Date: Wednesday, March 25 @ 9:30 AM PST
Check your local times using this date/time converter.
Cost: Suggested donation $10 US.
While we provide an option to attend this webinar for free, as a nonprofit we depend on donations and your contribution is greatly appreciated!
About the Book
What if prayer is not about having the right words, but about noticing the sacred in washing dishes, the rhythm of breath, or the quiet sharing of tea with a friend?
Margaret Somerville invites us to rediscover prayer as a way of living, not a formula to get right. With wisdom drawn from her Celtic roots, lifelong pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona, and deep engagement with Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish traditions, she reimagines prayer as presence in the ordinary. From her granny’s morning ritual of lighting the coal fire to the contemplative kneading of bread, she shows how holiness shimmers in the small gestures of daily life.
Through six pathways – Sacred Space, Release, Naming, Wilderness, Nourishment and Peace – the author offers gentle practices and stories that carry us beyond unanswered petitions into a deeper communion with self, others and the divine mystery. Both memoir and spiritual guide, this audiobook speaks to seekers who are weary of rigid traditions or silence from heaven, and to all who long for prayer that nourishes rather than disappoints.
About the Author
Margaret Somerville, MDiv, DMin is the founder of Interfaith Alignment, a nonprofit fostering inclusive spaces for diverse religious and spiritual traditions. With a multifaceted career as a language educator, interfaith minister, and author, she creates programs that inspire meaningful connection, deep reflection, and spiritual growth across difference. She is the author of When Prayer Doesn’t Work, a contemplative exploration of faith, doubt, and presence when familiar spiritual practices fall short, offering an honest and spacious approach to prayer beyond easy answers. A member of the Iona Community and Moderator of their Interfaith Relations Network, Margaret facilitates the digital resources for the Week of Prayer for World Peace and spends part of each year in Scotland, engaged in the community’s commitment to justice and peace.
About the Facilitator
Jamal Rahman, Imam, Writer, Speaker, Spiritual Advisor, is a popular speaker on Islam, Sufi spirituality, and interfaith relations. Along with his Interfaith Amigos, he has been featured in the New York Times, CBS News, BBC, and various NPR programs.
Jamal is co-founder and Muslim Sufi minister at Interfaith Community Sanctuary and adjunct faculty at Seattle University. He is a former co-host of Interfaith Talk Radio and travels nationally and internationally, presenting at retreats and workshops.
He is the author of Sacred Laughter of the Sufis: Awakening the Soul with the Mullah's Comic Teaching Stories and Other Islamic Wisdom; Spiritual Gems of Islam: Insights & Practices from the Qur'an, Hadith, Rumi & Muslim Teaching Stories to Enlighten the Heart & Mind; The Fragrance of Faith: The Enlightened Heart of Islam; and co-author of Finding Peace Through Spiritual Practice: The Interfaith Amigos Guide to Personal, Social, and Environmental Healing; Religion Gone Astray: What We Found at the Heart of Interfaith; Out of Darkness into Light: Spiritual Guidance in the Quran with Reflections from Jewish and Christian Sources; and Getting to the Heart of Interfaith: The Eye-Opening, Hope-Filled Friendship of a Pastor, a Rabbi, and an Imam.
Jamal's latest book is “Fragrance of the Qur’an : Reflections on Verses of Beauty and Wisdom.“
Jamal's passion lies in interfaith community building. He remains rooted in his Islamic tradition and cultivates a "spaciousness" by being open to the beauty and wisdom of other faiths. By authentically and appreciatively understanding other paths, Jamal feels that he becomes a better Muslim.
This spaciousness is not about conversion but about completion. Since 9/11 Jamal has been collaborating with Rabbi Ted Falcon and Pastor Don Mackenzie. Affectionately known as the Interfaith Amigos, they tour the country sharing the message of spiritual inclusivity. Recently, Rabbi Ted Falcon decided to retire and Rabbi Laura Kaplan has come in his place.
Imam Jamal, originally from Bangladesh, has an abiding faith in the power of heart-to-heart connections to encompass differences and dissolve prejudices. He enjoys programs that celebrate life and unity through delight, laughter, and food. He has a private spiritual counseling practice serving individuals and couples, and is available for interfaith weddings and ceremonies.
Jamal offers a variety of classes and workshops, including the popular "Blush of the Beloved," a course in spiritual deepening and discernment drawing upon the practices, insights, and wisdom within Sufism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism.
