Restoring Sacred Trust: How The Hurma Project Is Transforming Accountability in Muslim Spaces

Across North America, religious and civic institutions have confronted an urgent reckoning with spiritual abuse and violations of trust. For faith communities, the challenge strikes at the core of organizational life.

How do we build spaces where spiritual guidance nurtures rather than harms? How do we ensure that those in positions of religious authority are held to standards of safety and accountability?

Answering these questions requires both deep theological reflection and rigorous institutional reform. That is the mission of The Hurma Project, an initiative dedicated to safeguarding Muslim spaces and addressing spiritual and sexual misconduct within religious institutions.

Rooted in Divine Sanctity

In Islamic legal tradition, the Arabic term hurma (حرمة) signifies the divinely granted sanctity and inviolability of the human person. It represents the inherent right to be protected from harm, exploitation, and assault.

The Qur’an establishes the weight of human dignity and personal responsibility, reminding us: “O you who believe, uphold justice and bear witness to God, even if it is against yourselves, your parents, or your close relatives…” (Qur’an 4:135)

By invoking hurma, the initiative grounds its work not in reactionary rhetoric, but in an authentic Islamic mandate: protecting the vulnerable and demanding rigorous justice, even when wrongdoing touches beloved community leaders or trusted teachers.

A Measured, Systematic Journey

Launched in June 2018, The Hurma Project brought together scholars, chaplains, mental health professionals, and grassroots advocates committed to confronting systemic abuse.

Early contributors partnered with the FaithTrust Institute to examine pastoral care ethics, healthy boundaries, and the delicate dynamics between spiritual authority and vulnerability.

Later that summer, a critical convening at the El-Hibri Foundation in Washington, D.C., laid the groundwork for research-backed intervention. Rather than treating abuse as an isolated failure of individual character, participants recognized it as a systemic issue requiring institutional solutions.

The project quickly translated discussion into scholarship:

• Chicago Research Conferences (2020 & 2022): Dozens of scholars convened to examine the gendered dimensions of abuse, legal and ethical frameworks for accountability, the misuse of charitable funds (zakat), and evidentiary standards for addressing misconduct. In partnership with institutions like the Bayan Islamic Graduate School and Chicago Theological Seminary, the project created a space where classical Islamic jurisprudence engaged directly with contemporary trauma-informed care.
• Public Discourse & Podcasts: Recognizing that research must reach beyond academia, The Hurma Project launched two podcast seasons. These conversations unpacked healthy boundaries, professional ethics for imams and chaplains, and practical steps toward communal healing.
• Handbooks & Institutional Tools: Moving from analysis to practice, the project has developed codes of conduct and practical handbooks to help community boards, mosques, and third-party bodies implement enforceable accountability mechanisms.

Addressing the Tough Questions

The Hurma Project’s work is driven by critical questions that non-profit and community leaders must confront:

• What religious rhetoric or customs enable individuals in power to obscure or deny abusive behavior?
• What legal obligations do faith communities bear as registered charities and non-profit organizations?
• How can mosques prevent known offenders from quietly transferring to new congregations to resume positions of trust?
• What would an effective, fair complaints process look like across Muslim institutions in North America?

These inquiries highlight the necessity of clear governance. For too long, informal practices and fear of reputational harm have led boards to handle misconduct behind closed doors. This silence often causes secondary trauma to survivors and exposes organizations to severe legal and moral liabilities.

Building Institutional Integrity

Building healthy communities requires strong governance alongside moral conviction. Boards of directors and advisory councils have a fiduciary and ethical obligation to implement background screening, written codes of conduct, clear conflict-of-interest policies, and transparent complaint avenues.

The Hurma Project demonstrates that pastoral care and administrative vigilance are complementary. Accountability does not weaken our institutions; it protects them. When leadership honors the sacred dignity of every individual who enters our centers, our spaces reflect true community well-being.