The Global Voice of Peace: Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani was a world-renowned Lebanese-American Sunni Sufi scholar, author, and tireless advocate for traditional Islamic principles. Recognized by Georgetown University as one of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World, he dedicated his life to promoting peace, tolerance, love, compassion, and brotherhood while rigorously opposing extremism in all forms.

Family Heritage and Education

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, on January 28, 1945, Shaykh Kabbani hailed from a highly respected family of traditional Islamic scholars. His lineage includes the former head of the Association of Muslim Scholars of Lebanon and the present Grand Mufti of Lebanon.

His education uniquely bridged the gap between Western science and Eastern spirituality:

• He earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and later studied Medicine.
• He held a degree in Islamic Divine Law under the instruction of Shaykh ‘AbdAllah ad-Daghestani.
• He was authorized to teach and counsel students in Sufism by Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani, the world leader of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order.

Global Leadership and Organizations

In 1990, following the instructions of Shaykh Nazim, he relocated to the United States. Over the next thirty years, he established a massive organizational footprint:

• Chairman: Islamic Supreme Council of America (ISCA)
• Founder: Naqshbandi Sufi Order of America
• Chairman: As-Sunnah Foundation of America
• Founder: The Muslim Magazine
• Advisor: World Organization for Resource Development and Education (WORDE)
• UK Advisor: Sufi Muslim Council (consulting the British government on public policy).

Shaykh Kabbani’s counsel was sought by journalists, academics, policymakers, and heads of state. His outreach missions included:

• Hosting HRH Charles, the Prince of Wales, at a cultural event in Manchester’s Old Trafford Stadium in 2010.
• Hosting two major international conferences in the U.S. and various regional events attracting moderate scholars from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
• Serving as a key speaker at the World Economic Forum and as a member of the Elijah Interfaith Institute Board of World Religious Leaders.
• Lecturing at world-class universities, including Oxford, SOAS, Yale, UC Berkeley, Chicago, Columbia, Rutgers, Howard, McGill, Concordia, and Dawson College.

Humanitarian Work and Advocacy

Alongside his wife, Hajjah Naziha Adil—the eldest child of Shaykh Nazim and the scholar Hajjah Amina bint Ayesha—he directed emergency disaster relief and humanitarian aid projects in Somalia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkey.

He was instrumental in awakening Muslim social consciousness against terrorism. Often at great personal risk, he worked to bring moderate Muslims into the mainstream, helping millions distinguish between traditional Islam and extremist sects. His students numbered in the hundreds of thousands, including notable figures like Muhammad Ali and former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Literary works

Shaykh Kabbani was a prolific author whose works remain cornerstones of modern Sufi literature:

• The Benefits of Bismillah ‘ir-Rahman ‘ir-Raheem & Surat al-Fatihah (2013)
• The Importance of Prophet Muhammad in Our Daily Life (2013)
• The Hierarchy of Saints (2013)
• The Dome of Provisions (2012)
• Salawat of Tremendous Blessings (2012)
• The Heavenly Power of Divine Obedience and Gratitude (2012)
• The Sufilive Series (2010-2012)
• At the Feet of My Master (2 vols., 2010)
• The Nine-fold Ascent (2009)
• Banquet for the Soul (2008)
• Illuminations (2007)
• Universe Rising (2007)
• Symphony of Remembrance (2007)
• A Spiritual Commentary on the Chapter of Sincerity (2006)
• The Sufi Science of Self-Realization (2005)
• Keys to the Divine Kingdom (2005)
• Classical Islam and the Naqshbandi Sufi Order (2004)
• The Naqshbandi Sufi Tradition Guidebook (2004)
• The Approach of Armageddon? An Islamic Perspective (2003)
• Encyclopedia of Muhammad’s Women Companions (with Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar, 1998)
• Encyclopedia of Islamic Doctrine (7 vols., 1998)
• Angels Unveiled (1996)
• The Naqshbandi Sufi Way (1995)
• Remembrance of God Liturgy of the Sufi Naqshbandi Masters (1994)

Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani passed away in December 2024 at the age of 79, leaving a legacy of service to humanity and the preservation of the spiritual heart of Islam.

• Priciples of Islamic Spirituality, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani
• Wikipedia etc.