“HOME IS WHERE MY GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE RAISED”

“HOME IS WHERE MY GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE RAISED”

After moving to Los Angeles in 1978, Dr. Maher Hathout began a 40-year tenure with the Islamic Center as chairman, spokesperson and visionary. He became widely known as “Father of the American Muslim identity,” which emphasizes a vision of Islam in America rooted in his definition of home: “Home is not where my grandparents are buried but where my grandchildren will be raised,” he often said. A practicing cardiologist with a big heart, Dr. Maher Hathout was the brainchild behind several auxiliaries and media projects, including “The Minaret,” “Islam” cable TV show and various podcasts, and the Muslim Public Affairs Council. He was later joined by his older brother, Dr. Hassan Hathout, who helped serve the community through his teachings and interfaith partnerships. Like his younger brother, Dr. Hassan Hathout also left the community with big shoes to fill. He was a obstetrician/gynecologist, medical ethicist, scholar of monotheism, as well as a prolific poet and author. He was co-founder of the Interfaith Council of Southern California and was known for paraphrasing the concept of religion in one word: “love.”