INTERVIEW WITH JIBRIL BILAL RASHAD Associate Chaplain at the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk, VA

Saima Malik (staff at the ICP): Would you please share some background information about your qualifications and the work that you do?

I am an Associate Chaplain at the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk, VA. To be a chaplain at any clinical setting one must possess a Masters degree in religion or theology. Also, one must take units of CPE or clinical pastoral education, which are closely orchestrated counseling sessions at a hospital accredited to teach in this function. I am close to finishing my degree at Hartford and I have had CPE at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Fl. This has all been very rewarding indeed. I have been working at the Children’s Hospital for about three years now and loving every minute of it despite its ups and downs.

S.M.: Would you elaborate on the “ups and downs” of your Chaplaincy work?

What I mean by that is that there are happy moments and there are sad moments as you can imagine. The happy moments include meeting new people every day from all walks of life ranging from the European to the African to the African-American to the Arab and the Asian and Hispanic communities. This poses a tremendous opportunity to learn from these blessed cultures in providing the best medical-ministry care possible. The sad moments are dealing with a death and the grief process not only among the parents and families but also staff affected. All are experiences that cause me to reflect on the situation and what my role in the process was and is. I guess you can say that each situation is unique and challenging. 

S.M.: What resources do you draw on to overcome these challenges?

I have found myself digging inward to getting closer to Allah (Highly Glorified is He). I am a Sunni Muslim but I am also in favor of the inner-path or Sufi approaches to self-discovery. I have studied Sufism extensively and found that all of the great scholars from Shafi'i to Malik to Ghazzali have ventured in the Sufi disciplines. Simply put, love is the key and love is my method of choice in dealing with these sick children.

S.M.: How do you demonstrate that love as a Chaplain?

My role as chaplain is to help meet the spiritual needs of children, parents and staff when needed. I have found that by simply letting kids and parents tell there story whether it's about a car accident, chronic illness or whatever helps them process. Only Allah has the right answers and we as chaplains have to remember this at all times and situations. 

S.M: Do you face any challenges and rewards in particular as a Muslim Chaplain?

I am only the second or third Muslim chaplain in the civilian hospital system in the United States, however, the first one ever at the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters. I find this challenging and yet rewarding. I have to constantly educate not only staff and patrons but also my fellow chaplain coworkers. I don't think it's a bad thing. I look at it as a rewarding opportunity to inform them properly so they can inform their congregations given the anti-Islamic climate we find ourselves in these days. I am a little surprised that their experience in seminary, school or experiences in life never afforded them meaningful gatherings with Muslims. Perhaps, Allah has allowed it to be this way only to be enlightened now. Perhaps we have all been rewarded by the common and daily exchange of spirituality we share. Again, love and respect arises and acknowledges Al-Wadud (The Loving attribute of Allah).

S.M.: Do you have any advice for others who are considering Chaplaincy as a profession?    

I suggest for any Muslim intending to be a chaplain is to first seek inward to acknowledge any and all prejudices against your fellow man whether a Muslim, Christian, Jew, atheist ... whatever. Then seek counseling and CPE if possible. Pursue the educational piece and keep studying on your own including psychology, counseling, comparative religions and my personal favorite the Quran with tafseer, Shariah, Ahadith, and Sufism. I would also like to throw in to keep an open mind and be willing to adjust to surprising situations at hand such as September 11th, the war against Iraq, etc.    

S.M.: Thank you for you sharing your insights with us.