Elmhurst College prepares for al-Ghazali Lecture

Yousef Casewit is the chairman of Islamic studies at the University of Chicago Divinity School and author of the award-winning book "The Mystics of al-Andalus."

On Monday, Sept. 23, he will present "The Revival of Sufism: Current Directions in Contemporary Islam," this year's al-Ghazali Lecture at Elmhurst College.

Casewit's research interests include the intellectual history of North Africa and al-Andalus, and Muslim perceptions of the Bible. He was formerly a humanities research fellow at New York University, Abu Dhabi, where he completed "The Mystics of al-Andalus."

Born in Egypt and raised in Morocco, he has traveled throughout the Islamic world, and has studied with Muslim scholars in Morocco, Syria and Mauritania.

The al-Ghazali Lecture Series honors the great Muslim scholar and theologian Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, who was born in Iran in 1058, but spent much of his life as a teacher in Baghdad and as a wandering ascetic.

His prolific writings on religion, philosophy and Sufism had lasting influence on scholars from a variety of faith traditions.

"The Revival of Sufism" will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Founders Lounge of the Frick Center, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst. Admission is free.

For details, call (630) 617-5186.