Chaplain Yasin Ahmed (2017-2022)

Chaplain Yasin Ahmed
Muslim Chaplain (Aug 2017 - Jul 2022)
Yasin Ahmed served as Cornell's first Muslim chaplain from Aug 2017 to Jul 2022. In Aug 2022, he moved to a new role as Ithaca College’s Director of Religion and Spirituality. He was a popular presence on campus. Besides his core work of spiritual guidance and pastoral care for students, his legacy includes establishing the Muslim chaplain as a key part of Cornell United Religious Works (CURW) staff and pushing through policy reform that resulted in making halal food accessible in dining halls, larger prayer rooms and religious accommodations for classes/exams and dorms. He has worked with young people of many backgrounds with the intention of pleasing Allah by being a positive, consistent, and accessible role model. He admired these characteristics in his mentors most notably Moulana Abdurahman Ahmad, Chaplain Greg Bezilla, and Imam Sohaib Sultan. He has previously taught Islamic Studies at Madina Academy in Connecticut. He formerly served as the Muslim Chaplain at Trinity College and Choate-Rosemary Hall.

Chaplain Yasin's Farewell Message

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

All praise is due to Allah who blesses us with endless opportunity, hope in His ability to fulfil our visions, and who brings hearts together when we work as an ummah. We send peace and blessings on God’s Messenger, who showed us the sunnah of establishing community through faith and hard work.

When several Muslim alumni formed the Diwan Foundation for Cornell Muslim Life, they saw the potential in our community. They set out to create an environment in which Muslims feel safe, confident, and connected. They believed in developing a prophetic community at Cornell by nurturing Muslim identities, developing a culture of belonging, and producing students who contribute to a better world. I am eternally grateful to the Diwan Foundation and the Cornell Muslim community for allowing me to serve as their first Muslim Chaplain over the past five years.

Through your generosity of prayers and support we have proven our community is not only viable but also vibrant. Alhamdulilah, through our work we have established organizations, conferences and retreats catered to Muslims’ social and spiritual needs, advocated for policy reform resulting in accessible halal food, more prayer spaces, and religious accommodations in dorms and in class. We’ve educated the campus and surrounding areas on Islam all while connecting students with community including a prophetic refugee resettlement and multi-tier mentorship program for academic and professional advancement. This is not to mention the heart of chaplaincy where we’ve helped students find joy, meaning and comfort in Islam during times of uncertainty. While there is much work to be done, I thank Allah for allowing me to be a part of this journey.

I am at peace stepping away as your Muslim Chaplain knowing that our community is rooted in prophetic mercy and is set up for even greater impact. As I begin my new role as the Director of Religion and Spirituality at Ithaca College, I am working alongside the Diwan Foundation to find the Chaplain who can take our community to new heights inshallah.

We will identify chaplain candidates for you and have been working diligently to make sure spiritual counsel, religious needs, and Muslim life programs continue for you during this search.

JazakAllah Khairan for trusting me with your stories and for inspiring me to believe in the portending revival of this ummah inshallah. These past five years have given me glimpses into what the American Muslim community will contribute to the larger society and the common good. The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, compared his community to a date palm tree. The implication being that with patience we bear fruit and provide nourishment in the spiritual desert. I ask you to forgive my shortcomings, ascribe good only to God, and to pray for my family and our community.

I ask you to continue supporting this prophetic vision financially, strategically, and spiritually. May Allah allow us to witness the fruit of Cornell Muslim Life as a prophetic model for our blessed ummah.

Fi Aman Allah,
Chaplain Yasin, July 2022