Muslims4Peace Presents: The 19th Annual Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Interfaith Conference
Theme: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): Our Guiding Light for Unity and Collective Action
Join Muslims4Peace as we host our 19th annual Interfaith Conference, dedicated to exploring the profound wisdom of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a universal source for unity. This year’s program will focus on translating the Prophet’s example and core principles—which resonate with the teachings of Prophets like Jesus and Moses—into practical, collective action to address modern injustices.
We will focus on deriving direct lessons from the Prophet’s commitment to the marginalized and applying them to contemporary humanitarian issues, specifically addressing the critical need to support the oppressed in Gaza.
Event Details:
Date: Sunday, November 16, 2025
Time: 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM (Appetizers will be served starting at 1:00 PM)
Location: Monroe Township Senior Center, 12 Halsey Reed Road, Monroe Township, NJ, 08831
Attendance & Registration: This is a FREE event, and a complimentary dinner will be provided to all attendees. Registration is required to secure your place. We welcome and kindly suggest a small donation to help sustain this non-profit community endeavor.
Don’t miss this enriching interfaith experience Free Register today!
Rev. Dr. Shannon Smythe is ordained clergy in The Presbyterian Church (USA) and has served since 2023 in a validated ministry in the NJ Presbytery of the Coastlands as Director of Field Education and Vocational Formation at Princeton Theological Seminary. She has pastored PC(USA) congregations in NY, DE, and NJ, and brings more than a decade of experience engaging in Reformed theological scholarship, authoring two books and numerous essays and articles, and teaching in both seminary and undergraduate contexts.
Shannon serves on the steering committee of The Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Presbyterian Advisory Council of Churches for Middle East Peace, and the Social Witness and Restorative Justice Committee of the NJ Coastlands Presbytery. She organizes with Christians for a Free Palestine and has participated in nonviolent direct actions with Interfaith Action for Palestine in DC and Good Friday actions in PA with Red Letter Christians and Prayers for Peace Alliance. She is facilitating a solidarity delegation to Palestine in January 2026 in coordination with FOSNA and led by Sabeel. Shannon lives in Morrisville, PA with her husband, Kevin, son, Micah, and dog, Chloe.
Hajj Hassanain Rajabali is currently living in Dearborn, Michigan and has traveled worldwide to lecture on Islam and debated with world renowned Atheists on the existence of God. He is a graduate from the University of Colorado with a degree in Molecular Biology and Psychology. Hassanain is an entrepreneur and a philanthropist who lectures to motivate his audiences towards the truth of God’s Mercy and consciousness. Hassanain currently is the director of Camp Taha, the world’s first Muslim owned camp located in Columbiaville, Michigan and the Principal of a K-12 school called WISE Academy in Michigan and Florida. Hassanain came to settle in the U.S. in 1974, emigrating from Tanzania, East Africa and has a teenage daughter.
Mehdi Husaini is a resident physician training in neurology, currently based in Massachusetts originally born and raised in New Jersey.
He has been giving lectures about Islam and the Ahlul Bayt at Islamic and at interfaith gatherings for many years. Most recently, he has begun a program of study at Al Hujjah Islamic seminary to continue to advance his religious knowledge.
He holds a medical degree from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School where he graduated in 2024 with distinction as part of the Gold Humanism Honor Society for his excellence in patient care and served in Student Government. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a concentration in Molecular Cell Physiology with minors in Physics and Spanish language from Monmouth University where he served as Student Body President and started a community food pantry.
Within medicine, he has a passion for neurology and cerebrovascular disease, specifically seeking opportunities community health and institutional leadership to improve patient care, while also exploring the intersection of faith and medicine.
Rev. Roberto Fois
After a career in advertising and market research in NYC and NJ, Rev. Roberto Fois obtained a Master of Divinity and began serving various churches, most recently Christ Congregation in Princeton, and Trinity United Church in Warren. Currently he serves the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield, NJ, as Associate Pastor for Outreach and Community Engagement.
Rev. Fois was ordained as Minister of Word and Sacraments in 1996 and holds ministerial standing with the Reformed Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the United Church of Christ, where he serves as a member of the Central Atlantic Conference Board of Directors and the church revitalization work group.
Since 2002 he has resided in Branchburg, NJ with his wife Loretta, who is the director of the Dance Program at RVCC and the Raritan Valley Dance Ensemble, a PhD. Candidate, as well as a choreographer and a singer with Caritas, the premier acapella sacred music ensemble in NJ.
Dr Mark Pepper born and raised in Chester PA to very leftist/socialist leaning parents. Dr. Pepper’s mother was raised Orthodox, the daughter of a Kohan, a direct male descendant of Aaron, the brother of Moses and thus a member of the priestly caste who maintained the Holy Temple in ancient Jerusalem. His father was raised as a secular Jew but was also a Levi, a male descended from the tribe of Levi who were the assistants to the Kohanim in the Holy Temple. Tribal status is passed down through the father, which also makes Dr. Pepper a Levi. He was raised observantly in the Conservative Jewish tradition, taught to have a deep love for Israel and to never forget what happened to the Jews of Europe during the holocaust of the 1940’s.
He excelled as a student in both his religious and secular studies. He attended public school in Chester graduating as the Valedictorian of his Chester High School graduating class. Simultaneously he attended Hebrew School and Confirmation (through 12th grade) at Ohev Shalom in Wallingford, Delaware County, PA. He graduated from the University of PA with a BA in Natural Science and then graduated from Hahnemann University with an MD. He then completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital after which he went on to work in the Pharmaceutical Industry in Drug Safety and Medical Information at a few different companies in NJ including Sandoz which eventually merged with Ciba Geigy, becoming Novartis during his time there. After the pharmaceutical industry, he had a varied career as a small business owner, stay at home dad and most recently doing volunteering and philanthropic work for various community and educational organizations. He is a fully engaged member or supporter of several progressive political and activist organizations such as IfNotNow, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, Partners for a Progressive Israel and Jewish Voice for Peace.
Mark first met his wife Anne Kupferberg from Queens in college at Penn and then reconnected with her years later at the Jewish Y at Broad and Pine in Philly soon after Anne moved back to Philadelphia. They were married 38 years ago on Nov 1 at Temple Beth Shalom on Northern Boulevard in Queens where Anne’s parents were founding members. They went on to have 3 children, adding 2 son-in-laws along the way and also 2 grandsons with a third expected in March. They currently are residents of Princeton Junction, NJ for almost 34 years where they live with their youngest son Kenny and 2 of their 4 dogs. As for their other 2 dogs, one each lives with their older daughters, one in New Rochelle, NY and the other in Dallas, Texas.
Dr Pepper was raised by parents who taught him to always seek the truth, work hard to achieve your best, be humble and that everyone deserved to be treated equally, with decency and honesty.
Sami Shaban currently serves on the Board of Education in Franklin, as well as the Planning Boards for both Franklin Township and Somerset County. Sami is also a founder and/or board member for many nonprofits including the Islamic Relief Endowment and CILRU (Chaplaincy at Rutgers University serving 6,000 students).
Recently, Sami has been involved in forming the New Jersey Muslim Coalition, a grouping of the largest masajid and centers in New Jersey.
Prior to the above, Sami worked for the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates ($150B AUM), on their core management team as the chief of staff to the CEO/CIO responsible for the management of the Research, Corporate Counsel, and Compliance departments as well as a portfolio of projects that were approximately $500M in aggregate size.
Currently, Sami is also a small business owner with multiple restaurants and is also a practicing attorney with 14 years of experience counseling businesses and nonprofit institutions on corporate, commercial, franchise law, and business immigration.
Prior, Sami provided management consulting in primarily technology to a variety of institutions including Bank of America, Credit Suisse, Ernst & Young, and AT&T.
Zainab Syed
Inspiring us to build a peaceful community
MFP Community Service Award
Zainab Syed is a dedicated public servant and community organizer committed to building bridges across New Jersey’s diverse communities. As Communications Officer at the Office of Faith Based Initiatives, she strengthens partnerships between government, nonprofits, and the public. A Rutgers University alumna with degrees in pre-medical sciences and computer science, Zainab brings both compassion and analytical insight to her work. She serves as President of American Muslims for Democracy, fostering dialogue between community members, government, and law enforcement. In addition, Zainab has worked with numerous community organizations and helped found the New Jersey Muslim Heritage Month Coalition, which provides a platform for residents to educate and raise awareness about their contributions as citizens of this state and nation, while promoting dialogue and understanding with their neighbors.
Grounded and collaborative, Zainab continues to advocate for civic inclusion and meaningful engagement across all communities.
Ali-Ahmed Shah
Empowering Communities, Inspiring Generations
MFP Youth Leadership Award
Ali-Ahmed Shah is a Supply Chain professional at SpaceX (Starlink), currently pursuing his MBA at Rutgers University. He is also the dedicated Founder of the New Jersey Sports League (NJSSL), a registered 501(c)(3) organization committed to community building through sport.
Somayah Elsamra is the proud daughter of Egyptian immigrants. Born and raised in New Jersey, she developed a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and languages from an early age. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Public Affairs, along with New Jersey teaching certifications in ESL, Social Studies, and Curriculum and Instruction.
For the past 15 years, she has been an educator passionate about fostering inclusive, equitable learning environments where all students can thrive. Outside the classroom, she dedicates much of her time to advocacy—supporting students, families, and underserved members of the community. She is a founding member of the Monroe Township Muslim Community Network and serves on the Monroe Township Human Relations Commission.
Trilingual in English, Arabic, and Spanish, she values communication and connection across cultures. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her four children—creating passion projects, participating in community service events, and engaging in meaningful discussions about the social issues that shape our world.
