Merry Christmas!

See the full gallery on Posterous

So Advent has come to a close, but my Quran reading/blogging project hasn't. I'm about half way through the holy book and wanted to take some more time with it and with my reflections. I'm also going to visit the Islamic Center in Dearborn (the largest Mosque in North America!) for the conclusion of the project in January. So stay tuned!
Enjoy some photos from (comfy) Christmas Day Service at Jonesville First Pres! I hope you Advent was as adventurous as mine was. Between a new chaplain gig and reading the Quran, it was definitely transformative.

Posted via email from Advent with Islam: A Presbyterian Chaplain's Journey with the Quran

Ibrahim: The Father of Faith That (Should) Bring Us Together

Surah 14 in the Holy Quran is entitled 'Ibrahim," or Abraham.  All three monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam trace their roots to Abraham.  In Judaism, Abraham is the father of the Israelites through his son Isaac. In Christianity, through Abraham's family line, all people of the world will be blessed.  And he is seen as the Father of Faith (especially in the episode where he is called upon by God to sacrifice his son Isaac).   In Islam, through Abraham's son Ishmael's family line, the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) emerges.  Abraham is also the said to be the builder, with his son Ishmael, of the first house of worship, now called the Kaaba.  The Kaaba is the central focus point of Mecca, towards which Muslims pray.

Ibrahim, in this Surah, strives for faithfulness and to proclaim the oneness of God. He says, "O my Lord! Make this city one of peace and security:  and preserve me and my sons from worshipping idols" (verse 35).  In verse 37, he refers to the Kaaba and pleas for the blessing of his descendants (a blessing that all three religions can claim).  "O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Your Sacred House; in order, O our Lord, that they may establish regular Prayer; so fill the hearts of some among men with love toward them, and feed them with fruits: so that they may give thanks."  

Ibrahim, as the Surah shows, is a man of faithfulness and devotion to God.  He decides to dwell in a place where food is scarce, putting trust in the Lord for provision.  Ibrahim focuses on prayer, peace, and security for his family, trusting that God will deliver.  He is worried of worshipping false idols, which even today is sometimes a difficult task, as we put the desire for power, money, and personal gain over the well-being of God's people.  

And Ibrahim, for us Americans that live in a religiously diverse country, serves as a point of connection among Jew, Christians, and Muslims.  We can identify that we all are people of Ibrahim, trying to live faithfully and valuing prayer, people, and security. Ibrahim serves as a motivation and reason to advocate for interfaith cooperation across our religious lines.  This reality calls us to a deeper faith, one that acknowledges our common roots as people of God, and charges us with the care of all of creation, even those that observe non-Abrahamic religions and even those who have no faith at all.  Ibrahim serves as a symbol that all humanity and creation is connected, and that we must promote peace and work to care for each other.   

Posted via email from Advent with Islam: A Presbyterian Chaplain's Journey with the Quran

What is Your Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

I found Surah 12 to be one of the most enjoyable and well written parts of the Quran.  Unlike most of the preceding Surah, "Yusuf" was mostly in narrative form.  It told the story of Jacob's 12 son's. Yusuf, the eleventh born and Rachael's first, was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers (This was due to a vision he saw from Allah fortelling his rise to power, and in the Hebrew Bible, Jacob gave Joseph the technicolor dreamcoat (yes, the very one that Andrew Lloyd Weber made famous in his musical rendition of this story) as a symbol of his future leadership role int he family.  His brothers later brought it back to Jacob to identify, saying that Joseph had been eaten by a wolf, when in reality, they pushed him down a well).  Once in Egypt, Joseph gained prestige and standing due to his ability to decipher the meaning of the Pharoah's dreams.  He then later reconnected with his father and brothers and proved to them that indeed he was chosen by God to rise up as a leader.

This story definitely stirs up my imagination and touches my spirit.  I love the idea of the eleventh-born son rising to a leadership role, symbolizing God's favor of those who are the last and the least. The symbol of Joseph's rise to power through adversity, through the darkness of hopelessness and being betrayed by your family, is his amazing technicolor dreamcoat.  

What's your amazing technicolor dreamcoat?  What symbolizes for you, that God is always with you, that God can guide your through tough times to become the person God created you to be?   What helps you "keep the faith" in tough times?  

For me, my technicolor dreamcoat hasn't been a tangible item, but the time and effort spend by my parents in supporting my passions and goals in life.  It is their support and encouragement, telling my that I can be anything and encouraging me to 'never give up' (the Hofmeister motto), that has given me the perseverence to become who God has created me to be.  It is through their influence on my life that I remember that God guides my path and is Immanuel, God-With-Us. 

The symbolism of the dreamcoat teaches us that when we travel to a foreign land, when we are a stranger and find ourselves away from our family, alone, God is still with us.  And this opportunity may help us to grow into our true identity and become who God created us to be...just as Joseph did. It reminds us, even when things seem hopeless, God through us can create amazing things...amazing technicolor dreamcoat things.   

Below are some picture of my time in Isntabul, Turkey, and in Cairo, Egypt.  In Istanbul, the Ottoman Empire's Topkapi Palace claims to have the original technicolor dreamcoat of Joseph.  And Egypt is where Joseph claimed his authorty as a leader from God. 

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from Advent with Islam: A Presbyterian Chaplain's Journey with the Quran

Start a huge, foolish project, like Noah

In reading Surah 11, one thing struck me...the flood story is told a little bit differently than in the Bible.  In the Torah, the flood narrative includes the telling of Noah's three sons embarking on the Ark and being saved from the flood.  However, in the Quran, it narrates the tale of Noah's son remaining on land and being drowned by the flood.  

Can any of my Muslim friends tell me the significance of this difference in the flood narrative.  What do we learn from Noah's son in this story?  Does it remind us that not even sons of prophets are exempt from having to remain faithful to Allah?  And does it tell us that if we are more like Noah, having faith in God in the face of doubt and against the popular belief, we will be saved?

While Noah's son's story is a sad one, it reminds us that having faith in God like Noah can bring us through adversity.  The story also reminds us that God is just, and that if we turn our backs on God and commit evil acts, we may face consequences.  

But for me, the act of Noah building the ark is remarkable.  Can you imagine having so much faith that you risked being dubbed insane because you listened to God's command to build a boat that will save you from a devastating flood to punish sinners?  Can you imagine that you, some of your family, and animals two by two would be the beginning of God's "new" creation?  

Noah, listening to God, is such a great display of faith that it can inspire us to, like Noah, do great things.  I love this quote by Rumi, calling us to live this great faith which can lead to amazing feats.  

'Start a huge, foolish project, like Noah…it makes absolutely no difference what people think of you.'

I hope we all start huge, foolish projects: whether it is a new business, going back to school, a blog, a new relationship, or volunteering.  Having faith, like Noah, can transform our lives for the better.

This blog is a mini, foolish project for me.  I hope to start my huge foolish project this summer by traveling to every state, listen to the stories of the diversity of world religions in our country, and write a book about interfaith cooperation called 50 Faiths, 50 States.  More on this to come (I'd love to hear any feedback on this idea as well)...

Posted via email from Chaplain Jake Hofmeister

Islamaphobia: TLC's All American Muslim Evokes Bigoted Response from Lowes, Others

As I've been reading through the Quran for Advent, I've also been watching the TLC show All American Muslim which follows the lives of 5 families in Dearborn, Michigan. I've been impressed with this program because it shows America: vibrant Muslim communities exist in the US and have for sometime, Muslims are diverse, and they are in many ways normal Americans, just like us Christians. One Muslim on the show is a football coach that holds practice at night during Ramadan and attends Iftar at the Whitehouse with Obama. Another woman doesn't where a hijab and marries a Christian (who converts) and attends a Kenny Chesney concert.  Another man works for the local police department.  Dearborn is highlighted in the show and celebrated for its wonderful Muslim community, the most concentrated in America, a true treasure of our heritage of religious diversity and an example of why we are the most religiously diverse nation in the world.

All American Muslim is a great opportunity to raise awareness of Muslim/Christian dialogue and interfaith cooperation and reduce the bigotry of post-9/11 America.

But instead, the hyper-consrvative Florida Family Association wrote companies like Lowes urging them to remove advertising during the show in hopes to force TLC to cancel it.  The article us below.  Notice how Florida Family calls this show that really promotes the truth and heritage of religious diversity in America, "propaganda."

And the most appalling part of the story is that Lowes and others listened to these bigots and gave into the radical rights pressure and power. The adds were pulled. Shame on Lowes. Shame on America.

I've also attached the boycott Lowes Facebook page.  Like it. Spread awareness.  Call and write Lowes. Tweet for justice.  Hold them accountable.  We must have a louder voice for justice and interfaith cooperation than they do for bigotry. 

I was hoping that this show symbolized a turning point for American acceptance of Islam.  Instead it identifies the deeply embedded Islamaphobia still present.  I'm ashamed to live in a country where this happens. But it doesn't have to be like this.  Let us use this opportunity to speak louder than hatred.  Let us speak up for our Muslim sisters and brothers.  Let us silence the bigots.  And let us gather together around the ideas of religious diversity and interfaith cooperation that has made this country great for generations.  Let us summon the power of Abraham Heschel and MLK during the civil rights movement, marching on Montgomery arm and arm, praying for justice with our legs.  Because as MLK wrote in his letter from the Birmingham jail, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

http://m.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lowes-pulls-ads-tlc-show-271983

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Lowes-Home-Improvement/196885343732232?sk=wall&filter=12

Posted via email from Advent with Islam: A Presbyterian Chaplain's Journey with the Quran

Surah 9: Moses Mountain's Path of Repentance

While reading Surah 9 on Repentance, I couldn't help to think of my time at St. Catherine's Monastery at the base of Mt. Sinai (Moses Mountain).  The Path of Repentance is the the route up to the top of Mt. Sinai that Moses ascended twice to receive the tablets containing mitzvot from YHWH.  I took the trip with my brother and a friend.  It was a deeply spiritual experience.  

Repentance in the Christian faith centers around mindfulness of the self in relation to God and others.  It is the discipline of looking at one's self in the mirror and gaging where one is religiously and spiritually. If changes need to be made, one makes an effort of re-dedication to God and to faithful living.  This task is especially important during the season of Advent.

In Surah 9, repentance is framed partly in an evangelical lens (to spread the message of Allah to the pagans) and also to re-focus on one's relationship with Allah and one's prayer life and giving charity--the latter being similar to the Christian task I explained above.  

Since Christianity and Islam both share the Israelite traditions of Moses ascending Mt. Sinai, I thought I would share a story with you about St. Catherine's Monastery and Moses Mountain. It's a story of repentance, interfaith cooperation, and living faithfully.  I've added some pictures of the monastery, the bush that dates back to the biblical account inside the monastery to which people attach prayers on paper (the burning bush story where Moses saw YHWH), and of our journey to the top.  Enjoy!  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/21/10-untamed-roads-worth-a-_n_799429.h...&title=Sharm_alSheikh_to

As I was reading the above HuffPost article, as I love reading about 
adventurous roads throughout the world in hopes to someday traverse 
them on my KTM 990 motorbike, I came across the road that travels to 
St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai, Egypt. Now I'm sure the road to the 
monastery boasts compelling vistas (the Sinai looks more like a lunar 
landscape perfect for many outdoor activities), but the real adventure 
lies within the walls of the monastery and on the journey to the 
summit of Moses Mountain (what the Muslim bedouins call Mt. Sinai).

When I was in seminary in 2006, I had the privilege to tag along with 
my brother's undergraduate study abroad class to Greece, Turkey, and 
Egypt. The class was called Sacred Byzaniutm. We studied Byzantine Christianity, but also the other world religions of the region like Egyptian and Greco-Roman traditions, as well as Islam. Our last destination was St. Catherine Monastery.

St. Catherine's has its origins in the 3rd or 4th century as a Greek 
Orthodox monastic community. It is built on the site of the burning 
bush through which YHWH appeared to Moses, and the bush is living to 
this day inside the monastery walls.  Visitors, pilgrims have created 
a custom to place written prayers among the vines of this rather 
sizeable bush growing in the midst of an absolutely barren landscape. 
And not only is the burning bush there, but the monastery sits at the 
base of the famous Mt. Sinai where Moses received the tablets upon 
which the ten commandments were written (he actually received them 
twice if you remember the story, the first set were shattered in the 
golden calf fiasco).

But for me, the most amazing aspect of the monastery at Moses Mountain 
is its history of participation in the interfaith movement. The 
monastery contains one of the world's most important and extensive 
religious libraries. Ancient manuscripts abound, some of which are 
the oldest translations of Christian sacred scriptures. As the 
resident librarian monk, who hailed from El Paso, energetically told 
stories relating to the manuscripts, one story really caught my 
attention. The library had an original letter written by the Prophet 
Mohammad, SAW. During the rise of the Prophet, SAW, and his followers 
in the Arab world, as the area including Egypt became (pre)Islamic, 
Mohammad, SAW, had written a letter to give to the Christian monks of 
St. Catherine. The letter was a peace offering to the monks, outlining 
Mohammad's, SAW, respect for their tradition, assertion of their value 
as friends of Islam, and the letter finally charged the Bedouin 
Muslims that lived around the monastery to protect the monastery from 
intruders, and to live in harmony with them as people of different 
faith in one community. That began what is now a 1500 year old 
interfaith community of cooperation. The bedouins still live in 
harmony with the monks, sharing resources, meals, and small business 
in the area.offers of the interfaith business ventures offers a camelcaravan for pilgrims to ride up to the summit of Moses Mountain.

My brother, myself, and our friend Joe Aziz decided to pass on the 
camels and ascend the mountain by foot. They have preserved the Path 
of Moses, which is also called the path of repentance, which ascends 
3700 steps to an elevation of 7500. We decided to try that pilgrim 
path, the same path of many monks and pilgrims who followed in the footsteps of Moses. 

But the most striking part of the journey was at the summit, where I 
found 3 religious sites, commemorating YHWH's conversation with Moses. 
There was a Jewish, Christian, and Muslim site. All three faiths 
sharing the story, the wonder, the mystery of this great event. I 
remember sitting at the top, not thinking of my Christisn identity, 
per se, but how I felt so connected to both Judaism and Islam. I 
wondered how our how our relationships with each other can be 
sometimes so strained and divisive, when we have a tradition of being 
a community of cooperation, love, and respect, in places like Sinai, a 
most holy and miraculous place, for hundreds of years. I hope, in a 
time of religious turmoil, in a time when advocating for religious 
pluralism may be our most pressing task as a community, I hope that 
the interfaith history, the interfaith story of Mt. Sinai, written by 
our most revered prophets and characters shared by our shared 
Abrahamic faiths, can serve as a beacon of hope, a movement of the 
spirit of God, that can guide us along the Path of Moses, the path of 
repentance, the path of interfaith cooperation.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from Advent with Islam: A Presbyterian Chaplain's Journey with the Quran

Surah 8: The Spoils of War and the Power of Non-Violence

Battle of Badr - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.webarchive Download this file

So I'll be honest.  I struggled through this Surah.  And if you read the title, The Spoils of War, you might know why. Yes, it was almost entirely about war.  

I understand that the beginnings of religion often involved martyrdom, wars, and bloodshed.  It is true in the Old Testament with the Conquest of Canaan and in the New Testament beginning with Jesus and then the many martyrs of the first three centuries of the early Christian church until Constantine.  And I understand that Mohammed (PBUH) and his followers were involved in wars, like the Battle of Badr with the Quraish.  So I understand the context of a chapter about war in the Quran.  But it still doesn't make it easier to read.

I struggle to relate to the idea of a divinely supported war against the other, or the unbeliever, whether it be in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or any other religion.  I tend to be a supporter of non-violence, a pacifist, or idealist, if you will.  But at the same time, I am a realist and understand that war is a reality today, and maybe even a necessity in some situations, though it shouldn't be.  

Religion should be about love, peace, forgiveness, and justice (justice achieved through non-violence means and as a last resort then, maybe, war, but hopefully not).  

I'd love some background on this chapter from some of my Muslim friends out there.  Do Muslims reinterpret and critique this Surah?  How much does it apply to today and in what way? 

Or maybe it's more like the way we view the story of David and Goliath.  We don't focus on the war aspect, but rather, we symbolically and metaphorically interpret the story of the underdog overcoming great odds with God's support, and this helps us remember God is with us and that with God, we can get through the tough time and accomplish great things.  In this sense, I did appreciate Surah 8's portrayal of Allah always being with Allah's people.

The documentary Little Town of Bethlehem tells the story of a Palestinian Muslim, an Arab Christian, and an Israeli Jew putting aside their differences and joining together to promote a non-violent solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine.  

No matter what our scriptures say, I think we should be more like the three characters of this inspiring true story.  I'd love to learn more about some Muslim and interfaith non-violent organizations that promote peace and justice.

Posted via email from Advent with Islam: A Presbyterian Chaplain's Journey with the Quran

The Second Week of Advent: Surah 7:81 and Homosexuality in Islam

I read through Surah 7 and the story of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah caught my attention.  The 81 first seems to denounce homosexuality, or atleast male homosexuality as a sin.  It reads: "Indeed, you approach men with desire, instead of women. Rather, you are a transgressing people."  

From a progressive Christian perspective, this verse has similar occurrences in Christian scripture which has been used by the church to denounce homosexuality and ostracize the LGBTQ community.  And while many Christians remain in the camp that view homosexuality a sin, many (and I say most of the younger generation) Christians have moved to an inclusive view of the LGBTQ community, seeing it as a justice issue, and reinterpreting scripture (whether using the historical context to denounce its universality or upholding a non-literal, literary genre focused view).  My own denomination, the PC(USA) has recently allowed ministers to be in openly gay relationships http://www.pcusa.org/news/2011/5/10/churchwide-letter-concerning-amendment-10-/

I agree with the decision and voted to support its passing in my denomination.  And I believe most Christians in the younger generation, especially, support it.  

So I was wondering how the conversation is being addressed in Islam?  Do most American Muslims disagree with homosexuality?  Is there a diversity of views among Muslims? 

It seems that at least a small group of Muslims throughout the world are beginning to accept homosexuality as a gift from God.  Check out this youtube video interview with an openly gay Imam in South Africa.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X9OcFJ6HHY

I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments on this one.  I respect the religious and scriptural stance, especially in other religions like Islam, that homosexuality is a sin, if the position is taken out of concern for righteous and faithful living (while I still believe the view that homosexuality is a sin is wrong in my own Christianity).  But I definitely disagree, if prejudice and bigotry is a motivational force for anti-homosexuality.  

Posted via email from Advent with Islam: A Presbyterian Chaplain's Journey with the Quran

The Value of Human Life in the Quran

There is a famous verse of the Quran in Surah 5 that struck me as I was reading, verse 32 to be exact.  

On that account We ordained for the Children of Isra`il that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole humanity: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the whole humanity. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear (guidance), yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land. (5:32)

I love the idea that if you save one life, you save all of humanity.  It rightly places irreplaceable value on an individual human life, which I believe, is one of the greatest achievements of religion.  I've read that this idea can be traced back to the Talmud, but according to the following article, the reach of the benevolence is even more universal.

http://www.islamicperspectives.com/TafsirOfSurah5_32.html

While I don't know too much about the author (Though he does believe that Islam is the perfection of Judaism and Christianity, the kind of thinking from any religious perspective with which I tend to disagree.  He is referenced in several wikipedia articles, which makes him some what dependable.), the article raises some interesting points and highlights the high value that the Quran places on all human life, not just high value placed upon Muslim life. 

This idea that one life is as important as all of humanity is radical and revolutionary.  It doesn't necessarily makes sense rationally.  But if we view the world in this way, if we incorporate it into our daily lives, we can transform some one's life/all of humanity.  It's similar to the idea that we Christians share that is expressed in  the story of sheep and goats told by Jesus. 

'Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; ³⁵for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. ³⁶I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.'

³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? ³⁸When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?'

⁴⁰"The King will answer them, 'Most certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

 certainly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'  Matt 25

High value placed on human life, in the face of factors throughout the world that threaten to diminish it, is something that is shared by most religions and even many humanists, agnostics, and atheists.  It is something that we can come together around.  And this idea is so powerful that it can motivate us to act.  And we have seen this in history from feminism movement to the civil rights movement.  But there is still much more to be done.  We must gather together to fight for justice.  There are so many issues that devalue human life and affect the well being of our human family including poverty, immigration, LGBTQ rights, just to name a few.  

The Interfaith Youth Core, ifyc.org, is an organization that is bringing together young people from all different religions and philosophies to join forces to make the world better. Their founder Eboo Patel is Muslim. In his book, Acts of Faith, he shares this quotation by Sufi mystic, Ibn Arabi. Arabi lived in present day Spain in the 12th and 13th centuries when Jews, Christians, and Muslims lived peacefully together in a community of interfaith cooperation.

My heart has grown capable of taking on all forms
It is a pasture for gazelles
A table for the Torah
A convent for Christian monks
A Ka’bah for the Pilgrim and the pages of the Koran
Whichever way love’s caravan shall lead 
That shall be the way of my faith

Posted via email from Advent with Islam: A Presbyterian Chaplain's Journey with the Quran

The Fifth Day of Advent: A Muslim Prayer Room in a Catholic Hospital

This week I began serving as hospital chaplain at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo.  Borgess is a Roman Catholic Hospital.  However, it makes a strong commitment to be inclusive of the religious diversity that makes up the community.  Many of the doctors and nurses here are Muslim, as well as many of the patients.  At this Catholic hospital, the interfaith chapel has a separate Muslim prayer room with the prayer times, Qurans, hijabs, and prayer rugs pointing towards Mecca.  One might be surprised to find such openness to religious diversity in a Catholic hospital where the upper management must be Roman Catholic, but I think it makes perfect sense.  I believe that since this hospital has a religious affiliation, it is better able to understand the importance of religion in the healing process of patients.  This hospital is better able to undestand how important religion is to the compassion and energy of the caregivers.  Because Borgess is Catholic, it respects religion, values it, and creates an open environment.  It's Catholic identity doesn't lead to the requirement of only Catholic values, but towards a ethic of compassion and celebration of diversity. 
 
However, while Borgess does a good job at being inclusive, I have identified a place for improvement.  Every morning and night, we, Chaplains, lead a time of reflection and prayer over the intercom system that is broadcast throughout the entire hospital and at several satellite campuses.  This time has traditionally been used to read from the Bible or to pray from the Judeo-Christian perspective.  This Sunday I will be in charge of leading that prayer.  Instead of praying from the Christian tradition (I used a prayer by Thomas Merton tonight), I will read scripture from the Quran in hopes to move this hospital more towards a place of interfaith inclusivity.  Hopefully, the patients and staff who are Muslim will feel respected, remembered, and valued. 
 
I would love to hear from my Muslim friends suggestions of passages from the Quran that would be a good fit for a nightly devotion as a hospital--themes of Allah's love, compassion, and healing touch, etc.

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Posted via email from Advent with Islam: A Presbyterian Chaplain's Journey with the Quran