The Pastoral Presence of the Prophet ﷺ

Ingrid MattsonJuly 12, 202662 min0 comments

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About this lecture

In this rich and deeply personal lecture delivered at Cambridge Central Mosque, Dr. Ingrid Mattson explores the concept of "pastoral presence" — the shepherding care that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ embodied and that every Muslim is called to practice. Drawing on the hadith "Every one of you is a shepherd," the story of Khawla bint Tha'alaba and Surah Al-Mujadila, and the example of Ammar ibn Yasir, Dr. Mattson shows how attentiveness, responsiveness, and compassionate presence can rebuild the sense of community so many Muslims are searching for. A profound reminder that community is not built through programs or funding, but through the simple, transformative act of truly turning toward one another.

Dr. Ingrid Mattson is a Canadian convert to Islam, scholar, and one of the most respected Muslim academic leaders in North America. She earned her PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Chicago and became the first woman and first convert elected president of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), serving from 2006 to 2010. She held the chair in Islamic Studies at Hartford Seminary, where she developed the first accredited Muslim chaplaincy program in the US, and later the London and Windsor Community Chair in Islamic Studies at Huron University College in Canada. She writes and lectures on the Qur'an, Islamic ethics, and interfaith relations.

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