Rumi Forum, Interfaith Council of Metropolitan Washington, and Washington Theological Consortium presented the 4th Interfaith Leadership Forum: “Interfaith Engagement with the Environmental Crisis” on May 31, 2023. The program featured keynote speaker Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, an interfaith panel, and an opportunity for small group dialogues. Ke…

This new book traces the lives of Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs in Israel and Palestine who have dedicated their lives to building peaceful relations among the two peoples and between individual people who seek to live in peace and harmony with one another. These people have acted courageously and consistently in their work for peace. In this …

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-i…

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 stud…

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 wh…

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 Juerge…

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 …

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 interfai…

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 leg…

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. Abou…

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 …

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 pow…

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 b…

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 T…

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 …

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 SD…

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 Rum…

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…

“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 a…

“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 q…

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 immi…

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…

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 …

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.…

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 u…

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 …

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…

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 Journ…

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 wh…

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…

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 th…

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 significa…

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 i…

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. W…

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 significa…

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…

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 s…

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 …

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 person…

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…

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…

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 persona…

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 Delh…

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 Leo…

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 …

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 gladiatoria…

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 pl…