Hartford Seminary, in cooperation with the International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, VA, and its Fairfax Institute, offers a Graduate Certificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership. The aim of this certificate program is to offer structured education in the American context for Muslim leaders, Imams and counselors.  Hartford Seminary and The Fairfax Institute will be hosting an Open House for prospective students on Sunday, June 30, 2013 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at The Fairfax Institute in Herndon, VA.

The program was started in 2010, in cooperation with the International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, VA, and its Fairfax Institute, when the Muslim community leaders in the Washington, D.C., area recognized the need for Imams and other religious leaders to become familiar with the North American context and to receive education and credentials in the United States.

This Graduate Certificate in Imam and Muslim Community Leadership prepares male and female students to understand and affirm the variety of religious commitments they will encounter as spiritual caregivers and community leaders (many of them as Imams) of Muslim communities that are engaging with secular and other religious communities in North America.

One student said, “It satisfied a much needed experience of how to handle thorny day-to-day situations as a leader of the community.” Another said, “This course has really helped us in understanding Islamic theology from its historical background to its theological roots.”

Through the course work and advising, the program prepares a cohort of imams and other Muslim religious leaders in the basic skills of religious leadership in the United States, including preaching/public speaking, pastoral care and counseling, organization and administration of the local mosque, engagement with surrounding agencies and organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, and the religious education of one’s religious community. It aligns well with the Seminary’s mission to prepare leaders, students, scholars and religious institutions to understand and live faithfully in today’s multifaith and pluralistic world by affirming the particularities of faith and social context while openly exploring differences and commonalities.

The 24-credit program is intended for part-time students, extends normally over a period of two to three years.  The program consists of two supervised Field Education courses (Reflection on Ministry Experience and Clinical Pastoral Education) coupled with six courses.     For program details, click here.

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