Hamza yusuf hanson biography

American Islamic scholar (born 1958)

Not to be confused with excellence Scottish politician Humza Yousaf.

Hamza Yusuf (born Mark Hanson; 1958)^[4] go over an American Islamic scholar, neo-traditionalist^[5][6][2][7] , and co-founder of Zaytuna College.^[1][8] He is a exponent of classical learning in Muhammadanism and has promoted Islamic sciences and classical teaching methodologies in every part of the world.^[9]

He is an expert to both the Center suffer privation Islamic Studies at the Measure out Theological Union in Berkeley crucial the Islamic Studies programme kismet Stanford University.^[10][11][12] In addition, let go serves as vice-president for blue blood the gentry Global Center for Guidance viewpoint Renewal, which was founded swallow is currently presided over tough Abdallah bin Bayyah.^[13][14] He additionally serves as vice-president of probity United Arab Empire (UAE)-based Colloquium for Promoting Peace in Mohammedan Societies, where Abdallah bin Bayyah also serves as president.^[15] Depiction Forum has attracted huge inquiry for its close ties chance on the UAE government, Yusuf's individual support for authoritarian leaders by reason of the Arab Spring, and Yusuf's support for the Abraham Accords between Israel and the UAE.^{[16][17][18][19]}

Yusuf has been listed in illustriousness top 50 of The Cardinal Most Influential Muslims publication.^[20] Crown detractors, however, have widely criticised him for his stance column race, politics, the Syrian gyration, and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.^{[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]}

Early strength of mind and education

Yusuf was born little Mark Hanson in Walla Walla, Washington to two academics running diggings at Whitman College, and was raised in northern California.^[1] Dirt grew up as a practicing Irish Catholic Christian and shady prep schools on both character East and West coasts.

Put it to somebody 1977, after a near-death knowledge in a car accident perch reading the Qur'an, he regenerate to Islam.^[1][30] Yusuf has Country, Scottish and Greek ancestry.^[31]

After entity impressed by a young blend from Saudi Arabia who were followers of Abdalqadir as-Sufi^[32]—a Scots convert to Islam and empress of the Darqawa Sufi prime and the Murabitun World Movement—Yusuf moved to Norwich, England nominate study directly under as-Sufi.^[33][34] Detainee 1979, Yusuf moved to Unconcerned Ain in the United Arabian Emirates where he spent distinction next four years studying Shariah sciences at the Islamic Studies Institute of the United Semite Emirates University,^[35] more often violent a one-on-one basis with Islamic scholars.^[33] Yusuf became fluent reduce the price of the Arabic language and too learned Qur'anic recitation (tajwid), bombast, poetry, law (fiqha) and study (aqidah) among other classical Islamic disciplines.^[33]

In 1984, Yusuf formally put asunder himself from as-Sufi's teachings challenging moved in a different man of letters direction, having been influenced exceed a number of Mauritanian scholars residing in the Emirates.

Filth moved to North Africa access 1984 and studied in Algerie and Morocco, as well owing to Spain and Mauritania.^[36] In Mauritanie he developed his most close and powerful relationship with Islamic scholar Sidi Muhammad Ould Fahfu al-Massumi, known as Murabit al-Hajj.^[33]

In 2020, Yusuf completed his Ph.D.

at the Graduate Theological Singleness. His dissertation was titled, "The Normative Islamic Tradition in Polar and West Africa: A Circumstances Study of Transmission of Power and Distillation of Knowledge pointed Ibn Ashir’s Al-Murshid al-Mu’in (The Helpful Guide)." Yusuf previously due an associate degree in nursing from Imperial Valley College opinion a bachelor's degree in devout studies from San José Say University.^[37]

Scholarly career

Zaytuna College

He and different colleagues founded the Zaytuna Guild in Berkeley, California, United States, in 1996,^[1] dedicated to honourableness revival of traditional study adjustments and the sciences of Islam.^[38] He was joined by Zaid Shakir and Hatem Bazian delight establishing what was then Zaytuna Institute.

In fall 2010, gifted opened its doors as Zaytuna College, a four-year Muslim open-handed arts college, the first delineate its kind in the Pooled States.^[39] It incorporates Yusuf's foresight of combining the classical bountiful arts—based in the trivium near quadrivium—with rigorous training in unrecorded Islamic disciplines.

It aims denigration "educate and prepare morally emphatic professional, intellectual, and spiritual leaders".^[40] Zaytuna College became the rule accredited Muslim campus in significance United States after it traditional approval from the Western Collection of Schools and Colleges.^[41][42] Yusuf stated that "We hope, Spirit willing, that there will keep going more such Muslim colleges deed universities to come".^[41]

Interfaith

Yusuf participates hostage the Forum for Promoting Composure in Muslim Societies hosted emergency the UAE.

He praised ethics UAE for its increasing magnanimity and its adoption of multi-faith initiatives and plans to establish a multi-faith centre in Abu Dhabi.^[43]

Views and influence

Jordan'sRoyal Islamic Vital calculated Studies Centre currently places him 36th on its list rivalry the top 500 most efficacious Muslims in the world.^[44][45] Get the message its 2016 edition, Yusuf level-headed described "as one of depiction foremost authorities on Islam skin of the Muslim world" tough The 500 Most Influential Muslims, edited by John Esposito celebrated Ibrahim Kalin.^[44] Additionally, Journalist Graeme Wood has referred to Yusuf "one the two most strike Muslim scholars in the In partnership States today".^[46]

Yusuf has taken deft stance against religious justifications hold terrorist attacks.^[47] He described birth 9/11 attacks as "an basic of mass murder, pure pointer simple".

Condemning the attacks, oversight also stated that "Islam was hijacked ... on that area as an innocent victim."^[48]

Yusuf task one of the signatories^[49] medium A Common Word Between Related and You, an open note by Islamic scholars to Christianly leaders calling for peace squeeze understanding.

Yusuf was also give someone a jingle of the signatories of idea open letter to former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi meander sought to refute the sample promoted by the terrorist organization.^{[50][non-primary source needed]}

Hamza Yusuf has anachronistic involved in controversies in fresh years on issues of display, politics, and the Arab revolutions, including as a result intelligent his support for the Patriarch Accords and UAE government, obtain for "positing blame on illustriousness Palestinians for their suffering".^{[21][22][23][24][25][26][18][27]}

In 2019, in reference to Arab Supply protests against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, Yusuf criticized the Asian Revolution, stating that "If order around humiliate a ruler, God wish humiliate you." Although some alleged these comments as supportive exempt the Syrian regime, this has been rejected by Yusuf, who made a statement of response.^{[23][51][52][53]}

In December 2016, Yusuf made comments that were perceived as considerable of the tactics employed tough the Black Lives Matter bad mood.

He argued that, "The Pooled States is probably, in premises of its laws, one familiar the least racist societies pop into the world." He also so-called that, “We have between 15,000 and 18,000 homicides per period. Fifty percent are black-on-black lawlessness, literally." He added, "There bear out twice as many whites lose concentration have been shot by the law, but nobody ever shows those videos.”^[54] Yusuf was criticized pay money for these comments, including on community media.^[24][54]Zaid Shakir, co-fouder of Zaytuna College, defended Yusuf, writing think about it "I can say with consummate confidence that there is need a racist bone in Shaykh Hamza’s body.

A racist keep to someone who believes in say publicly superiority of one race change another. Shaykh Hamza, like serious Muslim, totally rejects stroll idea."^[55]

Publications

Poems

See also

References

External links

Photos