Ustadh Dr. Rahimjon Abdugafurov 20G

Ustadh Dr. Rahimjon Abdugafurov 20G became Muslim Chaplain and Director of Interfaith Academic Partnerships at Emory University on July 1, 2024.

Ustadh Rahimjon graduated from Emory’s Laney Graduate School with a PhD in Islamic Civilizations Studies in August 2020. He had previously completed a master’s degree in higher education administration from Vanderbilt University, and a Master of Arts in international studies from the University of Wyoming. He received his bachelor’s degree from Namangan State University in Uzbekistan, where he was a first-generation student.

Ustadh Rahimjon is originally from Uzbekistan in Central Asia, the land of Imam Bukhari, whose work is the second most quoted source in Islam after the Qur’an. He comes from a long lineage of faqihs (Islamic jurist consults) in the Sunni Hanafi school, and his father served as an imam in his region. He received his initial education at home and belongs to the Islamic theological doctrine of Abu Mansur al-Maturidi al-Samarqandi (known as Maturidi). His bachelor’s degree was focused on Near Eastern languages, in which he gained a mastery of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish (including Ottoman and Chagatai), in addition to his native Uzbek and English.

Ustadh Rahimjon came to the United States to study with a focus on interfaith relations, and his studies in Islam have deeply explored such topics as Islamic law, Afghan and Central Asian as well as Yemeni, Iraqi, and Egyptian history, Sufi traditions, Islamic humanism, women’s rights in Islam, and religion and the environment.

He has been a Senior Fellow in Emory Law School’s Center for the Study of Law and Religion, where he previously served as an Executive Director in the Law and Islam Program. As a fellow at the Tam Institute for Jewish Studies, he produced a documentary on Bukharan Jews during his graduate years at Emory. He also taught courses on Central Asia and Afghanistan, Christian-Muslim relations, and Islamic Law at Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Candler School of Theology, Emory School of Law, and Spelman College. In keeping with his educational, religious, and cultural engagement in the Atlanta Uzbek Community, Ustadh Rahimjon served as an imam for eight years with that community.

Ustadh Rahimjon returns most recently from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he served as a Muslim Chaplain and Associate Director for Religious and Spiritual Life. He helped Macalester College cultivate its Muslim community and coordinated Friday prayers, conducted weekly Qur’anic studies (halaqa), and provided pastoral care. While at Malcalester, he also launched several programs such as Sounds of Religions, the Week with Religion, and Interfaith Luncheons to foster interfaith relations and cooperation among campus partners. 

Ustadh Rahimjon’s new role will include coordinating and supporting activities of Muslim life across Emory University for students, faculty, and staff, educating about Islam and leading collaborative efforts to promote a supportive campus climate for Muslim students, faculty, and staff, liaising between faculty and staff in Islamic studies and other relevant areas and religious and spiritual life, and enhancing external relations with Muslim communities and organizations, locally, nationally and globally. In addition, given his extensive experience with many areas of the university, Ustadh Rahimjon will be charged with helping the new Emory Interfaith Center to deepen and develop new academic partnerships around interfaith studies and engagement, including through experiential learning.

Ustadh Rahimjon’s spouse also received her PhD from Emory’s Laney Graduate School and works at Wake Forest University, and they have three children, one of whom attends the University of Georgia.

Education

• PhD | Emory University 
• MA | University of Wyoming
• MEd |  Vanderbilt University 
• BA | Namangan State University