Imam Siraj Wahhaj

About Scholar

Imam Siraj Wahhaj, born Jeffrey Kearse on March 11, 1950, in Brooklyn, New York, is a prominent African-American Islamic scholar and leader. Raised in a Christian household, he was actively involved in his local Baptist church, serving as a Sunday school teacher during his teenage years. In 1969, he joined the Nation of Islam, adopting the name Jeffrey12x. However, following the death of Elijah Muhammad in 1975, Wahhaj transitioned to Sunni Islam under the guidance of Warith Deen Mohammed, embracing orthodox Islamic teachings and changing his name to Siraj Wahhaj, meaning “bright lantern” in Arabic. In 1978, he pursued Islamic studies at Umm al-Qura University in Mecca, further solidifying his religious foundation.

In 1981, Imam Wahhaj established Masjid Al-Taqwa in Brooklyn, starting from a small congregation in a friend’s apartment and later acquiring an abandoned clothing store to serve as the mosque’s permanent location. Demonstrating a strong commitment to community activism, he led an anti-drug initiative in 1988 that resulted in the closure of 15 drug houses in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, earning commendation from the New York City Police Department. In 1991, he made history by becoming the first Muslim to deliver an invocation at the U.S. House of Representatives. Beyond his local efforts, Imam Wahhaj has held significant positions nationally, including serving as the vice president of the Islamic Society of North America and leading The Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA).Wikipedia