HENDI, Imam Yahya
Imam Yahya Hendi
Imam Yahya Hendi is the Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University, the first American University to hire a full-time Muslim chaplain.
Imam Hendi is also the Imam of the Islamic Society of Frederick, Frederick, MD and is the Muslim Chaplain at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. He also serves as a member of the Islamic Jurisprudence Council of North America.
He has served as an adjunct faculty member for Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Science and Osher's Lifelong Learning Institute of John Hopkins University, Fordham University and Hartford Seminary. Imam Hendi also teaches a very popular course at Georgetown University called: Inter-religious Encounter.
Mr. Hendi's undergraduate education was in Islamic Studies and his Master’s and PhD education were in comparative religions with interest in Christianity, Judaism, comparative religions and inter-religious dialogue and relations.
He has written numerous publications on many topics, including women in Islam, women and gender relations in Islam, the second coming of the Messiah, Islam and biomedical ethics and religion and Islam in the United States.
A sought-after speaker, Imam Hendi has presented a multitude of interfaith and general lectures in the USA, Asia, Africa, Europe, central Asia, Eastern Europe, Australia and the Middle East over the past 10 years and he has been to more than 63 countries and 45 US states for conferences.
Mr. Hendi was one of the Muslim leaders who met with President Clinton during his Presidency. He also met with the President Bush in the aftermath of the September 11th tragedy and continued to meet him many times during his presidency. Imam Hendi often visits and lectures at churches and synagogues hoping to create a new positive relationship between the followers of the three Abrahamic religions. In his lectures, Imam Hendi focuses on issues related to gender relations, domestic violence, world peace, social, economic and political justice, and inter-religious and interfaith issues.
Imam Hendi appeared on many national and international television and Radio shows as an expert on interfaith dialogue and on Islam and Muslims (i.e. CNN, ABC, Fox, Kuwait TV, Nile TV, Pakistan Channel-II, RAI, MSNBC and Al-jazeerah).
Imam Hendi recently engaged nationally and internationally on raising awareness on issues of the 21st century which included: 1) environmental responsibility, 2) a peaceful resolution to the Arab/Israeli conflict, 3) eliminating poverty, 4) fighting against the growing sense of militarism, and 5) empowering Muslims to reform the way they practice and understand Islam.
Mr. Hendi serves on national and international interfaith councils such as the Appeal of Conscience, the National Inter-religious Leadership Initiative for Peace in the Middle East. Imam Hendi is the founder and the Secretary General of Clergy Beyond Borders, and the founder and the president of the newly founded organization, Imams for Universe, Dignity, Human Rights and Dialogue.
In May 2002, Imam Hendi was chosen by Hartford Seminary to receive its annual “James Gettemy Significant Ministry Award” for his dedication to his Ministry and for his work to promote peace building between people of different religions. In February 2009, Imam Hendi was honored by the Baltimore field office of the FBI for fighting terrorism, drugs and violence in America. Imam Hendi offers inter-religious and Muslim retreats, and leads Jum'ah (Friday Services). He also councils students on academic, professional and social issues.
Imam Hendi is sought after expert on Islam and conflict resolution issues. Imam Yahya Hendi believes that with love and education--the world will be a better place to live in.