Hisham Kabbani
| Hisham Kabbani | |
|---|---|
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| Born | January 28, 1945 Beirut, Lebanon |
| Residence | United States |
| Religion | Islam (Sufi) |
| Spouse | Hajjah Naziha Adil |
Muhammad Hisham Kabbani (born 13 Safar 1364 / 28 January 1945) is a prominent Lebanese-American Sufi Muslim. Kabbani advocates an understanding of Islam described by his supporters as fundamentally based on peace, tolerance, respect and love. Kabbani has been an outspoken critic of extremism as well as the Wahabi doctrine.[1] Shaykh Kabbani is a spiritual teacher in the line of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order. He is chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America and the Sufi Muslim Council. [2]
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[edit] Biography
Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani descends from a long line of scholars, and was born in Beirut, Lebanon. For more than 50 years he has been a disciple of Nazim al-Qubrusi and his representative in United States.
On the order of al-Qubrusi, Kabbani relocated to the United States in 1991, where he has opened 13 Sufi outreach centers focused on spreading Sufism. He has lectured at many universities, including the University of Chicago, Columbia University and the University of California, Berkeley, as well as at many spiritual and religious centers throughout North America, Europe, the Far East, and the Middle East.
Kabbani works closely with the governments and people of Muslim nations around the world to restore what he views as traditional Islamic practices and prevent the increase of religious radicalism.[citation needed] He has supported military incursions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, his native Lebanon, and Somalia,[citation needed] and peace initiatives in the Middle East, Bosnia, Kashmir, Afghanistan and Kosovo.
He is married to Hajjah Naziha Adil, the daughter of Shaykh Muhammad Nazim al-Haqqani. They have four children, three boys and a girl.
[edit] Controversy and criticism
In 1999, Kabbani came into conflict with various Muslim groups including the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), and the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) after he stated that 80 percent of mosques are being run by "extremist ideologies".[3] Muslim organizations harshly responded, stating that Kabbani's remarks "could have a profoundly negative impact on ordinary American Muslims".[4] Kabbani plunged into further controversy when he accused Muslims who advise the United States about Islam as being "extremists themselves".[4] When asked during a conference whether he would name the Islamic groups he believed were "extremist", Kabbani answered, "after the program".[4] When subsequently confronted with the question during the end of the discussion, Kabbani refused to answer.[4] In a joint statement pertaining to Kabbani's accusations, several Muslim groups said that "Mr. Kabbani has put the entire American Muslim community under unjustified suspicion. In effect, Mr. Kabbani is telling government officials that the majority of American Muslims pose a danger to our society."[4]
[edit] Published works
Works published by Kabbani include:
- Remembrance of God Liturgy of the Sufi Naqshbandi Masters, ISBN 978-1-871031-58-4 (1994)
- The Naqshbandi Sufi Way, ISBN 978-0-934905-34-3 (1995)
- Angels Unveiled, ISBN 978-1-930409-37-8 (1996)
- Encyclopedia of Muhammad's Women Companions, ISBN 978-1-871031-42-3 (1998)
- Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine and Beliefs, ISBN 978-1-871031-48-5 (1998)
- The Approach of Armageddon? An Islamic perspective, ISBN 978-1-930409-20-0 (2003)
- Classical Islam and the Naqshbandi Sufi Order, ISBN 978-1-930409-10-1 (2004)
- The Naqshbandi Sufi Tradition Guidebook of Daily Practices and Devotions, ISBN 978-1-930409-22-4 (2004)
- Pearls and Coral (Volume 1), ISBN 978-1-930409-07-1 (2005)
- Keys to the Divine Kingdom, ISBN 978-1-930409-28-6 (2005)
- The Sufi Science of Self-Realization, ISBN 978-1-930409-29-3 (2006)
- A Spiritual Explanation of the Chapter of Sincerity: Tafsīru 'l-Qur'ānu '-Karīm Sūratu 'l-Ikhlāṣ, ISBN 978-1-930409-42-2 (2006)
- Pearls and Coral (Volume 2), ISBN 978-1-930409-08-8 (2007)
- Universe Rising, ISBN 978-1-930409-48-4 (2007)
- Symphony of Remembrance, ISBN 978-1-930409-49-1 (2007)
- Illuminations: Compiled Lectures on Shariah and Tasawwuf, ISBN 978-1-930409-52-1 (2007)
- Angels Unveiled, A Sufi Perspective, ISBN 978-1-930409-74-3 (2009)
- Fifty Days: the Divine Disclosures During a Holy Sufi Seclusion, ISBN 978-1-930409-72-9 (2010)
