Sumiyah Hye is a Graduate student at TISA, and she is an Islamic Studies and ESL Teacher at the Islamic Society of Greater Houston (I.S.G.H.).
Personal vision or mission as a current or aspiring leader in the Muslim community:
To empathize with, educate, and empower the ummah in order to enhance and inspire the fulfillment of the commands of Allah. I plan to continue to interact with all segments of my own community, including Spanish speakers, immigrants, the elderly, and the youth. I hope to continue to provide various classes, workshops, and lectures for my community, in all areas such as Islamic Studies, English Literacy, Arabic, Qur’an, and various inspirational, chaplaincy-related needs. I wish to take part in more interfaith dialogue and activity, helping to promote a more accepting environment for the Muslim ummah within Houston and beyond.
How does TISA help you achieve your mission?
TISA is the perfect blend of Islamic education, global awareness, and leadership training. I plan to utilize all these skills while teaching, and, in shaa Allah, inspiring my local community, including the future generation. TISA promotes a profound understanding of various beliefs and a Muslim’s own faith in relation to this; its MDiv in chaplaincy will enable me to pursue interfaith work as a Muslim living in the most diverse city in the U.S.
Participation in any community services, events, or taking on leadership roles:
I recently attended a five-day “Dialogue of Abrahamic Faiths” course in Alexandria, Virginia, sponsored by the Washington Theological Consortium, where twenty seminary students from across the United States were invited to participate. I have also been accepted into the Memorial Hermann Clinical Pastoral Education residency, which begins next month. In addition, I will be participating in the “Women’s Faith Leaders Mixer” on August 19, hosted by Bridges, an interfaith organization in Houston. Alongside these engagements, I have conducted mock interfaith projects for our young boys between the ages of 14 and 19, helping to foster understanding and dialogue at an early stage.