Mantle of Mercy: Islamic Chaplaincy in North America (Volume 1)

by Muhammad A. Ali (Editor), Omer Bajwa (Editor), Sondos Kholaki (Editor)

There is a plethora of literature on the market about Christian-centered spiritual caregiving. In fact, many people associate chaplaincy with Christianity by default. Yet Islam—the world’s second-largest religion—has a devoted and growing community of chaplains as well. The number of books written for them, however, is greatly lacking. Responding to this need, four Muslim chaplains have compiled and edited this collection of essays, each of which is the account of a spiritual caregiver of the Islamic faith.

Through the lens of their experiences, we learn of the tenderhearted and skillful ways that Muslim chaplains apply the mercy and compassion of the Prophet Muhammad to the individuals under their care. We additionally learn about the theology and philosophy that informs their service, the obstacles they face in navigating a predominately Christian profession, and how they administer to the spiritual needs of people of different faiths or of no faith at all.

What’s more, Muslim chaplains work in a variety of environments, among them hospitals, universities, the armed forces, local communities, and correction facilities. Each locale presents its own challenges, and each is touched upon by the authors in this volume, with a focus on North America. Across the span of over thirty chapters, these vivid reflections show us the power of Islamic principles to bring strength and comfort to the sick and suffering. In addition, the personal approach of Mantle of Mercy is intended to correct certain misunderstandings about the Muslim faith and to promote the development of a curriculum that is both ethically and spiritually sound, and that is informed by the real-world experiences of Islamic chaplains.

Table of Contents and Contributors:
Foreword
Ingrid Mattson
 
Introduction
Muhammad A. Ali,Omer Bajwa, Sondos Kholaki, and Jaye Starr
 
A Source of Strength
A CPE student finds his place in a medical team
Ibrahim J. Long
 
The Jihad of Self-Realization and Human Growth in Clinical Pastoral Education
A CPE educator shares how Islam informs his pedagogy and theory of personality
Jawad A. Bayat
 
Finding My Path
A university chaplain shares his discernment process 
Kaiser Aslam
 
Pastoral Care as an Islamic Tradition & Practice
The director of a chaplaincy degree program shares his journey and educational philosophy
Bilal W. Ansari
 
 A Theology of Spiritual Care Inspired by Allah’s Attributes 
A pastoral theology informed by God as The Compassionate, the Merciful, and the Kind
Ali R. Candir
 
Bridging the Interfaith Divide
Muhammad A. Ali
 
Navigating Identity Politics and Recentering in the Divine
Campus chaplains share their efforts to redirect students from identity politics toward knowing oneself
Amira Quraishi & Ailya Vajid
 
From Banana Leaves
A healthcare chaplain shares her journey as a female Muslim chaplain
Samsiah Abdul-Majid
 
Mapping the Landscape of Education Chaplaincy
A campus chaplain presents a framework for understanding the different functions of the role
Khalil Abdur-Rashid

[Chapter Title TBD]
A college chaplain reflects on his various roles through the theme of the days of the week
Omer Bajwa

Islam at ‘Alcatraz of the Rockies’
A corrections chaplain shares his experience serving in an American supermax security facility
Fiazuddin Shuayb
 
Creating Space
Drawing from his own journey and work, an imam addresses spiritual care for queer Muslims
El-Farouk Khaki

A Call for Pastoral Care in The Mosque
A chaplain describes the potential for chaplaincy and a pastoral care mindset in mosques
Joshua Salaam
 
“Hurt People Hurt People”
A third-space director shares the development of a restorative justice model for community violations
Lauren Schreiber
 
An Immigrant’s Journey to Chaplaincy
A Turkish-trained imam shares his path confronting his own racism in a corrections setting 
Mustafa Boz
 
Chaplains: A Voice for the Alienated
A military chaplain explains microaggressions and their impact and the need for chaplains to be proactive in addressing them
Ryan Carter
 
Chaplaincy and Black Muslim Students
A college chaplain presents research about Black Muslim students’ experiences and her recommendations for support
Nisa Muhammad
 
And Then We Were One Before The One
An oncology chaplain explores use of self as a ministry tool relating to her practice of Islam
Taqwa Surapati
 
Drawing from the Five Pillars
A healthcare ...

Genres: Islam

320 pages, Hardcover

Published February 28, 2022

About the author

Muhammad A. Ali is a child of African American converts to Islam who were part of pioneering Muslim movements in the United States. Muhammad is a fruit of the seeds planted by so many. He seeks to build bridges and contribute to healing the scars resulting from the growing pains of Muslims in America.

Muhammad Ali is a graduate of Bayan Islamic Graduate School with an MDiv in Islamic Chaplaincy and an MA in Islamic Education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Thomas Edison State University and certification in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) from UCSF Medical Center. He serves as a chaplain in prison, university, and hospital settings. He has served in many leadership roles including assistant Imam and Imam in Islamic Centers in North Carolina and California.

Muhammad has an extensive Islamic education beginning with Quran and Arabic as a child at the American Institute of Quranic Studies. He is proud to have studied under the auspices of teachers of Sunni, Shia, and Sufi persuasions. His major interest is in exploring the chronology of revelation and its application to individual and community development. He is a member and former VP of correctional chaplaincy with the Association of Muslim Chaplains. He enjoys basketball and building things. He lives in Pennsylvania with his superhero wife and four children.

Reviews

[Zainab Bint Younus · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Mantle of Mercy: Islamic Chaplaincy in North America" is a collection of essays on the topic of (obviously) Islamic chaplaincy in North America.

The Editors' Introduction is detailed and discusses how Islamic chaplaincy in North America requires professional training and certification, rather than being open to just anyone with a "religious" background. This is important to note, as several writere emphasize that chaplaincy is very different from the types of da'wah we are usually accustomed to (formal teaching, intra-Muslim services etc).

The book itself is a mixed bag. There are some amazing essays that truly stand out - Sohaib Sultan & Azleena Azhar's contributions made me tear up; Tricia Pethic's essay had valuable advice about chaplain self-care; Fiazuddin Shuayb's "Islam at Alcatraz of the Rockies" was a fascinating glimpse at Muslim inmates in a high security prison. I genuinely appreciated "A Chaplain's Call for Pastoral Care in the Masjid."

Many of the essays were reflective, imbued with spiritual lessons, & had me thinking about my own role in da'wah & gaps in services within the community.

Then there were the trash essays, which should never have been published, but the fact that they were highlights how much corruption has seeped into our community and been normalized in the name of "inclusivity."

Jamal Bey's pathetic portrayal of himself as a victim while simultaneously providing propaganda on behalf of the US Military made me want to vomit in disgust. From beginning to end, his justification in joining the military (& making out as if the only people who object to him are "immigrant Muslims") is shallow & vile.

El-Farouk Khaki should not have been included. His essay told Muslims who don't accept that homosexuality is acceptable in Islam that they MUST validate the sexual orientation of LGBTQ Muslims in order to be good chaplains.

There were other problematic essays, but these two were truly the worst.

I'd recommend this to Muslims with solid Islamic background who are involved in da'wah work, but would not recommend to the average layperson.

3/5 🌟

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