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Nuh Ha Mim Keller

by Muslim Central

Nuh Ha Mim Keller is an American-born Islamic scholar, jurist, translator, and Sufi teacher based in Amman, Jordan. He holds the title of Shaykh and is a recognized authority in Shafi‘i and Hanafi legal traditions, Quranic studies, Hadith, and Sufism. Born in 1954 into a German-American family in the northwestern United States, he initially raised as a Roman Catholic. He studied philosophy and Arabic at the University of Chicago and UCLA. In 1977, he embraced Islam and soon embarked on traditional learning journeys to Syria and Jordan, dedicating himself to the study of classical Islamic sciences. In the 1980s, Keller became a disciple of the renowned Shadhili Sufi master Sheikh ’Abd al‑Rahman al‑Shaghūrī. He received formal authorization as a Sufi teacher in 1996. While deepening his spiritual path, he also trained extensively under scholars in Syria and Jordan in Islamic jurisprudence, Hadith, and theology. His most influential translation, *Reliance of the Traveller*, was completed in 1991. This English version of a Shafi‘i fiqh manual remains the only one certified by Al‑Azhar University. In 2022, he published *The Quran Beheld*, a translation praised for its literary approach and efforts to reconnect readers with the Quran’s rhetorical and logical depth. He also authored works such as *Becoming Muslim*, *Sufism in Islam*, and *Sea Without Shore*. Since settling in Amman in the early 1980s, he has founded a zawiya and led a community of students and families dedicated to spiritual and scholarly training. Nuh Ha Mim Keller continues to teach online and in-person, lecture internationally, and guide spiritual seekers. His legacy bridges Western scholarship with traditional Islamic knowledge, offering a thoughtful, human-centered approach to law, spirituality, and sacred text.