Past Events
Purification of the Heart
Houston, Tx
Join us for a powerful day of reflection and inner tazkiya at Purification of the Heart: A One-Day Intensive with Imam Tahir Anwar and Imam Fode Drame, joined by the Dallas Qasida Ensemble.
These teachers are known for their clarity, sincerity, and depth. Their guidance cuts straight to the heart — the timeless teachings that have anchored believers for centuries. This intensive will take us through Shaykh Hamza’s celebrated translation of the classic text on refining the soul, a roadmap long relied upon by those who sought to restore their character, discipline their desires, and return to God with a cleaner heart.
This is a chance to step back, take stock, and realign your inner life with what truly matters as we close out the year. The combination of scholarship, lived wisdom, and devotional artistry from the Dallas Qasida Ensemble makes this a rare opportunity for real spiritual grounding.
Abdel-Rehman Malik x Dr Alan Mikhail - The Ottoman Empire & the Making of the Modern World
Houston, Tx
The Ottoman Empire was a hub of intellectual fervor, geopolitical power, and enlightened pluralistic rule. At the height of their authority in the sixteenth century, the Ottomans, with extraordinary military dominance and unparalleled monopolies over trade routes, controlled more territory and ruled over more people than any world power, forcing Europeans out of the Mediterranean and to the New World.
Yet, despite its towering influence and centrality to the rise of our modern world, the Ottoman Empire’s history has for centuries been distorted, misrepresented, and even suppressed in the West. Alan Mikhail presents a vitally needed recasting of Ottoman history, retelling the story of the Ottoman conquest of the world through the dramatic biography of Sultan Selim I (1470–1520).
Drawing on previously unexamined sources from multiple languages, and with original maps and stunning illustrations, Mikhail’s game-changing account challenges readers to recalibrate their sense of history," adroitly upending prevailing shibboleths about Islamic history and jingoistic “rise of the West” theories that have held sway for decades.
Whether recasting Christopher Columbus’s voyages to the “Americas” as a bumbling attempt to slay Muslims or showing how the Ottomans allowed slaves to become the elite of society while Christian states at the very same time waged the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade, God’s Shadow radically reshapes our understanding of the importance of Selim’s Ottoman Empire in the history of the modern world.
Dr. Alan Mikhail will be in conversation with Abdel-Rehman Malik.
ALAN MIKHAIL is widely recognized for his work in Middle Eastern and global history. He is the Chair of the History department at Yale University. He is the recipient of many awards and author of several books.
His latest book is God’s Shadow: Sultan Selim, His Ottoman Empire, and the Making of the Modern World. His writing has appeared in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.
ABDEL-REHMAN MALIK is an award winning journalist, educator and cultural organizer. In June 2019 he was appointed Lecturer and Associate Research Scholar at the Yale Divinity School. He also serves at the Program Coordinator at Yale University’s Council on Middle East Studies,
Abdul-Rehman is a frequent journalist for BBC Radio, offering contemporary perspectives on contemporary spirituality. He is host of the podcast “This Being Human”, which will explore kaleidoscope of contemporary Muslim experience and identity.
The Illuminated Prophet ﷺ - Risala's 10th Annual Retreat
Camp Cullen
We are thrilled to announce that we will be commemorating our 10th Retreat alhumdulillah - October 27-29 at Camp Cullen near Trinity, TX.
To mark this milestone, we have a special set of guests:
*Dawood Yasin* bringing his love of the outdoors and love of the Rasul (s)
*Hosai Mojadeddi* a teacher whose lessons on faith and family
enlighten and uplift us
*Fiyyaz Jaat* bringing a special program for our youth based on his years leading MYNA camps
*Usthman Ames* whose songs of devotion move our souls and announcing:
*Native Deen* - to celebrate 10 years, we will have a special Saturday night campfire. They’ll also be special guests throughout the Retreat teaching classes.
This event is special and a great way for families and friends to recalibrate.
The Exemplars of Our Time - Michael Sugich in Conversation
Houston
Risala Foundation is honored to welcome internationally acclaimed author Michael Sugich to Houston insha Allah.
Sidi Michael Sugich joined forces with Peter Sanders to produce Exemplars For Our Time, a set of illustrated biographies of some of the most influential and inspiring Muslim sages in our time - profiling the lives of Sayyida Fatima Yashrutia, Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad, Shaykh Murabit al-Hajj, Muzaffer Ozak Efendi, Sidi Muhammad ibn al-Habib, Sufi ‘Abd Allah Khan, Sayyid ‘Umar ‘Abd Allah Mwinyi Baraka, and Shaykh Salih al-Ja‘fari - may God be pleased with all of them.
Join is for a special night - Michael Sugich in conversation as he discusses his amazing life journey, reflects on the sages of our time, reads from his works and shares wisdom of the ages.
MICHAEL SUGICH is a native of Santa Barbara, California and studied at UCLA and the California Institute of the Arts. He has studied with spiritual masters across the Arab and Islamic world. He lived for 23 years in the precincts of the sacred city of Makkah Al Mukarama where he kept company with many men of knowledge and illumination. He currently lives in Turkey.
He is the author of Palaces of India, Living in Makkah, Signs on the Horizons: Meetings with Men of Knowledge and Illumination, Hearts Turn and now, Exemplars of Our Time. He also wrote documentary films on the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah (1990s); and Faisal: Legacy of a King (2012).
Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad in Houston: Clarity Amidst Confusion
Arab American Cultural & Community Center
Risala Foundation is thrilled to announce the first ever visit of Shaykh Abdul Hakim Murad to Houston!
Please save the date for an inspiring evening on the noble occasion of the Mawlid of the Last Prophet. ﷺ
Event will be from 7:30 PM on Saturday, September 30, insha Allah. Tickets will be made available for purchase on Monday.
This event is for the benefit of Cambridge Muslim College.
SHAYKH ABDUL HAKIM MURAD is the Shaykh Zayed Lecturer of Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Divinity at Cambridge University, Director of Studies in Theology at Wolfson College and Chairman of the Cambridge Mosque Trust.
He is the Founder and Dean of the Cambridge Muslim College.
He has published and contributed to numerous academic works on Islam, including as Director of the Sunna Project, and is a leading figure in inter-faith activity, notably as one of the signatories to the Common Word statement. He is well-known as a contributor to BBC Radio 4’s ‘Thought for the Day’.
Please note that every attendee must have a ticket purchased (including children). No child care will be provided onsite.
Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, & Public Speaking
Mehdi Hasan
March 4th, 2023
Risala Foundation is excited to announce Win Every Argument, featuring prominent British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan. Hasan visits us on March 4th to teach us the art of debating, arguing, and persuasive public speaking. Debating, as he says, “is the lifeblood of democracy and the only surefire way to establish the truth.”
Copies of his book will be on sale at the event. Mark your calendars for a masterclass from the award-winning journalist who perfected the art of debate!
Purchase your tickets at https://tinyurl.com/risalamedhi
SHAYKH ABDUL HAKIM MURAD is the Shaykh Zayed Lecturer of Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Divinity at Cambridge University, Director of Studies in Theology at Wolfson College and Chairman of the Cambridge Mosque Trust.
He is the Founder and Dean of the Cambridge Muslim College.
He has published and contributed to numerous academic works on Islam, including as Director of the Sunna Project, and is a leading figure in inter-faith activity, notably as one of the signatories to the Common Word statement. He is well-known as a contributor to BBC Radio 4’s ‘Thought for the Day’.
Please note that every attendee must have a ticket purchased (including children). No child care will be provided onsite.
About the Author
MEHDI HASAN is the host of “The Mehdi Hasan Show” on Peacock, and an MSNBC political analyst. He is a former senior columnist for The Intercept, for which he launched the “Deconstructed” podcast. He was also the presenter of “UpFront” and “Head to Head” on Al Jazeera English. He is the author of two books and the winner of the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2018 Sigma Delta Chi Award for Online Column Writing.
C3 2023 One Day Retreat in Houston
Ahmad Khan | Jonathan Brown | Su'ad Abul Khabeer | Ubayd Evans | Feraidoon Mojadedi | Bilal Ware | Dalia Mogahed | Abdul Nasir Jangda | Alfirdaus Ensemble | Shaykh Muhammad Ninowy
February 4th, 2023
Risala presents a one-day retreat in Houston at the intersection of culture, conversation and creed.
About the Event
- Unique event in Houston with leading minds of the American-Muslim experience
- Conversations that connect current events, tradition and culture to interpret our modern times
- All conversations occur in one hall, at one time - a truly intimate experience for the entire family
- US premiere of Firdaus Ensemble's new album to cap the evening
- From 1 PM to 10 PM, a day to refresh your faith and build a sense of community
- Childcare will be provided for ages 4-12
- Dinner will be sold on site
- $85 per person - early bird $75 through December 31, 2022
