Shems Friedlander (January 8, 1940 - November 22, 2022) was an American Islamic scholar, Sufi master, visual artist, filmmaker, author and an emeritus professor of practice at the American University in Cairo.
[2][3] Friedlander received his education from the Massachusetts College of Art and graduated in 1963.
This led him to Muzaffer Ozak Efendi and, through conversion, ultimately to Islam in early 1970s.
Joining as a lecturer, Friedlander has served as a professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the American University in Cairo since 1994.
[6] Apart from photography and paintings, Friedlander has authored ten books on Sufism and Mevlana Rumi and has made few documentary films.