Siraj Wahhaj

Siraj Wahhaj (b. 1369 H/1950 M), born Jeffrey Kearse di Brooklyn, New York, adalah salah satu yang paling terkemuka African-American Muslim leaders di United States. Ia memeluk Islam ke Islam di early 1970s melalui contact dengan Nation dari Islam but kemudian embraced orthodox Sunni Islam dan became affiliated dengan mainstream Muslim komunitas.

He memiliki served as imam dari Masjid At-Taqwa di Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood dari Brooklyn, New York, since 1981. Under his leadership, masjid became significant komunitas institution, addressing tidak hanya spiritual needs dari local Muslim population but juga social issues seperti drug rehabilitation, komunitas safety, dan youth development. Masjid At-Taqwa became dikenal sebagai model untuk how masjid dapat positively transform urban neighborhood.

Imam Siraj Wahhaj adalah dikenal karena his powerful dan engaging speaking style, combining ulama Islamship dengan intimate understanding dari challenges facing African-American dan urban Muslim komunitas-komunitas. He telah menjadi vocal advocate untuk application dari Islamic prinsip-prinsip di addressing social problems dan memiliki spoken di masjids, Islamic centers, dan universities di seluruh country.

In 1991, ia menjadi first Muslim ke deliver invocation ke United States House dari Representatives, recognition dari his standing as Muslim leader di American public life. He memiliki served as officer di Islamic Society dari North America (ISNA) dan telah menjadi involved di numerous Muslim organizations dan causes.

He follows Sunni tradisi di aqidah dan fikih dan telah menjadi voice untuk orthodox Islamic practice di dalam American Muslim komunitas. His decades dari komunitas leadership di Brooklyn dan his national platform memiliki made him one dari most recognized Muslim leaders di United States.