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Hassan Lecture Series
The annual Hanny & Najet Hassan Lecture in the Faculty of Arts & Humanities, which coincides with Canadian Islamic Heritage month, offers an opportunity for the Western and London community to join together in learning more about the culture, societies and rich intellectual history of the Islamic and Arab world.
2026 Hassan Lecture
An Evening with Ayeda Husain
Thursday, October 1st, 2026
5:30-7:30 PM in Conron Hall, Western University
What happens to a history when the origins of an idea are rewritten or erased?
The Hassan lecture will be presented by Ayeda Husain, senior teacher, Murshida and National Representative for the Inayatiyya, a global organization dedicated to Universal Sufism as taught by Hazrat Inayat Khan.
The talk explores how tarot's Eastern influences were obscured as tarot moved into Renaissance Europe, and how recovering this history led to the creation of The Sufi Tarot, an international bestseller translated into eight languages. It offers a compelling exploration of tarot, Sufism, cultural exchange and the complex movement of ideas between the East and the West.
Program
5:15 p.m. Doors open
5:45 p.m. Lecture begins
6:30 p.m. Q&A
6:45 p.m. Lecture ends and reception begins
7:30 p.m. Event ends
Can’t attend in person? Register for the lecture and we’ll share a recording with all registered guests following the event.
About Ayeda Husain
A scholar, journalist and spiritual teacher, Ayeda Husain holds a double master's degree in Journalism and Near Eastern Studies from New York University. She is the author of the international bestseller The Sufi Tarot, translated into eight languages, and is widely recognized for her teachings in Sufi Meditation, chanting and philosophy, with a particular interest in Rumi's poetry as a pathway to healing and spirtual transformation.
Her work bridges scholarship and lived spiritual practice. She has led Sufi centres in Lahore, Dubai and Oakville, Ontario, and has facilitated retreats and teachings worldwide, including introducing Sufi meditation to Buddhist monks in Tokyo and participating in international spiritual delegations at the United Nations. Her work is grounded in a deep interest in transpersonal psychology, alchemy, whirling and sound-based healing traditions.
Past Lectures
- 2025: An Evening with Nadeem Mansour
- 2024: Globalization in the Medieval World: Chinese and Central Asian Artistic Inspirations in the Islamic Mediterranean