Telephone: (810) 577-0753
Facsimile: (810) 222-2885
Email: [email protected]
Assistant: Ishaq Bojel
A prominent scholar of classical Islam, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani has spent his life spreading the teachings of peace, tolerance, respect and love that are the message of Sufism throughout the world. Here in the United States for the last nineteen years, Shaykh Kabbani has continued to disseminate the light and peace of Islam's spiritual dimension to people of every background, ethnicity, race, and belief.
Education
▪ Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon.
▪ Medical studies in Louvain, Belgium.
▪ Degree in Islamic Divine Law, Damascus, Syria.
▪ License to teach, guide and counsel students in Islamic spirituality from the renowned Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil, authority of the Hanafi
school of Islamic law in the Middle East and world leader of the Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order.
Current Positions Held
▪ Chairman, Islamic Supreme Council of America
▪ Member of Board, World Organization for Resource Development and Education
▪ Chairman, Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order of America
▪▪President, The Muslim Magazine
▪ Chairman, As-Sunnah Foundation of America
▪ Founder, Sufi Muslim Council UK
Recent accomplishments
August 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
November 2008
November 2008
March 2008
March 2008
December 2008
August 2007
Selected as one of top 500 Most Influential Muslims Leaders.
Met with opposition leader of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, and other government officials.
Celebration of Prophet Muhammad Birthday attended by the President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono along with 250,000 members of the public at Masjid Istiqlal, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.
Celebrated Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday at the House of Commons. Attended by Rt. Hon. Hazel Anne Blears, UK Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith, UK Home Secretary.
Met with His Excellency Rathnasiri Wickramanayake, the Prime minister of Sri Lanka to discuss on how and what help is needed by the Muslims pertaining to the current situation in Sri Lanka.
Met with His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse, the President of Sri Lanka to present views on Terrorism and how can peace be brought to Sri Lanka.
Guest of Honor for the first interfaith house of worship in Los Angeles, California
Host of the 2nd Preventing Extremism Road Show across the UK
Host of the 1st Preventing Extremism Road Show across the UK
Personal guest of Colonel Qaddafi of Libya to discuss curtailing the threat of Islamist radicalism
June 2006
March 2006
February 2006
February 2006
July 2005 & Jan 2006
April 2005
March 2005
December 2004
December 2004
December 2004
November 2004
August 2004
June 2004
June 2004
May 2004
May 2004
May 2004
April 2004
January 2004
January 2004
December 2003
October 2003
November 2002
September 2002
August 2002
July 2002
March 2002
February 2002
February 2002
September 2001
April 2001
September 2000
August 2000
April 2000
January 2000
November 1999
February 1999
January 6, 1999
August 7 – 9, 1998
Met with His Royal Highness Princes Charles of England to discuss the importance of Sufism in Islam and to promote universal spirituality amongst all people.
Briefed the staff of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on suggestions for its public diplomacy outreach to the Muslim community.
Met personally with U.S. Vice President Richard Cheney to present his views on the cures of Islamist radicalism.
Met with Ms. Fran Townshend, Assistant to the U.S. President for Homeland Security, and her deputy, Mr. Juan Zarate, to also discuss the cures for Islamist radicalism and responses to the “cartoon controversy”.
Held private meetings with President Susilo Bambang Yudiyono of Indonesia and Vice President Yusuf Kalla to strengthen ongoing joint projects on “Jihadi rehabilation” for Indonesian youth.
Met with England’s Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to discuss current situation of Islam in Europe.
Attended White House Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Leadership Conference and met with President Bush at a round table on the initiative.
Chief guest and speaker “Global Challenges in Islam” Seminar, Singapore. Over three days spoke in three different religious forums. Met with Singapore’s Minister of Council of Islamic Affairs (MUIS), State Minister of Foreign Affairs and the State Minister for Education. Met with Rohan Gunaratna, Head of International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, to discuss methods for promoting traditional Islam and assisting “recovering” terrorists.
Principal keynote speaker and host, International Conference of Scholars and Activists, Jakarta, Indonesia under the theme “Islam & Civil Society in the 21st Century: A Path to Transformation” addressing the topic “Principles of Leadership in War & Peace” detailing the illegitimacy of terrorism and the prohibition of suicide as a means of combat in Islam. Addressed the Friday sermon at two of Jakarta’s largest mosques and hosted during the conference, HRH Prince Raja Muda Nazrin Azlan Shah, Pro-Chancellor, University of Malaya and Crown Prince of Malaysia’s state of Perak, Dato Hishammudin Tun Hussein, Malaysia’s Minister of Education, Dato Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Malaysia’s Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Shaykh Hazyim Muzadi, Head of Indonesia’s largest NGO, Nahdatul Ulama, US Ambassador B. Lynn Pascoe and other dignitaries at the conference.
Met with Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla at his home in Jakarta to discuss issues of state.
Guest at the White House for the President Bush Annual Ramadan Dinner.
Attended Sidi Shekir Conference on “Importance of Spirituality in Human Affairs,” in Marrakech, Morocco, under the patronage HRM King Mohamad VI and the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Keynote speaker at the northern California-based Islamic Educational and Cultural Research Center (IECRC) second annual conference.
Met with His Excellency Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan and presented him with an invitation to Islamic leaders’ conference, Indonesia, winter 2004.
Keynote speaker at Universal Muslim Association of America in Washington, DC. Topic: “Extremism is inconsistent with Islam.”
Keynote speaker at Islamic Studies and Research Association in Columbia, SC. Topic: “Classical Islam: religion of mercy.”
Keynote speaker at international religious conference in Indonesia. Met with Indonesia’s vice presidential candidates. In Malaysia met with Minister of Education His Excellency Tun Hishamuddin Hussein and with Crown Prince of Perak, HRH Raja Muda bin Azlan Shah.
Keynote speaker at conference, “Beyond Radical Islam?” held by LeFrak Forum and Symposium on Science, Reason, and Modern Democracy at Michigan State University and the Ethics and Public Policy Center of Washington, DC.
Met with His Excellency Recep Tayyib Erdogan Prime Minister of Turkey to discuss building interfaith dialogue between US academics and scholars and their Turkish counterparts.
Keynote speech to annual board meeting of the American Foreign Policy Council.
Represented US Muslims at 3-day interfaith conference of international religious leaders held in Spain.
Joined President George W. Bush for Iftar at the White House. Gave the keynote address at the Nixon Center conference on Sufism and US Policy.
Met with President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell, respectively, at White House and State Department events for Ramadan.
Met with President George W. Bush for his official Proclamation of the Days of Remembrance and Prayers September 6-9, 2002.
Invited as a guest of the President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, to visit the republic and explore issues of religious educational development.
Presented a paper entitled “Understanding Sharia” at the Freedom House conference in Washington, DC, as well as a paper on “Islam and Democracy” for the Ethics and Public Policy Center.
Met with Asst. Secretary of Defense, Mr. Paul Wolfowitz and his staff to introduce the activities of ISCA and its promotion of moderate Islam throughout the world.
Signed Memorandum of Understanding with State Minister of Indonesia on the building of civil society infrastructure and the promotion of traditional Islam.
Met with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Youth for Malaysia to discuss issues facing the Muslim world after 9-11.
Advised numerous government agencies on issues of national security as it relates to radical religious insurgents, both domestically and abroad.
Led a hundred-member delegation to the Republic of Uzbekistan as a guest of the President of Uzbekistan.
Delegate to the UNESCO conference on inter-religious dialogue in Uzbekistan.
Met with His Excellency President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan.
Keynote speaker at Central Asia–Caucasus Institute (CACI) of Johns Hopkins University conference on The Emergence of Religious Extremism in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Met with U.S. President Bill Clinton at a White House event in honor of Ramadan.
Joined U.S. Congressional representatives in generating nationwide support for an official stamp recognizing the
Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Hosted by President Aslan Maskhadov of Chechnya on three week
fact-finding mission to Grozny and surrounding war-torn areas; shared findings with various government agencies and political analysts.
Keynote Speaker at forum on “The Evolution of Wahhabism” at Johns Hopkins University,
Central Asia – Caucasus Institute.
Chaired the 2nd International Islamic Unity Conference in Washington, DC.
Major Achievements
▪ Founded 23 Sufi study and meeting centers in the U.S. and Canada.
▪ Founded the Islamic Supreme Council of America, a religious organization dedicated to the dissemination of informative material on Islam and the
presentation of an authentic, scholarly Islamic viewpoint on world affairs.
▪ Established the American branch of the Haqqani Educational Foundation, dedicated to promoting the fundamental teachings of Islamic belief,
including tolerance, respect and peace.
▪ Founded the Sufi Muslim Council of UK, an organization integrate traditional scholarship in resolving contemporary issues affecting the maintenance
of Islamic beliefs in a modern, secular society.
▪ Established As-Sunna Foundation of America for developing, publishing and organizing conferences to provide classical Islamic education.
▪ Works closely with the government and people of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore to restore traditional Sufi practices and prevent the increase
of religious radicals in the region.
▪ Founded the highly-acclaimed The Muslim Magazine, a quarterly publication which featured articles on Islam from a variety of perspectives, including
religious, historical, arts, science, spiritual, family, youth.
▪ Chairman of the renowned International Islamic Unity Conference, which took place in Washington, DC from August 7-9, 1998 and hosted 163 scholars
from around the world presenting to thousands of attendees.
▪ Co-developer and former General Manager of the Jeddah Medical Center in Saudi Arabia.
▪ Was invited by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to attend the opening of his first healing clinic in October 1998.
▪ Chairman of the highly successful International Islamic Unity Conference, whose first conference took place in Los Angeles, CA in August, 1996.
▪ Founded the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order of America, an organization devoted to outreach and propagating the teachings of Islamic spirituality (Sufism).
Publications
BOOKS
§ Illuminations, 540 pp., A compilation of lectures on Sufism, Shariah and science, delivered by author Shaykh Kabbani in various venues throughout the
United States and in international venues.
§ Symphony of Remembrance, 180 pp., This book presents the spiritual background behind the practice of Divine Remembrance in the Sufi Way.
§ The Ninefold Ascent, 158 pp. - a course towards spiritual realization
▪ At the Feet of My Master, 140 pp., Spiritual talks, delivered at the request of Mawlana Shaykh Nazim for his visitors in Cyprus.
§ A Classical Interpretation of the Chapter of Sincerity, 130 pp., commentary is on Suratu 'l-Ikhlas or the Holy Quran's Chapter of Single-Hearted Sincerity.
§ Keys to the Divine Kingdom, 105 pp, Discourses on science, religion and spirituality, examining the natural laws governing the universe;
delivered at mainstream universities, conferences, and interfaith sessions.
§ Banquet for the Soul, 280 pp., a compilation of talks given during the holy month of Ramadan
§ Classical Islam and the Naqshbandi Sufi Way, 840 pp. detailing Naqshbandi Sufi tradition of classical Islam.
▪ The Approach to Armageddon? An Islamic Perspective, 294 pp. details Islam’s perspectives on science and technology and prophecies regarding end times and Judgment Day.
▪ Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine and Beliefs - 5 years in research and writing, 1500 pp. 7-volume, set describes Islamic beliefs according to the classical approach of the major
schools of jurisprudence and doctrine.
▪ The Naqshbandi Sufi Way: History and Guidebook of the Saints of the Golden Chain.
▪ Pearls and Coral, vols. 1 & 2, 580 pp., Shaykh Kabbani interweaves the teaching of basic ethical principles with the tales of ancient gnostics and the travails and
rewards of the Sufi way.
▪ Encyclopedia of Muhammad's Women Companions.
▪ Angels Unveiled - a modern view of a traditional subject.
ARTICLES (including other titles also available through www.islamicsupremecouncil.org)
▪ Understanding Sharia - Islamic Law from the classical Islamic perspective
▪ Islam & Democracy
▪ The Issue of Wife-beating in Islam
▪ Jihad: A Misunderstood Concept from Islam