous education in Islamic studies鈥攔ight from your home state. We warmly encourage you to apply and become part of our growing, diverse online learning community.

西瓜视频’s application for the Dana Abadi Pesantren Micro-Credential 2024 Initiative was selected by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs resulting in a global partnership for intercultural and interreligious education. The Hassan Institute was honored to welcome 20 Indonesian scholars and teachers who journeyed for a 2-month non-degree certificate program titled “Religion, Peace, and Encounter: An AIC Certificate Program in Interreligious Peacebuilding.”

The program offered structured academic coursework and experiential learning opportunities through coordinated site visits to academic, civic, and religious facilities, as well as planned dialogue events across Chicagoland, as well as a trip to Washington D.C. The participants met with and learned from expert faculty and dedicated leaders about inter-and intra-religious understanding, cross-cultural dialogue, conflict management, and peace-building initiatives. In turn, we learned from them about their experience with religious moderation and madrasa education in Indonesia. View their public talk at AIC here. These exchanges were transformative in a multitude of ways and we were so grateful to have had these encounters, alhumdulillah.

Thank you to all the organizations that welcomed the delegation to learn more about your important work.

Mayor Brandon Johnson and The City of Chicago
The Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition
Interfaith America
Catholic Theological Union
World Council of Muslims for Interfaith Relations
Masjid al-Taqwa
Mosque Maryam
Salaam Community Center
Sajida House
Turkish American Society of Chicago
Mosque Foundation
Universal School
Viator House
The University of Notre Dame, Ansari Institute
The Lutheran School of Theology, CCME
The University of Chicago, Middle East Studies & Divinity School
Seldon Institute
CAIR-Chicago
Ta’Leef Collective
Darussalaam
MECCA Center
Bahai Temple
Indonesia Consulate General
The Zoroastrian Center of Chicago
Chicago Dawoodi Bohra Community – Masjid Anjuman-e-Saifee
Macedonian Orthodox Church Sv Kiril i Metodij

The expansive book by Dr. Omer Awass, Fatwa and the Making and Renewal of Islamic Law: From the Classical Period to the Present (2023), might be considered the culmination of a scholar鈥檚 lifelong research. For Dr. Awass, it鈥檚 just the start.

This winter break he spent in Dali, Yunnan province, China, where he immersed himself in Chinese language and culture. Over the last few years he has been studying Chinese with the aim of eventually being able to read Chinese historical texts. 鈥淎fter thoroughly exploring how Muslims have rationalized about the world,鈥� he wonders, 鈥淗ow is it that other civilizations have reasoned? Long term, I would like to do a comparative view of the intellectual history of China.鈥�

This Spring at 西瓜视频, he is teaching Introduction to the Science of Hadith, Islamic History & Civilization 1800-Present, and a graduate course on Hadith Sciences. The history course parallels his forthcoming book, due out in 2026, Imposing Modernity in the Global South: Studies in the Coloniality and Decoloniality of Muslim Societies, a series of studies over the past two centuries concerning issues of coloniality and decoloniality. When talking about hadith sciences, he gets animated. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really a uniquely developed way of doing historiography unlike other civilizations. The methodology is a distinct way of preserving history and historical reasoning. Here at AIC we get to teach our students these different ways of thinking. Hadith science wouldn鈥檛 be taught this way at other institutions,鈥� he says. Beyond looking at it theoretically, he trains students to investigate hadith and practice the methodology. With so much focus on the breadth of history, when asked what he thinks about the future of Islamic law in light of the massive changes in technology and the impact of AI, he remarks, 鈥淩ationality is one of the characteristics that defines us as humans. How much of our own rationality are we going to surrender, instead of developing that which defines us? How can we purposefully use AI to enhance our humanity and not diminish it?鈥�

Walking helps clear his mind, and he is drawn to doing his research by the water – whether that鈥檚 Lake Michigan in Chicago or Lake Erhai in Dali, Yunnan Province, China.

Dr. Omer Awass is Associate Professor of Arabic & Islamic Studies and the Director of the MA program in Islamic Studies at 西瓜视频.

By Stephanie Mirza, Staff Writer

Dr. Shabana Mir鈥檚 fall courses on Islam & Gender, Cultural Anthropology, and Research Methods all relate to her extensive travels. Over the winter break, for example, she traveled to Pakistan, where she spoke at Lahore College for Women University on 鈥淭he Religious Politics of Domination and Control in Marriage: Qualitative and Textual Analysis.鈥� Reflecting now on the subsequent audience discussion she remarks, 鈥淭hings are changing. Women (in Pakistan) are essential members of the economy and are in touch with the global discourse.鈥� Women鈥檚 disempowerment is still a cultural issue, but she finds hope in the younger generation of men, such as those who choose to shut down jokes about polygamy.

Her spring courses at AIC couldn鈥檛 be more timely in the light of current events in the United States. They include, Introduction to Political Science, Islam in America, and, at the graduate level, Special Topics: Islam in World Cinema. The film course focuses on the representation of Islam and Muslims in popular media. While we are well aware of overt Islamophobic patterns in Hollywood, Dr. Mir points out that seemingly benign Islamophilic films can be subversive as well. She gives the example of Victoria and Abdul (2017), the British biographical historical film in which Abdul, a Muslim from India, piques Queen Victoria鈥檚 interest. As Dr. Mir points out, however fondly the Queen regards Abdul, his place is always that of a servant. In addition to the lineup of movies on the Muslim experience she selects for the class, Dr. Mir solicits suggestions from the students at the beginning of the term for possible inclusion in the syllabus. When it comes to teaching political science and Islam in America, she goes beyond the textbook approach to bring in critical readings to understand not just the theory, but the reality on the ground. She invites leaders of non-profit organizations , such as Muslims for Just Futures and CAIR, to talk to the class about their grassroots work to combat Islamophobia.

One of the first things you learn about Dr. Shabana Mir is her care and concern for students. Her keen observation picks up when a student is struggling, or when they鈥檙e having that lightbulb moment. When asked what activity makes her lose track of time, she replies instantly, 鈥淕ardening. I can work 10 hours in the garden and still feel energized.鈥� She loves the coneflowers and cupped roses, yet when she describes them you get the sense she could be talking about her students. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a gardener, you notice, 鈥榯hat plant has a new leaf today鈥� – it鈥檚 so exciting.鈥�

We are both honored and excited to be hosting an Indonesian delegation of 20 religious teachers and scholars who will be with us through December for a study exchange program. The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is working with us as we journey through this 2-month non-degree certificate program titled “Religion, Peace, and Encounter: An AIC Certificate Program in Interreligious Peacebuilding.”

The program offers structured academic coursework and experiential learning opportunities through coordinated site visits to academic, civic, and religious facilities, as well as planned dialogue events. The 20 Indonesian delegates will meet with and learn from expert faculty and dedicated leaders about inter-and intra-religious understanding, cross-cultural dialogue, conflict management, and peace-building initiatives. In turn, we are learning from them about their experience with religious moderation and madrasa education in Indonesia.

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Mahan Mirza to the talented, diverse, and growing AIC team. Dr. Mahan serves as the Executive Director of the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion at the University of Notre Dame. The Ansari Institute is part of Notre Dame鈥檚 Keough School of Global Affairs, where he also serves as a Teaching Professor. Acting as a living bridge between Notre Dame and AIC, Dr. Mahan will continue to direct the Ansari Institute while assuming his new responsibilities as AIC鈥檚 chief academic officer in 2024-2025. Like AIC, Notre Dame is a faith-based institution that fosters academic freedom, celebrates diversity, and advances social justice as it seeks 鈥渢o create a sense of human solidarity and concern for the common good鈥� (https://dulac.nd.edu/university-mission-and-vision/mission/). We look forward to fruitful collaborations in the many areas where our institutional missions and visions align, in sha鈥� allah. As a graduate of Notre Dame myself, I am particularly excited about the possibility of such collaborations.

Dr. Mahan earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Texas Austin, his MA from Hartford Seminary in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations, and his PhD in Religious Studies (specializing in Islamic Studies) from Yale University. His doctoral research was on the intellectual world of al-Biruni, an 11th-century Muslim scientist from Central Asia, and Dr. Mahan has an abiding research interest in field of cosmology. At Notre Dame, he was responsible for implementing Madrasa Discourses, a project led by Prof. Ebrahim Moosa to advance scientific and theological literacy at the Keough School’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. Prior to that, he served as Dean of Faculty at Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California. Throughout his career, he has taught a wide range of courses in Arabic and Islamic studies, western religions, history of science, and global affairs, along with foundational subjects in the Liberal Arts, including logic, rhetoric, ethics, and politics. Dr. Mahan has also edited two special issues of The Muslim World and has served as assistant editor of The Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought. His recent articles include 鈥淒eed over idea: Toward a shared Caliphate鈥� (2022), 鈥淏etween Tyranny and Anarchy: Islam, Covid 19, and Public Policy鈥� (2023), and 鈥淒ivine Command and Religious Liberty: A Theological Reflection on Islamic Constitutionalism鈥� (2024).

Dr. Mahan comes to AIC at a critically important time. With our academic accreditation now secured, he will, in sha鈥� allah, help to guide the process of growing the College into a vibrant American university that is proudly Muslim, firmly committed to the benefit of all of humankind, and deeply conscious of our responsibilities as stewards of the creation. Welcome, Dr. Mahan!

Timothy J. Gianotti, Ph.D.
President and Acting Provost

THE AMERICAN ISLAMIC COLLEGE (AIC): RENEWED, RESILIENT, RISING, RIGOROUS, DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE, PROUD…AND ACCREDITED!

• The FIRST Muslim Institution of Higher Education in America
• Now ONE OF JUST TWO Independent Muslim colleges in America that have achieved academic accreditation on their own merits
• a mission and vision that welcomes everyone, includes social justice, and resonates with our time
• accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• small classes, personalized teaching and mentoring
• world class faculty who teach, travel, mentor, research, publish, and play pivotal roles in society
• students, staff, and faculty from diverse cultural, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds (we keep it real)
• engaged alumni who stand ready to help and advise
• a close, caring, inclusive community
• community partners doing world-changing work in Chicago, across the country, and all over the globe
• Accredited BA, MA, and MDIV degree programs, with new degree and certificate programs on the horizon and in the works
• Both in person and HLC-authorized online options for individual courses and whole degree programs

Nazhah is a Pakistani-American author from Chicago – 鈥楾he Other Side of Life鈥�-and is a mom to two creative, brilliant minds! Nazhah is a graduate of DePaul University with a concentration in Finance and Marketing. Nazhah has worked in outreach, event planning, community engagement, recruitment, grant writing, podcasting, and writing for a number of years. She serves on the board of the Muslim Writers Collective – Chicago Chapter. Nazhah is a writer/poet/spoken word artist and has written a number of Op-ed articles for various online publications as well as hosted events in Chicago and NY with the intention of inspiring women through engaging workshops and empowering talks.

AIC is proud to welcome Nazhah to the team as its new Recruitment and Communications Officer. Nazhah can be reached at nkhawaja@aicusa.edu.

We are excited to celebrate Nesrin Unlu and the completion of her Master’s degree in Social Work.

After receiving her Bachelor’s in Islamic Studies from 西瓜视频, Nesrin went on to pursue a Master’s at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).

These two degrees purposefully and intentionally sought have positioned her to begin the next step in her vocational journey. They provide her with both the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to complete her dream of starting a not-for-profit that will serve Muslim women and youth needing social services related to mental health and wellness. We couldn’t be more proud and thrilled for Nesrin as she embarks on a path dedicated to serving and uplifting the Muslim American community.

Please join us in congratulating Nesrin and making dua for her continued success. May Allah be pleased with her, Ameen.