Abdelrahman murphy biography for kids

As youth director for the Muslim Community of Knoxville, AbdelRahman Murphy is one of only four full-time salaried Muslim youth ministers in the country. He spends a good part of his time working with Muslim students at UT.

“That way the campus has a point person for the Muslim community,” he said, adding that he spends most of his time helping students deal with the transition from high school to college while maintaining their faith.

“When [students] encounter some kind of stress it can chip away at their religious faith,” he said.

However, he also helps them with academic and social issues.

He holds office hours three times a week and has “Food for Thought” on Thursdays, where he and students go out to dinner and discuss contemporary issues.

“It’s not your typical religious study service,” he said.

He also gives sermons twice a month at the local mosque, on Thirteenth Street.

He estimates there are between 100 and 200 Mu