Hassan Al-Qazwini (Arabic: 丨爻賳 丕賱賯夭賵賷賳賷鈥�; born 1964 in Karbala, Iraq) is the leader of the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, Michigan, largest mosque in North America, representing the Twelver Shi'a branch of Islam.
Family : Al-Qazwini's family is well known in Iraq and the Muslim world. With the advent of the despotic Ba鈥檃thist regime in the late 1960s and early 1970s, al-Qazwini and other Shia scholars and clerics increased efforts to educate the masses to combat their depravity and brainwashing. Al-Qazwini鈥檚 father Ayatollah Sayid Mortadha al-Qazwini was among the leading scholars in spreading the word of Islam in Iraq and engaging in Islamic activism, helping to establish several Islamic schools and institutions, and serving as the principal of Imam Assadiq Islamic School in Karbala. After several years, Saddam Hussein identified the al-Qazwini family as an ideological threat to his regime. Consequently, he started to pressure them to abandon their mission and to support his regime. In 1980, Sayid Hassan al-Qazwini鈥檚 grandfather, Ayatollah Sayid Mohammad Sadiq al-Qazwini, was arrested and imprisoned by Saddam Hussein because he did not support the Baathist regime. Amnesty International deemed him as the oldest political prisoner in the world at the time. Since then, the al-Qazwini family never heard from him, and it was not until a few weeks after the collapse of Saddam鈥檚 regime that they found documents verifying his death in Saddam鈥檚 prisons. Consequently, Al-Qazwini鈥檚 family was forced to flee Iraq and seek refuge in Kuwait.
Early life :
In Kuwait, Al-Qazwini decided to pursue the path of his forefathers of becoming a scholar of Islam and religious leader. At that time, Iraq was at war with Kuwait. Therefore, at the inception of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Al-Qazwini immigrated to Iran along with his family. In 1980, Al-Qazwini joined the Islamic Seminary in Qom, Iran, the largest Shi鈥檃 seminary in the world. After twelve years of vigorous study, Al-Qazwini graduated in 1992 with in-depth knowledge of the fundamentals of Islamic jurisprudence and Qur'anic commentary. During his studies, he administered a prominent Islamic journal called 鈥淎nnibras,鈥� or The Eternal Light. The journal addressed many social, historical and Islamic issues. In addition, he authored two books: Meditation on Sahihain: A Critique of Sahih Al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, and Prophet Mohammad: The Ethical Prospect.
Immigration to the United States : Al-Qazwini鈥檚 father immigrated to the United States in 1986, where he established several Islamic institutions and mosques. In 1994 he founded a full-time Islamic school which enrolled students from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. Realizing that there was a dire need for scholars and religious leaders in the United States, where Islam was in the crawling stage of development, al-Qazwini immigrated to the United States in late 1992 along with his family. He spent four years in Los Angeles, where he directed Azzahra Islamic Center, which was founded by his father, and conducted several Islamic Fiqh and various other Islamic classes. In early 1993, Al-Qazwini was invited by the Islamic Center of America, oldest Shi'a mosque in the United States to be the guest speaker for the Arabic program during the upcoming holy month of Ramadhan, where the community in Dearborn, Michigan quickly found him responsive to their spiritual and religious needs. The Islamic Center of America asked him to join them the following year as their guest speaker during the holy month of Ramadhan and the first ten days of Muharram, commemorating the martyrdom of the beloved grandson of Prophet Muhammad, Imam Hussein. Prior to Al-Qazwini鈥檚 visit to Michigan, he realized the importance of disseminating the message of Islam in North America in English, especially to the youth. While numerous scholars and religious leaders performed a good job reaching out to the Arabic speaking members of the community, the E
Imam Qazwini鈥檚 American Crescent celebrates the true teachings of Islam as delivered through the Prophet Muhammad鈥檚 message of peace and tolerance. Qazwini points out how Islam is an Abrahamic faith that shares the same background as Judaism and Christianity and how Muslims regard Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad as prophets. Islam, therefore, is a logical extension of Judaism and Christianity, both of which paved the way for Muslims and the newer testament of the Quran. Qazwini outlines how all three faiths encompass the same universal values of human decency. They also agree on love for God and respect for parents, neighbors, and self. Qazwini explains that Islam places the good of the community as the highest priority, and all people must be treated as equals before God, making every individual entitled to human rights. Jews and Christians have always been held in high regard under Islam, and only those who wish to oppose Islam are considered outsiders. Qazwini鈥檚 book also serves as contemporary commentary on Islam鈥檚 status with other religions and on the challenges Muslims face in adapting traditional practices to align with the principles of freedom and democracy. In capturing the open-mindedness of his faith, Qazwini makes clear that the violent extremists who exploit the true message of Islam do not represent true Muslims. Qazwini is the spiritual leader of the Muslim community at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, Michigan. His voice and message are inspiring, and his book is essential to anyone seeking to understand the true word of Islam.
historical survey of the history and beliefs inherent in the islamic faith and it's/it's people's place in the united states. touches on everything from sunni vs. shia vs. wahabbi, us involvement in the middle east and it's results, navigating prejudices in a post 9/11 america. highly recommended, feel like i understand a lot more...
As I am not fond of religious dogma, there was plenty that I did not enjoy about this book. However, reading it did contribute to a better understanding of Islam, especially the historical aspects of Islam, including the split between the Shia and Sunni. Mostly, I came to understand how this particular Iraqi-American Muslim man - Hassan Qazwini - views his faith, his roots, the political conflicts in the Middle East, his new life in the U.S., and his role here as a religious leader. Being an immigrant to the U.S. and having met with powerful U.S. politicians, the author has had many interesting experiences and insights. I appreciate his openness, courage, and his sharing his life with the reader.
This is a highly informative book that I'd recommend for anyone looking to get more learning on the subject of Islam as well as how things work around the world. It's helpful for basic definitions and explanations, but also personal accounts. The author has met with a number of US presidents and other high profile religious and political leaders from around the world, so he has a lot of experience, as well as a rather enlightening view on religion and its interaction and co-existence with the modern world. Overall an educational, intelligent and thought-provoking read without any boredom.
This autobiography by a Shia Muslim cleric born in Iraq, educated in Iran and living and working in Michigan fascinated me. It is the only statement of faith in English I have encountered by a Shia Imam and it is an eloquent and thought-provoking book.
Qazwini provides a respectful account of his adjustment into American culture, giving helpful insights to Shia/Sunni/Wahabbi relations, the disconnect between American culture and religion, and Middle Eastern context to American foreign policies.
Any one, especially an American, that is nervous about Islam and the supposed threat it brings to Americans will benefit much from hearing this from "the horse's mouth." Imam Qazwini is a peaceful patriot of the United States and explains well the true manner of Islam.