Marking a Quarter-Century of Muslim Presence at Georgetown University

This fall, Georgetown University rolls out the anniversary of its Muslim Life chaplaincy - America's first full-time Muslim chaplaincy established at a U.S. university. And over two decades later, Imam Yahya Hendi, our trailblazing chaplain, is still leading the charge for inclusivity and interfaith dialogue.

Since he took the lead at Georgetown in 1999, Hendi has built and overseen the Office of Muslim Life, offering students worship services, educational programs, and providing religious guidance for our Muslim community. Last year, Georgetown opened the Yarrow Mamout Masjid, the country's first campus mosque, under Hendi's supervision. The mosque offers a space for prayer, reflection, and community with its ablution stations, spirituality and formation hall, and halal kitchen.

"Muslim Life is a cornerstone of Georgetown," Joseph Ferrara, senior vice president and chief of staff, commented at the anniversary event. "Over the past twenty-five years, it has played a crucial role in shaping our students' spiritual journeys, fostering interfaith dialogue, and pushing the bounds of our shared commitment to acceptance and faith."

In November, Georgetown celebrated the Muslim Life chaplaincy's anniversary with a grand dinner, welcoming university leaders, faculty, and alumni from around the globe, as well as fellow students and members of the Washington, D.C. Muslim community.

Georgetown's Union leaders also hosted a series of career panels featuring alumni success stories in civic engagement, law, finance, health and medicine. Imam Hendi shared his insights during the event, emphasizing the vital role Campus Ministry plays in empowering students with mental and spiritual peace.

Hendi, a West Bank native, earned his degrees in Islamic law and theology at the University of Jordan before serving at the National Naval Medical Center and National Institutes of Health as a Muslim chaplain. With his vast background in religion and interreligious knowledge, Hendi has expertly nurtured the Muslim Life program at Georgetown, starting with teaching Interreligious Dialogue with rabbis and Jesuits and attending retreats for Muslim students.

"As Georgetown's first Muslim chaplain, Hendi has nurtured our students' spiritual growth, fostered the creation of sacred spaces for faith, and embodied interfaith dialogue and engagement," said Georgetown Interim President Robert M. Groves at the anniversary event. "Imam Hendi, we're stronger and better because of your efforts."

In 2023, Georgetown University officially opened the Yarrow Mamout Masjid, offering five daily prayer services, educational programming, and spiritual discussions. The masjid serves as both a place of worship and a sanctuary, providing Muslin and non-Muslim students with a community space for finding solace, connecting with fellow Muslims, and engaging in interfaith dialogue.

For many students, the masjid represents a welcoming environment that mirrors their homes and provides an essential support system during challenges faced while away from their families.

"Georgetown University represents a unique place for me," Imam Hendi shared. "It's a space that cares for the whole person. When students walk through these doors, they find a community that understands and supports them."

Reflecting on his past achievements and the future vision for Muslim Life at Georgetown, Hendi stated, "I want to continue empowering our community to embrace a radical passion for compassion. I believe I'll need another 25 years to achieve the transformative change we strive for in our faith and our world."

Spreading the Light of Faith: The Growth of Muslim Life

The Beginnings

Hendi made history when he joined Georgetown in 1999 as the first full-time Muslim chaplain at a U.S. university, resulting in write-ups in reputable publications such as The New York Times and Washington Post. Bill Clinton invited him to the White House to celebrate this new role.

The university's aim for the new Office of Muslim Life was to serve as a resource for Muslim and non-Muslim students, champion interfaith understanding, and provide spiritual guidance and pastoral care for Georgetown's Muslim students, numbering just over a hundred at the time.

An Uncharted Path

As the nation's first Muslim university chaplain, Hendi was without a roadmap. So, he embarked on a journey of discovery, learning from fellow Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish chaplains at campuses across the country. Hendi combined this knowledge with his mastery of Islamic law, theology, and interreligious studies to form the foundation for the Muslim Life program.

Building the Muslim Life Movement

Starting in 2000, Hendi began teaching Interreligious Dialogue with rabbis and Jesuits at Georgetown, discussing engagement on topics with differing viewpoints. He shared his experiences with colleges around the world, inspiring subsequent Muslim chaplaincies. Hendi also offered retreats for Muslim students and a series on mental health, both of which continue to run today.

Over the years, Muslim Life has guided and supported generations of Muslim students through counseling and programming, helping herald new sacred spaces of worship.

A Space for All: Yarrow Mamout Masjid

The recent addition to Georgetown's sacred spaces is the Yarrow Mamout Masjid, which opened in 2023. The masjid offers ablution stations, a spirituality and formation hall, and a halal kitchen.

For many students, the masjid serves as a refuge from the chaos of daily routines and a place to connect with other Muslims, finding solace and spiritual nourishment.

"At Georgetown University, they come to a unique space," Hendi shares. "It's a place that cares for their wellbeing. They recognize that they are far from home, but with the masjid, they feel as though they're home."

Georgetown's Sacred Spaces: A Haven for Diverse Faiths

Georgetown's commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community is evident in the numerous sacred spaces offered to students across various religious traditions.

For instance, Georgetown Law established a Muslim Prayer Room on campus in 2017, featuring weekly services. This effort to accommodate various faiths is just one example of how Georgetown upholds interreligious understanding as a core value.

Muslim Life at Georgetown offers a range of opportunities, including retreats at the Calcagnini Contemplative Center, Islamic lecture series, study circles, interfaith dialogue events, and services.

Ikram Muhammedsani, a senior in the School of Health, can attest to the profound impact the masjid and Muslim Life have had on her spiritual journey at Georgetown. Recalling her first semester on campus, Muhammedsani spent much of her time in the masjid, worshiping, learning, and participating in events centered on mental health and faith.

Reflecting on her time with Muslim Life, Muhammedsani said, "The masjid provided me with a sense of spiritual grounding as I adjusted to life away from my family and home. It became a space to not only learn about our faith but to build a supportive community with other fellow students."

Driven by this authentic experience, Muhammedsani decided to become an active member of the Muslim Life team, now serving as the director of education and formation. Her efforts have included planning retreats and events focused on creating memorable experiences for Muslim students, much like those that have impacted her own life.

With Imam Hendi's 25-year tenure at Georgetown, the future of the Muslim Life chaplaincy holds limitless opportunities for continued growth, interfaith dialogue, and inclusivity. In Hendi's words, "The role of religion in domestic peace and international peace is still a work in progress. On the contrary, we discover every day that religion has a more significant role to play in advancing peace in the world." And with Hendi at the helm, Georgetown remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering a community that embodies mutual respect, understanding, and support.

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Over the past two decades, Georgetown University's Muslim Life program, led by trailblazing chaplain Imam Yahya Hendi, has been instrumental in shaping students' spiritual journeys, fostering interfaith dialogue, and promoting acceptance and faith.
In addition to spiritual guidance and worship services, the Muslim Life program has also expanded to include career panels featuring alumni success stories in various fields such as civic engagement, law, finance, health, and medicine, with Imam Hendi sharing his insights on empowering students with mental and spiritual peace.
The education and self-development offered by Georgetown University extends beyond the classroom; the University's commitment to diversity and inclusivity is evident in the creation of sacred spaces like the Yarrow Mamout Masjid, which provides Muslim students with a welcoming environment that mirrors their homes and serves as an essential support system.