A Unique Sufi Education
Nura Laird
Dean of Education
USHS: A Unique Sufi Education
The University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism (USHS) offers a unique education and opportunity to all people seeking to live in unity with all people, with the creation and with the Creator. A classical Sufi education teaches the human being how to live a life of happiness. Through developing an intimate and holy relationship with God, the spiritual traveler begins to receive the divine outpouring of healing, protection, wisdom and knowledge. As the self-limiting habits, experiences and beliefs are gently washed away, the heart becomes filled to overflowing with love, beauty and peace. A deeply purposeful life of divinely guided service to others naturally unfolds.
The spiritual founder and guide of this University, Shaykh Muhammad Sa’id al-Jamal (affectionately known as Sidi), lives on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and works tirelessly for love, peace, mercy, justice and freedom around the world. He says, “This University is the only one in the whole world to teach only divine teachings…It’s a Sufi university, built on the message of unity.” Sidi writes, “If the Muslims, Jews, Christians, and the people of any other religion knew their religion well, then there would be only one religion, the religion of love, peace, mercy, justice and freedom.”
The purpose of a USHS education is to awaken this divine religion of unity in the heart of all our students. Our aim is to give each student the skills, knowledge and support necessary to fully reflect the divine qualities placed by God into the human heart – innumerable qualities of love, peace, compassion, strength, wisdom, generosity, holiness and many, many more.
The USHS faculty and staff are committed travelers on the Sufi path. Students from many different spiritual and religious traditions attend our University. Many students adopt the Sufi way formally during the course of their education, but this is not a requirement. Students commonly report that our training enhances, deepens and enriches their own personal spiritual practice and relationship to the Divine. Simply put, our goal is not to create more Sufis: our goal is to inspire people to travel in this holy journey of transformation, healing and loving service.
Our University offers a 4-year master's/advanced certificate program. The first three years of study provide a core curriculum which forms the foundation for the fourth year master’s/advanced certificate program. Graduates of this fourth year will earn a Master’s in Divinity degree or an Advanced Certificate (for those without a bachelor’s degree).
Students who have graduated previously from the University’s three year program are welcome to return to complete their fourth year and earn their Master’s in Divinity or Advanced Certificate.
There may also be students who do not want a masters degree at the outset; they are free to enter the program and take it step-by-step. If they eventually find that they want to complete the masters program, we will support them in that direction.
For the academic year 2010-11, we are enrolling Year One students in the 4-year master's/advanced certificate program; Year Two and Year Three students in the basic certificate program, our three year program; and Year Four students in the Master's in Divinity degree or Advanced Certificate program.
I love how my orientation toward Sufism allows me to work with clients from many spiritual backgrounds without judgment or need to have them see things differently. Understanding the Sufi teaching of Unity allows all lovers of God to respect and support each other in one journey, despite seemingly different paths.
