Maher Hathout | Interfaith leader, 79
Maher Hathout, 79, a prominent interfaith leader hailed as the father of the Muslim American identity, died Friday in Duarte, Calif., after a yearlong battle with liver cancer, said Salam al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, which Dr. Hathout cofounded in 1988.
Maher Hathout, 79, a prominent interfaith leader hailed as the father of the Muslim American identity, died Friday in Duarte, Calif., after a yearlong battle with liver cancer, said Salam al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, which Dr. Hathout cofounded in 1988.
Dr. Hathout, a practicing cardiologist, spoke passionately of the need for Muslim Americans to create an identity that did not rely on Middle Eastern cultural interpretations of Islam. He encouraged Muslims in the United States to embrace their dual identity and advocated participation in American politics, volunteerism, and interfaith work.
Deeply religious and deeply patriotic, he often reminded colleagues that "home is not where my grandparents are buried, but where my grandchildren will be raised."
Dr. Hathout also worked tirelessly over four decades to build interfaith bridges and was close friends with many prominent Christian, Jewish and other leaders, including Rick Warren, the best-selling author of The Purpose Driven Life and founder of Saddleback Church.
- AP