 One of the wittiest anecdotes I’ve come across within the Islamic tradition comes to us courtesy of the great polymath Imam Jalāl ud-Dīn as-Suyūṭī (d. 1505). He was once grilled concerning his supposed statement that he was at the same level of authority and legal scholarship as the 4 Imams (Abū Ḥanīfa, Mālik, ash-Shāfi’ī, ibn Ḥanbal). The great Suyūṭī reportedly held firm to his commitment to intellectual freedom, responding, “Yes! I have reached the level of a mujtahid muṭlaq (legist of unrestricted jurisdiction).” He continued, “in that, I am identical to Imam ash-Shāfi’ī. However, you will find that my opinion never diverges from his.” He offered in summary, “it’s not that I’m imitating (taqlīd) him; I just actually agree with everything he said!” Acknowledging the brilliance of your predecessors and your indebtedness to them while maintaining a personal commitment to originality and independence is a difficult balancing act. As the resident scholar at the American Learning Institute for Muslims (ALIM), for the last decade, I’ve been able to work with people I admire greatly. Although I am fiercely committed to originality within my work, it is challenging at times not to listen to some of our scholars and remark, “I would like to fancy myself an original thinker but that is exactly what I think!” In addition to highlighting the erudition of our core scholars and visiting faculty, the ALIM Summer Program (SP) also accentuated our community’s rich diversity. Homogeneity is such a bore. Religious programming too often takes place within contexts that create the false perception of consensus. Perhaps it is understandable that in a cacophony of voices, people are drawn to spaces in which their beliefs and identities are reinforced.  Indeed, we also intend for ALIM to be a faith-affirming experience for the Muslims who attend. However, when that reinforcement is construed too tightly we create echo chambers. A worldview learned in an echo chamber is inadequate for two reasons. First, such a worldview is quickly called into question when new information is encountered. In fact, intentionally leading someone to believe that no differing opinions (upon a particular matter) exist can result in their distrust—when they learn of alternate views. One-sided polemic is only effective in the short term. Second, every echo chamber tends to prioritize a specific kind of personality and thinking. Conversely, when instructors are intellectually honest (which shouldn’t be confused with conviction-lacking “objectivity”) students are given license to find themselves within the tradition. The result, which was highlighted by capstone projects completed by the students, is that students develop wildly diverse ideas about the utility of what they’ve learned. For example, one group of students developed a prototype of a social networking app while another group of students laid out an imaginary blueprint for a thrift store. The literal mission of ALIM is “Empowerment thru Literacy.” If every student left our program and felt as if the next step in their progression as Muslims in America was to open Islamic centers or matriculate into Islamic studies programs we would need to re-think our programming. When students complete the program and subsequently lean into ideas about serving Islam in ways that uniquely resonate with them, we are thankful. Our mission statement is being realized. Spending 3 weeks rooming and studying 8 hours per day with strangers is no small feat. There is a lot of room for things to go horribly wrong. And yet there is also room for things to go magnificently right! During this SP, I saw a number of students who might not have had any reason to engage each other outside of ALIM, learning from one another and developing bonds of friendship. As was mentioned earlier in this post, at ALIM our goals are educational. If memory serves me correctly, I can’t recall a single meeting in which we’ve expressed official goals that were social in nature. And yet, some of the undeniable magic of the SP is the way our students connect with each other.  This year, led by phenomenal counselors Mikel, Yusuf, and Halima, students not only learned through instruction in the classroom, they also learned from each other. This year’s class included dedicated activists from Southern California, a prominent vocalist from London, a chaplain from the American Heartland, a seminarian from Zaytuna College, a newly minted high school graduate from Seattle, a participant in an apprenticeship program in Chicago, and many other students with highly unique backgrounds. In an era that seems to pride itself on a heightened ability to take offense at the conduct of others, holding all of this together was an absolutely Prophetic (upon our Prophet be peace) task. While addressing the students and many of their relatives during the closing ceremony, it suddenly occurred to me that I was observing a microcosm of the modern Muslim community. The students were dynamic, diverse, colorful, and perhaps most importantly, deeply inspired by their commitment to Islam. After listening to a heartfelt address by the inestimable Ustadha Zaynab Ansari and thought provoking spoken word and poetic pieces from the students, we arrived to the most important part of the evening: The presentation of the certificates of completion. As opposed to just announcing the students’ names, the students created a “What’s my Line” style guessing game. Different (usually commendable!) descriptors of each student were projected on screen while those in attendance shouted the name of the person they thought was being described. It was beautiful. The smiles, laughter, and looks of satisfied vindication after such an intense course of study were not only deserved but perhaps just as importantly those expressions were real.  At its worst, engagement with Islamic tradition in our community can assume the form of a ritualized performance of “ideals” that are irrelevant to the rest of our lives. Although those engaging in these performances within their conferences, retreats, assemblies, etc. might view themselves as “preserving” the tradition, I fear that the opposite is true. To engage Islamic spaces in a modality that doesn’t fit into the other dimensions of our lives is a tacit admission that what we’re doing doesn’t work. We can only sustain that level of dissonance for so long. Eventually that which doesn’t work will either be relegated to the scrapheap of history or occasionally referenced as folklore. Conversely, an earnest engagement with critical, faith-affirming scholarship in a diverse setting, which intentionally nurtures the creativity of our emerging leaders, can become the defining characteristic of our community for the foreseeable future. It was an honor to be a part of the 2024 ALIM Summer Program. ABOUT THE AUTHOR |
 | Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans is ALIM’s first Scholar-in-Residence. He converted to Islam while in high school. Upon conversion, Ustadh Ubaydullah began studying some of the foundational books of Islam under the private tutelage of local scholars while simultaneously pursuing a degree in journalism from Columbia.Since then, he has studied at Chicagoland’s Institute of Islamic Education (IIE), in Tarim, Yemen, and Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, where he is the first African-American to graduate from its Shari’a program. Ustadh Ubaydullah also instructs with the Ta’leef Collective and the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN) at times. As the ALIM Scholar-in-Residence, Ustadh Ubaydullah is a core instructor at the ALIM Summer Program. He teaches History of Islamic Law, Shama'il, and Aphorisims of Ibn Ata'illah along with other courses. |
The ALIM summer program
The ALIM Summer Program is an intensive three-week retreat seeking to educate and empower Muslims with the requisite knowledge to understand their religion in the light of a changing world. The curriculum addresses traditional subjects such as Fiqh, Tafsir, and Sirah and contemporary issues in courses like Islam in America, Modernism, Sectarianism, and Liberalism. Engage with esteemed scholars in a discussion-based classroom setting: Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans, Dr. Sherman Jackson, Dr. Muneer Fareed, Dr. Ali Sulaiman Ali, Imam Zaid Shakir, Ustadha Zaynab Ansari, Dr. Mohamed Hag Magid, Dr. Hadia Mubarak, and Dr. Mohammed Tayssir Safi.
ALIM's annual summer intensive is an excellent opportunity to learn, meet students from around the country, and build confidence in your faith. Registration for the 25th annual, thought-provoking, faith-affirming program is competitive. Apply today to be one of the 50 students graduating this 2024. Submit your application today to start the process!
ALIM's annual summer intensive is an excellent opportunity to learn, meet students from around the country, and build confidence in your faith. Registration for the 25th annual, thought-provoking, faith-affirming program is competitive. Apply today to be one of the 50 students graduating this 2024. Submit your application today to start the process!
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