Polovina, first Muslim imam to earn master’s degree from Catholic Seattle University

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Wednesday 20 May 2015 - 11:28 Makkah mean time-2-8-1436 (Google image) Portland, Seattle US (IINA) - A Portland Muslim imam has made history by becoming the first Muslim to graduate from a Catholic university in USA. Abdullah Polovina, who leads a congregation of Bosnian Muslims in Portland, has recently completed master's degree at Seattle University's School of Theology and Ministry, where he was the first Muslim to ever enroll, according to media reports. For more than a decade, the 41-year old man lived in Seattle as an imam before moving to Portland in 2013.  Taking the position of the leader of Bosniaks Educational and Cultural Organization, he first connected with leaders at Seattle University through interfaith-dialogue events. Holding education at a high position, Polovina said he wanted to pursue a graduate degree that would improve his leadership, finding Seattle’s transformation leadership program appealing. Studying Bible with other students, almost all Christians, was uncomfortable at first, he said. But he quickly settled into sharing his own perspective and appreciating the overlaps. There are many similarities between Islam and Christianity, he said, from moral values to key historical figures. Mark Markuly, dean of the three-year-old School of Theology and Ministry, praised the imam’s participation for adding more value to the program. "There were some students that I think had never spent time or known anyone of the Muslim tradition," Markuly said. "By his presence in classes, Abdullah helped a lot of our students more deeply encounter the wealth of the Muslim tradition." Polovina's presence also alerted faculty to a few changes they'd need to make in order for the campus to be more Muslim-friendly, such as providing pork-free meals and working around daily prayers.The US Muslims are estimated between 6-8 million. SM/IINA