The foundational work for the Hurma Project has been academic research. We’ve engaged with practitioners, independent researchers, academics, religious leaders, and community leaders.
This guide is produced through a collaboration between Maʿruf Commons, Hurma Project, and Islamic School League of America (ISLA) to specifically address the core Islamic principles needed to ensure children’s safety from sexual abuse in Muslim spaces.
This resource serves as a foundational guiding document for the Islamic School League ISLA’s Sexual Abuse Prevention Toolkit by offering faith-rooted guidance that supports professional safeguarding standards and trauma-informed practice. It also supplements the Hurma Project’s forthcoming Handbook for Preventing and Responding to Spiritual Abuse in Muslim Spaces by focusing specifically on child sexual abuse and drawing on the foundational insights of the Hurma Project.
Toward a Culture of Accountability, Dr. Mohmmad Fadel
Insights into the Psychological Sequelae of Spiritual Abuse, Dr. Rania Awaad & Dr. Tabish Riaz
Accountability in the Islamic Tradition, Dr. Ingrid Mattson
Deceptive Debauchery: Secret Marriage and the Challenge of Legalism in Muslim-Minority Communities, Dr. Mariam Sheibani
The Tarīqa Paradigm: Possibilities and Pitfalls, Dr. Sohaira Siddiqui
On Concealing the Sins of Religious Leaders, Mairaj U. Syed
The Use and Misuse of Zakāh Funds by Religious Institutions in North America, Yousef Aly Wahb
Note: not all materials will be only relevant to Muslims communities or in concordance with all Islamic teachings.
The foundational work for the Hurma Project has been academic research. We’ve engaged with practitioners, independent researchers, academics, religious leaders, and community leaders.
Henna Khawja is a Registered Social Worker with a special focus on the spectrum of gender based violence in Muslim communities. With over twelve years in the field, Henna currently works in sexual violence prevention and education with the University of Toronto, and is a Psychotherapist in private practice. Henna has worked with children, youth and adults in community, legal, child protection, corporate and university settings. Henna has also acted as the first Clinical Director for the Islamic Family and Social Services Association (IFSSA) in Edmonton, Alberta. Over the years, she has focused her work on supporting Survivors of trauma and violence along their healing journeys (including but not limited to gender based, spiritual, domestic, intimate partner, sexual, family, intergenerational, community violence). Henna has extensive experience working with Muslim & racialized communities in both Canada and the USA, as well as Pakistan and Zanzibar.
