His Eminence Imam Dr. Mohamad Jebara's remarkable journey into Islamic scholarship began with humble origins. As a ten-year-old, he funded his education by delivering newspapers and repairing discarded items, nurturing both his artistic sensibilities and his intellectual pursuits.
This early resourcefulness paved the way for him to become a Quranic prodigy, memorizing the Quran by age 12 and developing encyclopedic expertise in Semitic languages, history, Biblical studies, and Islamic jurisprudence. Jebara had his breakout role as a 13-year-old imam-in-training when he founded Cordova Academy, aiming to popularize advanced subjects of classical Arabic and Quranic learning for a popular Western audience. Building on this success, he later established other academic institutions, including the elite training school Andalusia College and Instantia Seminary. Across these academies, Jebara has taught over 40,000 students.
From there, Jebara’s list of successes grew. As Chief Imam for over two decades, Jebara served hundreds of diverse communities worldwide while also authoring 110 highly esteemed books. Drawing from his ministry and scholarship, these works cover topics as varied as language (Classical Arabic: The Gateway), poetry (The Illustrious Garden), history (When Islam Blossomed), and exegesis (The Life of the Quran).
Today, Jebara is a world-renowned scriptural philologist, jurist, psycho-linguist, and exegetist known for his nuanced writings, eloquent oratory, and unique efforts to bridge cultural and religious divides.
A true polymath, Jebara has been called the “coolest Imam” by Canadian newspapers for his annual "Cycling Cleric" bikeathon, which supports charities such as the Breast Cancer Foundation, United Way, UNICEF, and the Red Cross.
Jebara is also a recognized visual artist and creative calligrapher whose exceptional work has been featured in popular galleries and art museums, including the National Gallery of Canada. In his calligraphy, Jebara fuses traditional techniques with contemporary styles, seeing the art form as a potent and expressive medium. His methodology is deeply intentional, requiring diligence and creativity to capture the mood and essence of a profound message. Beyond calligraphy, Jebara’s artistic creations fuse elements from diverse cultures. His artistic pursuits beautifully complement his scholarly work, illustrating his belief that Islamic concepts can inspire creative pursuits and provide a path for spiritual expression.
Jebara has written for prominent magazines such as NewLines, Raseef22, and iPolitics, been featured on national television (CBC’s the National, CNN, and the BBC), and advised senior diplomats in the Canadian Parliament and American Congress.
In 2021, St. Martin’s Press published his acclaimed biography, Muhammad the World-Changer: An Intimate Portrait. The New York Times hailed it as a November 2021 highlight book, The Wall Street Journal praised Jebara as a "Reclaimer of the Quran," and The Washington Post noted how he "weaves established sources together for a fresh telling." A companion biography, The Life of the Quran, was published in February 2024. The launch event for Muhammad the World-Changer was hosted by the French Consulate in New York City, and book events have been held at venues like the Cosmos Club in Washington D.C.
Jebara has lectured at prominent universities worldwide, including Oxford, Harvard, NYU, Columbia, Manhattan College, Tufts, McGill, Queen's, Universiti Sains Islam in Malaysia, Muhammadiyyah University in Indonesia, Qarawiyyin University in Morocco, and Al-Azhar University in Lebanon. In recognition of his impact on millions of congregants and his extensive retraining of clerics, he was granted the title “His Eminence the Most Venerable Chief Imam” by the late Grand Mufti of Lebanon.
Having overcome significant setbacks, Jebara's work often explores traditional Islamic themes of recovery and healing. He highlights how Qur'anic concepts, such as reconciling fractions, inspired innovations like algebra during Islam’s Golden Age. His message emphasizes that this ancient wisdom remains profoundly relevant in our modern age and can help people of all spiritual backgrounds enrich their life journeys.
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