Praxis Islamicus
A publication of the Umma International Group
From Vengeance to Vision: A Journey of Transformation Through Service
I spent eleven years in federal prison for the choices I made over a twenty-year period of my life. From the time I was twelve years old until I was thirty-two and on my way to prison, I made choices rooted in anger, distorted masculinity, and a fundamental misunderstanding of justice. That prison became the most important classroom of my life.
In that cell, I encountered the transformative power of Islam, not as abstract theology, but as a lived practice of khidma—service that simultaneously purifies the servant while uplifting those served. I discovered that the classical Islamic sciences offered precisely what I desperately needed: frameworks for moral psychology, spiritual purification, and the difficult work of rebuilding a life.
Today, I serve as Muslim Chaplain at Grinnell College and lead Umma International Group, an organization dedicated to bridging classical Islamic wisdom with contemporary organizational development. I’m completing my Doctor of Ministry in Practical Theology: Leadership & Ethics at Catholic Theological Union, where my research focuses on how Islamic theology, law, and spirituality inform human development, leadership formation, ethical frameworks, and institutional & communal growth and development.
What I Bring to This Work
Lived Experience of Transformation
I don’t theorize about redemption—I’ve walked that path. My incarceration, conversion to Islam, and subsequent rebuilding of life and relationships inform everything I teach and write. I understand both the depths of moral failure and the possibility of restoration through sustained spiritual practice.
Classical Islamic Training
I’ve studied, and continue to study, with scholars in the Sunni tradition, focusing on Islamic law (fiqh), theology (`aqīda), spiritual psychology (taṣawwuf), and Qur’anic sciences. I teach Islamic Studies at Tayba Foundation and have devoted over 12 years to studying the Islamic tradition. My work is grounded in the scholarly tradition, not isolated from it.
Contemporary Institutional Leadership
I bring C-suite strategic thinking and organizational development expertise to traditional Islamic frameworks. I’ve provided strategic consultation to municipal governments, corporate clients, academic institutions, nonprofits, and religious organizations.
Cross-Cultural Fluency
My work spans contexts: African American Muslim communities, prestigious academic institutions, corporate environments, and increasingly, West African contexts (particularly Ghana). I understand how to communicate across cultural boundaries without compromising substance.
The Khidma Leadership Framework
Through years of practice and refinement, I’ve developed what I call the Khidma Leadership Framework—an approach to organizational development and human formation rooted in the Islamic concept of service. This framework recognizes that effective leadership requires simultaneous fidelity to three covenantal relationships:
With Allah: Spiritual intentionality and divine accountability
With Self: Moral-psychological integration and the soul’s purification
With Community: Institutional service and collective wellbeing
This isn’t academic theory. It emerged from the urgent necessity of transforming myself in an environment designed for warehousing, not redemption. I discovered that the same principles that enabled my personal transformation could inform organizational health, leadership development, and community building.
What I Write About
Through this Substack, I explore the intersection of the classical Islamic intellectual tradition and contemporary organizational leadership. You’ll find:
Personal narratives examining transformation, redemption, and the ongoing work of spiritual formation
Theological analysis applying classical Islamic sources to modern challenges
Leadership frameworks translating spiritual principles into organizational practice
Cultural commentary on Muslim American life, institutional health, and social restoration
I write for multiple audiences: spiritual seekers working on their own transformation, organizational leaders building healthier institutions, scholars engaging classical texts, and anyone curious about how prophetic wisdom addresses contemporary challenges.
The Vision: Umma International Group
Praxis Islamicus serves as the intellectual and spiritual hub for an integrated ecosystem designed for sustainable impact across multiple domains:
Current Operations
→ EP3 & Associates: Strategic consultation for organizational development and ethical alignment
→ Umma International Institute for Transatlantic Ethics (UIITE): Cross-cultural ethical analysis and research
→ Mahdara Al Qiyaamah: Educational programming and curriculum development
Institutional Vision
The long-term anchor of this ecosystem is Mahdara Al Qiyaamah—a purpose-built school and zawiya (spiritual retreat center) surrounded by intentional community in Savannah, Georgia. This institution will provide:
Holistic education centered on traditional Islamic sciences integrated with a comprehensive “secular” curriculum
Leadership development programs bridging spiritual formation and organizational practice
Community healing spaces for those seeking transformation
A model for how Muslim institutions can serve both their communities and broader society
I’ll share more about this institutional vision as it develops and how you might participate in bringing it to life.
How We Can Connect
For Readers & Spiritual Seekers
Subscribe to receive essays exploring the Khidma Leadership Framework, personal reflections on transformation, and theological analysis of contemporary challenges. Engage in the comments—I read and respond to thoughtful reflections.
For Organizational Leaders
If you’re leading an institution (nonprofit, corporate, faith-based, academic) and recognize the need for spiritual-organizational alignment, I welcome inquiry about consulting and advisory services. My work focuses on:
Organizational spiritual health assessment
Leadership development through spiritual formation
Strategic planning grounded in values and mission
Cultural transformation and healing
For Speaking Engagements
I speak on topics including: Islamic theology, law, spirituality & spiritual moral psychology, leadership & ethics, redemption & transformation narratives, institution building & organizational health, the Muslim & African American experience, and cross-cultural bridge-building.
For Academic Collaboration
I’m always interested in connecting with scholars working at the intersection of Islamic studies, leadership development, moral psychology, and organizational behavior.
The Foundational Intention
This work is undertaken with the primary intention (niyya) of serving Allah through dedicated service to His creation. I seek to be a source of genuine public benefit, and I strive to be a manifestation of mercy (raḥma). The Prophetic teaching guides everything: “Actions are according to intentions.”
I don’t claim to have arrived—I’m still very much on the journey. But I’m committed to sharing what I’m learning along the way, in hopes that it serves others walking similar paths.
May Allah grant us sincerity in our service, protect us from the diseases of our hearts, and make us among those who work for His Good Pleasure alone.
Contact & Connect
→ Subscribe to Praxis Islamicus for regular essays and reflections
→ Email me directly at abdulmuhaymin@ummainternational.group
→ Connect via LinkedIn
→ Inquire about consulting, speaking, or collaboration opportunities
Credentials & Affiliations
Doctor of Ministry Student, Practical Theology: Leadership & Ethics, Catholic Theological Union
Muslim Chaplain, Grinnell College
Sr. Instructor, Tayba Foundation
Managing Partner & Lead Ethicist, EP3 & Associates
CEO, Umma International Group
Selected Teaching & Speaking Topics
The Khidma Leadership Framework: Service as Organizational Principle
From Incarceration to Chaplaincy: A Transformation Narrative
Classical Islamic Spiritual Psychology and Contemporary Leadership
Redemption, Restoration, and the Work of Moral Realignment
Building Covenantal Culture in Muslim Institutions
Cross-Cultural Leadership and Bridge-Building
“The leader of a people is their servant.”— Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
