09/04/2026
What does it mean to care for the whole person?
For Mahir Hussein, Bayan Class of 2026, that question connects several parts of his journey: public health, spiritual care, and service to community.
Before completing his Master of Divinity at Chicago Theological Seminary through Bayan’s Islamic Chaplaincy program, Mahir’s work had already placed him close to some of the complex challenges facing communities.
In Nevada, he participated in the Safer Nights project, an initiative focused on reducing opioid-related harms through community education about naloxone (Narcan) and fentanyl testing strips.
The experience brought him into direct conversation with local businesses and communities while strengthening his work in public health education, outreach, and relationship-building.
His service has also extended to creating spaces of connection for graduate and international students—another expression of a journey centered on helping people feel supported, understood, and able to thrive.
That is part of what makes Mahir’s path distinctive. Public health asks what communities need in order to flourish. Chaplaincy asks how we accompany people through the realities they carry. In his formation, those questions meet.
As Mahir celebrates the completion of his MDiv as a member of Bayan’s Class of 2026, we celebrate a graduate whose learning reflects a larger purpose: bringing knowledge into practice and service into the lives of others.
