Association of Muslim Chaplains’ Annual Conference 2025
By Rasheed Rabbi and Jaye Starr
May/Jun 25
Amid the political and social upheaval unleashed by the new administration, nearly 115 Muslim chaplains convened to “remember, reflect, and reimagine” their pastoral commitment and the future of Muslim Americans. Armed with the tools of faith and professional chaplaincy, they convened for the Annual Association of Muslim Chaplains (AMC) conference from February 14 to 16 and transformed their Zoom platform into a virtual sanctuary of resilience and renewal. Despite the physical distance, their dedication remained steadfast in welcoming almost two hundred attendees, averaging nearly nine hours of engagement, a testament to AMC’s enduring commitment to spiritual leadership in turbulent times.
Chaired by Ch. Jaye Starr from University of Michigan Health, the conference commenced on Friday evening with an intimate gathering that echoed the candid, unscripted exchanges of a hotel lobby. Small breakout sessions became unique reflection cells as participants explored fundamental questions that cut to the heart of their callings: What moments defined and tested them this past year? What first led them to chaplaincy, and what keeps them anchored in it? How do the Prophetic tradition and the demands of the present age shape their distinct paths?
These reflections wove together the wisdom of seasoned chaplains, the fresh perspectives of newcomers, and the aspirations of students preparing to enter the field. Though the gathering lasted only two hours, its impact set the tone for the days ahead. Over the next two days, participants reconvened in immersive half-day sessions, strengthening the bonds forged during those initial exchanges.
The conference centered on two key phases: training and reflection. The Saturday session equipped chaplains with essential tools to navigate their evolving roles, while the Sunday session offered a space for deep contemplation about learning from pioneering Muslim chaplains and engaging with those shaping the field’s future. Through remembrance and dialogue, the gathering fostered inclusivity and reimagined the possibilities for Islamic chaplaincy in North America.
Saturday Sessions
Participants immersed themselves in three hours of rigorous discussions in four parallel deep-dive workshops: i) Campus Islamophobia, ii) Navigating Prison Salafism iii) Responding Trauma within Islamic Psychotherapy, and iii) Fiqh for Healthcare. Each session, divided into focused segments with brief interludes, offered insight into challenging assumptions, sharpening skills, and strengthening the resolve of those who stand at the crossroads of faith and service.
Anti-Islamophobia for Muslim Campus Chaplains – Margari Hill, Executive Director of MuslimARC, dismantled the illusion that Islamophobia is mere ignorance or irrational fear. Through a historical analysis and case studies, she traced its roots as a calculated, systemic force woven into media, politics, and policy. She outlined strategies for campus chaplains to counter Islamophobia through institutional advocacy, coalition-building, and faith-based resilience.
Navigating Salafism in Prison – Ch. Dr. Faizudeen Shuaib from the Federal Bureau of Prisons examined the layered reality of Salafism behind bars. Prison is not just confinement; it is an ideological battleground where faith can be both sanctuary and schism. Mapping its jihadist, activist, and quietist expressions, he tackled the limits of dialogue, the boundaries of religious accommodation, and the fine line chaplains walk in fostering spiritual growth amid theological tensions.
Responding to Trauma Through Islamic Psychotherapy: Maryam Fakhruddin from Restorative Counseling and Wellness Center explored trauma as an inherited wound that does not bleed but linger in the soul’s unseen depths. She showed trauma is not just a memory. It acts as an imprint passed through generations to shape faith and distort one’s perception of God. Drawing from the Quran, Prophetic traditions, and modern psychology, she laid out a framework for Islamic psychotherapy that centers divine remembrance and embodied healing. Ch. Azleena Sellah Azhar from Sofia Health, North Carolina, led a session on engaging with narcissism during the last segment that provided practical support tips for chaplains accompanying family members of those with narcissism.
Fiqh for Healthcare Chaplains – This four-part series provided a critical breakdown of fiqh in medical care:
- Sunni Perspectives on General Health – Ch. ‘Asma Binti Hasanuddin, who trained at Penn Medicine’s Princeton Hospital, provided a structured overview of Islamic jurisprudential rulings relevant to health care chaplaincy, covering key ethical and legal considerations on pregnancy termination, contraception, milk banks, vaccinations, and animal-derived body parts (e.g., heart valves).
- Sunni Perspective on End of Care – Ch. Yunus Dadhwala from Barts Health NHS Trust in the U.K. explored end of life decision making dilemmas.
- Shia Perspectives – Ch. Narjess Kardan from Houston Methodist Hospital discussed the convergences and divergences of Shia rulings.
- Practical Application – Ch. Ayman Soliman from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital guided chaplains to help families grapple with difficult end-of-life decisions to uphold the Islamic ethico-legal principles.
Each session reinforced the chaplain’s role as both a spiritual guide and a frontline responder in spaces where faith intersects with institutional power, suffering, and transformation.
Keynote – Former ISNA President Dr. Ingrid Mattson delivered a keynote that traced the lineage of chaplaincy back to its earliest, unrecognized practitioners: Black chaplains who stepped into the role out of sheer necessity without institutional endorsement. Their presence in prisons was not invited; it was demanded by the machinery of anti-Black racism and mass incarceration. Drawing from her work with the Hurma Project, she exposed the insidious nature of spiritual abuse and the urgent need to safeguard chaplaincy from exploitation and harm.
Sunday Sessions
The Sunday session started with AMC’s business meeting followed by three sessions: i) remembering our roots, ii) envisioning our future, and iii) cohort working sessions.
Remembering Our Roots – This segment revisited the foundations of Islamic chaplaincy across five key sectors to trace their evolution through necessity, sacrifice, and resilience.
- Military Chaplaincy: Veterans of the field, including Ch. Dr. LTC Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad (U.S. Army), Ch. Col. Dr. Khallid Shabazz (U.S. Army), Ch. Maj. Barbara Helms (Canadian Armed Forces), and Ch. Capt. Ryan Carter (Canadian Armed Forces) shared firsthand challenges from deployments and operations to highlight how faith is tested in the crucible of war, separation, and moral injury.
- Community Chaplaincy: Ch. Dr. Nurah Amat’ullah, CEO of the Muslim Women’s Institute for Research and Development, Dr. Muhammad Hatim from the Graduate Theological Foundation, and Ch. Rabia Terri Harris, founder of the Muslim Peace Fellowship, examined the evolving role of community chaplains and emphasized the need for sustainable chaplaincy models for the decentralized spiritual leadership of current times.
- Healthcare Chaplaincy: Ch. Dr. Abdus-Salaam Musa from the Graduate Theological Foundation, Ch. Zilfa Baksh from the NY State Chaplains Taskforce, and Ch. Yusuf Hasan from the New York-Presbyterian Hospital reflected on the shift from emergency spiritual care to structured, interdisciplinary pastoral roles within hospital systems.
- Correctional Chaplaincy: Ch. Abu Ishaq Abdul Hafiz from the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Ch. Dr. Salahuddin Muhammad from the Fishkill Correctional Facility recounted how Black Muslim chaplains began informally, driven by the urgent spiritual needs of incarcerated Muslims. They highlighted the ongoing challenges of advocacy within the prison system.
- Campus Chaplaincy: Ch. Omer Bajwa from Yale University addressed the evolving role of Muslim chaplains on college campuses and emphasized the intersection of chaplaincy, student activism, and the increasing pressures of institutional scrutiny.
Envisioning Our Future – Following reflections on the past, the conference pivoted towards the future and tackled two fundamental questions: Where should Muslim chaplains be in 25 years? What steps are necessary to get there?
- Correctional Chaplaincy: Ch. Muhammad Ali and Ch. Mustafa Boz from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Ch. Hajjah Sabah Muhammad-Tahir from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Ch. Zubair Yousif from the Muslim Endorsement Council underscored the need for chaplains to be rooted in both Islamic sciences and the lived experiences of past chaplains to integrate trauma-informed care with theological depth.
- Community Chaplaincy: Ch. Ibrahim Long from the Islamic Family and Social Services Association, Edmonton, Ch. Lauren Schreiber from Center DC, and Ch. Hanaa Unus from Qaswa Consulting called for greater infrastructure and accountability in community-based chaplaincy.
- Campus Chaplaincy: Ch. Tahera Ahmed, Ch. Patricia Anton from 171 Foundation, Ch. Kaiser Aslan from the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University, and Ch. Joshua Salaam from Duke University mapped out strategies to navigate the post-October 7th landscape for addressing Islamophobic scrutiny and institutional challenges.
- Military Chaplaincy: Ch. Maj. Rafael Lantigua from the U.S. National Guard, and Ch. Maj. Ryan Carter and Col. Ibraheem Raheem from the U.S. Army focused on the logistical and bureaucratic hurdles of sustaining chaplaincy networks within the armed forces.
- Healthcare Chaplaincy: Ch. Sondos Kholaki, Ch. Ayman Soliman and Ch. Taqwa Surapati from Sanford Hospital highlighted the need for stronger academic foundations in Islamic spiritual care and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Closing the Conference: Cybersecurity and the Future of Chaplaincy – Finally, the conference concluded with a cybersecurity session by Praveen Sinha from Equality Labs. He equipped chaplains with tools to protect themselves against doxing, data breaches, and government surveillance in an era of digital scrutiny and Islamophobic targeting.
Beyond these discussions, the conference was accompanied by a meticulously curated program book, crafted by Ch. Seher Siddiqee from the USF Children’s Hospital and Ch. Usama Malik from Muslim Space. More than a logistical guide, it was an archival piece documenting 15 years of Muslim chaplains in action through photos, biographies, and historical reflections. AMC continues to maintain these records online, ensuring that Islamic chaplaincy is not only practiced but remembered and studied.
Looking Ahead
The depth of engagement in each session made it clear that the future of Islamic chaplaincy cannot be shaped in isolation. As discussions unfolded, so did the realization that the side conversations – the mentorship, cross-sector collaborations, and informal exchanges – were just as vital as the formal sessions. If chaplains show up only for their own domains, the field fragments. To truly envision the future, they must be present for each other.
Jaye Starr is the ICU Chaplain at Michigan Medicine, co-author, of Mantle of Mercy: Islamic Chaplaincy in North America (Volume 1), and board member with the Association of Muslim Chaplains.
Rasheed Rabbi, community, prison, and hospital chaplain at NOVA, Doctor of Ministry from Boston University, and MA in Religious Studies from Hartford International University. He is the founder of e-Dawah and Secretary of the Association of Muslim Scientists, Engineers & Technology Professionals.
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