Hisham Kabbani

Hisham Kabbani

Muhammad Hisham Kabbani (born 28 January 1945 (13 Safar 1364 AH) in Lebanon) is a prominent American Sunni Muslim (Sufi). Kabbani advocates an understanding of Islam described by his supporters as fundamentally based on peace, tolerance, respect and love. Shaykh Kabbani has been an outspoken critic of extremism as well as the Wahabi doctrine. Shaykh Kabbani is a spiritual teacher in the line of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order. Kabbani is the founder and chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of America, the chairman of the American Muslim Assistance relief organization, the founder of Kamilat, an international Muslim women’s organization, the chairman of the As-Sunnah Foundation of America, and the founder and president of ‘Muslim Magazine’. He is a spiritual teacher of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order. and founder of the Sufi Muslim Council.

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, Shaykh Hisham relocated to the United States in 1991, where he has opened 23 Sufi outreach centers focused on spreading Sufism. He has lectured at many universities, including Harvard University, Rutgers University, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins 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.

Shaykh 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. He has supported military incursions in Bosnia, Kosovo, 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.

Controversy and criticism

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Hisham Kabbani sitting during Gohar Shahi's visit to America in 1997.

Shaykh Kabbani recently came into conflict with various Muslim groups including the Islamic Society of North America, CAIR and ICNA after he stated that 80 percent of mosques are being run by "extremist ideologies”. Muslim organizations harshly responded, stating that Shaykh Kabbani's remarks "could have a profoundly negative impact on ordinary American Muslims.” Kabbani plunged into further controversy when he accused Muslims who advise the United States about Islam as being "extremists themselves". When asked during a conference whether he would name the Islamic groups he believed were "extremist", Kabbani answered, "after the program". When subsequently confronted with the question during the end of the discussion, Kabbani refused to answer. In a joint statement pertaining to Kabbani's accusations, several Muslim groups noted 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."

Published works

Works published by Kabbani include:

• A spiritual commentary on the chapter of sincerity, ISBN 1-930409-42-7 (2006)
• Sufi self science of realization, ISBN 1-930409-29-X (2005)
• Keys to the Divine Kingdom, ISBN 1-930409-28-1 (2005)
• Classical Islam and the Naqshbandi Sufi Order, ISBN 1-930409-10-9 (2004)
• The Naqshbandi Sufi Way Guidebook, ISBN 1-930409-22-2 (2004)
• The Approach of Armageddon? an Islamic perspective, ISBN 1-930409-20-6 (2003)
• Encyclopedia of Muhammad's Women Companions, ISBN 1-871031-42-7 (1998)
• Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine and Beliefs, ISBN 1-871031-48-6 (1998)
• Angels Unveiled, ISBN 1-930409-37-0 (1996)
• Pearls & Coral (vols 1 and 2), ISBN 1-930409-07-9 (2005,2006)
• The Naqshbandi Sufi Way (1995);
• Remembrance of God Liturgy of the Sufi Naqshbandi Masters (1994)

See also

• Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order of America
• As-Sunnah Foundation of America
• Islamic Supreme Council of America
• Sufi Muslim Council

External links

• Correct Islamic Faith International Association (CIFIA)
• Rabbani Sufi Institute of Indonesia
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