Muslim Life at Georgetown

Muslim Life provides worship services and religious support for Georgetown’s Muslim population as well as educational programs about Islam. Georgetown University encourages and fosters a strong and growing Muslim community. It is part and parcel of the Jesuit tradition that imbues the university to learn and live in an environment committed to intellectual freedom, religious pluralism and cultural diversity.

As one of the nation’s oldest and most renowned Catholic universities, Georgetown University was the first to appoint a full-time Muslim chaplain to support the Muslim community on campus. Imam Yahya Hendi is dedicated to supporting and encouraging Muslim students and others on campus through counseling and programming to benefit the community at large. We foster a welcoming environment for all those who call themselves Muslim without distinction. Our Muslim Life team is a valuable asset to our community.

How to Get Involved

Muslim Life activities at Georgetown University consist of Jum’ah prayers, bi-annual retreats, Tafseer of the Qur’an, Islamic lecture series, weekly study circles, intra-faith dialogue events, community service, women and faith events, and interfaith programs. Muslim Life also offers overnight retreat programs that reinforce the bond of the Muslim community and facilitate religious reflection.

We also work with the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and other student groups to put on programs and events beneficial to the Georgetown community as well as the surrounding DC community.

Services Schedule

Unless otherwise noted all prayers and services take place in Yarrow Mamout Masjid, Village C (Level 2, enter from the central outdoor staircase).

Jum’ah Salah | Friday at 1 PM
‘Isha Salat Prayers | Daily at 9 PM

To see a full schedule of all Campus Ministry gatherings and services, please visit our Campus Ministry Religious Services Calendar.

Meet Our Team

Imam Yahya Hendi, Director for Muslim Life

Imam Yahya Hendi is the Director for Muslim Life. He has been at Georgetown for 25 years and was the first Muslim chaplain to be hired full-time by an American university. Imam Hendi is a Public Policy Conflict Resolution Fellow at the Center for Dispute Resolution at the University of Maryland School of Law and the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office. Imam Hendi is the founder and the president of Clergy Beyond Borders. He also serves as a member of the Islamic Jurisprudence Council of North America. Imam has served as an adjunct faculty member for Zanvyl Krieger School of Arts and Science and Osher’s Lifelong Learning Institute of John Hopkins University, Fordham University, and Hartford Seminary. Imam Hendi also taught the course Inter-religious Encounters at Georgetown University. He is passionate about environmental responsibility, racial justice, eliminating poverty, fighting against the growing sense of militarism, and empowering Muslims to reform the way they practice and understand Islam. When Imam Hendi is not talking about these topics with students, you’ll find him in the kitchen cooking Maqloobah or his other favorite dishes, grilled chicken, rice, and hummus.

Chantal Sanchez, Interreligious Coordinator

Chantal Sanchez is the Interreligious Coordinator. In this role, she supports the chaplains and student teams in coordinating services and events for the Dharmic, Jewish, and Muslim traditions. Originally from Southern California, Chantal moved to the East Coast in 2016 to pursue her bachelor’s degree at Boston College. Influenced by the Jesuit values of BC, she developed a deep appreciation for Theology and International Studies. This academic interest took Chantal abroad to Nepal and India, where she strengthened her commitment to the study of South Asian religions and deepened her Buddhist faith. Chantal continued her exploration of religion at Harvard Divinity School, where she discovered a passion for community organizing, social and racial justice activism, and interfaith coalition building. Her volunteer work, with the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, put theory and her MDiv into practice through hands-on, grassroots efforts. In her free time, Chantal enjoys arts and culture, visiting new coffee shops, watching sci-fi and fantasy films, and spending time outdoors.

Questions? Please email muslimlife@georgetown.edu.