The Minaretein Center at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Islamic Studies (CIS) hosted Dr. Haifaa Younis, renowned Islamic scholar and Founder and Chairman of Jannah Institute, for a series of talks from October 28 to 30, 2023, aimed at helping local residents process the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Dr. Younis kicked off her visit to Doha with a lecture titled, ‘This Worldly Life Amounts To…' in which she outlined profound insights from the Qu’ran that can help people navigate challenging situations throughout their lives, especially in times of crisis. Her talk also served as the inaugural session of the Center’s Minaretein Inspirational Series, a collection of discussions with renowned Islamic scholars aimed at providing enlightening advice on how to tackle important issues to the local community.

She also held separate lectures for high school and university students, engaging with them at Pre-University Education Theatre and Qatar National Library respectively. Dr. Younis took this opportunity to connect with local youth of diverse age groups and speak on the importance of staying grounded in our faith, especially during trying times.

Commenting on the importance of Dr. Younis’ visit, Wasif Khan, Minaretein Center, said: “By engaging in open discussion about the Palestinian situation with the local community and students across the QF campus, we are providing a space for them to process their own emotional responses to the crisis and providing guidance rooted in our tradition on how they can do so properly.”

In line with HBKU and the college’s innate dedication to dialogue, CIS overcomes borders, to facilitate expertise and build capacity in Qatar and beyond. The College’s research output is rooted in carefully designed research clusters that together promote interdisciplinary research agendas and inject new contributions to the world of global Islamic scholarship.