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He began with a piece of advice spoken by Prophet Muhammad: Have your heart be where your feet are. Omid Safi is director of the Islamic Studies Center and professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University, specializing in contemporary Islamic thought and Islamic spirituality. He visited Hamilton on Jan 23 to discuss “Radical Love: Rumi as an Islamic Voice of Divine Love” as a part of Spirituality 101, a week of programs to deepen the Hamilton community’s spiritual understanding.

Professor of History Shoshana Keller is presenting a series of book discussions at the Utica Public Library from Sept. 25 to Nov. 20 as part of the Let’s Talk About It: Muslim Journeys, a series made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with the American Library Association.

Concurrent with the Middle East’s growing role in international politics, student interest in that part of the world has been expanding. In response to both, the faculty approved an interdisciplinary program and minor in Middle East and Islamic World Studies at its May 1 meeting.

Captain James Yee, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and former U.S. Army Chaplain, will present a lecture titled “Islamophobia: Fighting Ignorance and Promoting Peace” on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 4 p.m., in the Days-Massolo Center.  The event is free and open to the public.

In her education blog on the USA Today website, Mary Beth Marklein reported on how some colleges have promoted religious and cultural awareness “even before Florida preacher Terry Jones announced plans to burn the Quran this weekend.” Included in a summary of how “colleges have been seeking ways to counter anti-Muslim sentiment on campus and promote understanding of religious and cultural diversity” was a description of Hamilton’s recent in which 170 Muslim and non-Muslim students participated in a fast and post-fast dinner. One of the reasons for holding the annual event is to offer non-Muslim students the opportunity to experience what Muslims practice for an entire month.

Approximately 170 students, Muslim and non-Muslim, participated in the annual "fast-a-thon," sponsored by the Muslim Students Association on campus on Sept. 8. The day of fasting during the month of Ramadan, ending on Sept. 9, brought students of several faiths together. One of the reasons for holding the annual event is to offer non-Muslim students the opportunity to experience what Muslims practice for an entire month.