Omid Safi

Community involvement

My most important involvement in the life of this world is through service to my family. I am a son to my parents in Florida, a husband to my beautiful wife Holly, and a father to our four children.
 
I am a founding member and the Co-chair of the Progressive Muslim Union of North America.

I frequently give presentations dealing with various aspects of religion in the contemporary world, spirituality and mysticism, and Islam at churches, mosques, synagogues, and civic groups. It is one of the joys of my life, and indeed a responsibility, to be involved in any endeavor which seeks to bring all of God's children together. If I may be of any service for your group, kindly This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

At Colgate, I taught in the department of Philosophy and Religion. In addition, I was a council member of Asian Studies, as well as the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor. I am heavily involved in the Core program, where my specific contributions fall in the area of Core Cultures and Core 151 program. I am also involved in discussions to integrate material dealing with the Islamic and post-colonial world into other segments of the Core Program.

I am the official advisor for the Colgate Muslim Student Association. I also serve the Islamic Students Association of the nearby Hamilton College. It has been a source of immense delight to form beautiful friendships and share conversations of faith with the Nan De Vries, the Chaplain at Colgate, and Jeff McArn, who is the Chaplain at Hamilton College.

Talk to Mrs. Mosher's first grade class at Hamilton Central School, being ably assisted by Jacob Safi. Topic: Ramadan and Islam. December 14th, 1999. A beautiful group of students, whose awe at learning to write their names in Arabic was a source of inspiration for me.

Recitation of Rumi poetry, Persian with English poetry, at Rumi's Urs (celebration of his passing on to the Eternal Realm of the Beloved), at the Abode of the Living Message, December 16th, 1999. For the program of this event, click here.

Invited, organized, and arranged a concert of World Music (fusion of Sufi music from Turkey, Iran, India, and the U.S). Featuring: Mercan Dede, LuAnne Hightower, and Shankar. The Commons, Colgate University. February 7th, 2000. [Over 250 in attendance]. For samples of the music played, visit Golden Horde's web-site.

Led discussion on "Beyond monoliths of 'Islam' and 'women': getting beyond polemics and apologetics in discussions of Muslim women", Women's Studies Center, Colgate University. March 23, 2000 (45 in attendance).

Talk to Mrs. Carter's third grade class at Hamilton Central School on March 24, 2000. Shared with the beautiful students stories from the Hajj, taught them their names in Arabic, and had a chance to practice the Islamic prayers and dhikrs with them. They are a beautiful and intelligent group of students, and a joy to spend time with. My thanks to them, and especially Mrs. Sandra Carter, for sharing their classroom--and hearts--with me.

Presentation on incorporating technology (web pages, videos, and Courseinfo "threaded discussions") into teaching Core Culture classes, at White Eagle retreat camp for Colgate Faculty, May 16, 2000.

Shared the teachings of Persian Sufis Ayn al-Quzat Hamadani and Ahmad Ghazali at a talk at Sufi Books, in New York City on Friday June 2nd, 2000. The audience was composed of students and devotional communities of Sufism. The teachings were from Ayn al-Quzat's masterpiece, the Tamhidat, and in particular the 6th chapter, titled Haqiqat wa halat-i 'ishq "the reality and spiritual station of passionate love." See the following link for a comprehensive listing of other talks at Sufi Books.

Talk, as part of Colgate's Humanities Colloquium, November 7th, 2000. Title: "A Mysticism beyond the 'private experience of God': Saints, politics, and Islam."
 

Community work, in the light of the tragedy of 9/11 and the aftermath

In the aftermath of 9/11, I have given over 400 interviews, public lectures, talks at churches, mosques, and synagogues.   I have lost track of all of them (esp. the ones after Dec. 2001), but here is a sampling.  If I can be of any service to your group and help bring some mutual understanding, get in touch with me.

In the aftermath of the tragedies of World Trade Center, led a discussion titled "An American Muslim grappling with the tragedy of September 11th". Attended by about 110 students and faculty members.

September 20th, 2001: TV interview with WUTR, ABC station, of Utica about the tragedies of September 11th.

September 21st, 2001: Newspaper interview with Oneida Dispatch about the backlash against Arab Americans and American Muslims.

September 21st, 2001: Led two hour training workshop for the reporters of Syracuse Post-Standard. Topics: Islam, Taliban, Media coverage.

September 21st, 2001: TV interview with WTVH, CBS station of Syracuse, about the outpouring of grief and support from the Middle East for Americans who have lost loved ones in the tragedy of September 11th.

September 27th: Phone Interview with Newsday (Sara Coppola) about the impact of the Tragedy on interest in Islam on college campuses, and the challenge faced by liberal arts schools in teaching about this tragedy.

September 28th, 2001: interview with Scott Carlson, of Chronicle of Higher Education, about response of scholars of Islamic Studies to Tragedies of September 11th.

September 28, 2001: training session for reporters and staff member of Utica Observer-Dispatch.

September 30, 2001: preached at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church on rising above the tendency to tolerate hate-filled religious discourse.

October 1st, 2001: interview with George Sopher, of Utica Observer-Dispatch. Click here for a write up of this interview in Utica Observer Dispatch.

October 4th, 2001: Presenting at the Hamilton Forum, at the Colgate Inn, on the Taliban, Bin Ladin, and the ramifications of September 11th.

October 5th, 2001: TV interview with WCNY, PBS affiliate in Syracuse. Hour long show.

October 6th, 2001: Newspaper article with Renee Gadoua appeared, Question and Answer in the Religion section about Islam. Syracuse Post-Standard. This interview was published as "Colgate Prof. offers a primer on Islam", and is available on-line.

October 7th, 2001: Newspaper interview with Utica Observer-Dispatch, with John Briggs, regarding the US bombing of Afghanistan.

October 7th, 2001: Newspaper interview with Corydan Ireland, of Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, regarding the US retaliation against Afghanistan.

October 8th, 2001: Newspaper interview with Syracuse Post-Standard, with Larry Richardson, about Muslim community responses to Bin Laden's speech.

October 8th, 2001: TV interview with WUTR, ABC station of Utica, about the US retaliation against Afghanistan.

Ocotber 10, 2001: Newspaper interview with Colgate Maroon-news. By Katie Dubill. (Colgate community's responses to events of 9/11 and aftermath)

October 12, 2001: Newspaper interview with Syracuse Post-Standard, about Arab-American community responses to profiling.

October 12, 2001: Presentation about Islam and recent events to 10th and 12th grade World History classes, at Hamilton Central School. My heartfelt gratitude to Kathy Sabino for the invitation.

October 26, 2001: Presentation before 300 students and teachers at the Berkshire School, in Sheffield, MA.

October 28, 2001: Presentation about Islam to the CCD class of St. John's Catholic Church, in Montague, MA.

November 4, 2001: Presentation on Islam at Sherburne, NY Episcopal church.

November 4, 2001: Presenting on Muslim saints in All Saints Day in St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Hamilton, NY.

November 4, 2001: Presentation on Islam to a CCD class at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Hamilton, NY.

December 9, 2001: Talk on Ramadan to Islamic Center of Utica.

December 10, 2001: presentation on Islam and US foreign policy in Middle East, to Utica Public Library (Utica, NY).
[skipping a few dozen presentations....]

September 3, 2002: Talk to the Fornight Club of Hamilton, NY. Topic: Creation Narrative in the Bible and Qur'an.

September 11, 2002: Led Community discussion among faculty, students, and Hamilton Village residents at the Barge coffee shop, Hamilton, NY. Topic: Is war necessary? What does it mean to be an American?

September 11, 2002: Responded to the beautiful lecture of Prof. Martin Marty, of University of Chicago. Lecture: "A Progressive Muslim take on religion and politics, a year later." Hamilton, NY.