Siraj Wahhaj: Recent Episodes
Muslim Central
Siraj Wahhaj was born as Jeffrey Kearse and raised in Brooklyn. His mother was a nurse and his father a hospital dietitian. His brother is writer and editor Gregory S. Kearse of Silver Spring, Maryland. He went to church religiously and went on to become a Sunday school teacher as a teenager in a Baptist church.[4] Wahhaj then later went on to the New York University on a partial scholarship. He also played basketball where he met a teammate who interested him in the Nation of Islam, an African-American movement. He subsequently converted to Islam.
In 1969 he ended his schooling and joined the Nation of Islam, changing his name to Jeffrey12x.[4] During this time he was vocal in his belief that “white people are devils.” He said of this, “I preached it. I taught it.”[5] Wahhaj says of his interest in the Nation: “It wasn’t the theology that attracted me to the Nation of Islam at all… It was the kind of do-for-self black pride.”
When Elijah Muhammed died in 1975, “His teachings began to unravel in my mind”, and he became a Sunni Muslim with the encouragement of Muhammad’s son Warith Deen Mohammed. Mohammed took over and reorganized the Nation of Islam, urging members to come to orthodox Islam. Kearse then changed his name again to Siraj Wahhaj, which means “bright light” in Arabic. He was chosen to study Islam at the Umm al-Qura university of Mecca for a period of four months in 1978.[5] He also briefly taught a course in Islamic studies at Howard University, where Johari Abdul-Malik is the chaplain.
Sadaqah Jariyah (Continuous Reward) – Please consider donating, to help cover our running costs and future projects. Become a Patreon Donate via PayPal Donate via PayFast I really think this is one of the greatest causes one could support. Mufti Ismail Menk (co-director) To watch video by Mufti Menk or learn more, click here. We ... Read more
This talk was given at the UMA (United Muslims of Australia) Conference 2017 – Quest for Success.
Imam Siraj delivers this lecture at the 42nd Annual ISNA Canada Convention which was held in May 20-22, 2016.
The Role Of The Youth In Reviving Islam by Imam Siraj Wahhaj At Plymouth, Part of the Forum For Social Studies Dawah UK Tour, 2016.
Imam Siraj Wahhaj and Rev. Michail Curro on Institutional Racism given at the IONA Convention November 25-27, 2016
Topic: Curbing Youth Extremism and ISIS Recruitment The Muslim community should not consider the San Bernardino, Boston Marathon bombing, Major Nidal Hasanâs Texas shooting incident and other local reported incidents as isolated cases. We have to dig into the real causes leading some of the vulnerable Muslim youth to adopt extreme positions and be easy ... Read more
This is the Ramadan Khutbah which Imam Siraj Wahaj gave at the Islamic Center of Tennessee
In this episode of The Deen Show Imam Siraj Wahhaj discusses the Islamic outlook about the worldly pleasures & distractions.
Understanding that Allah’s Light is His guidance. His Light comes in many different forms, and taking advantage of this Light will benefit our Hereafter.
“Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you. Until you visit the graveyards.” [Qur’an 102:1-2] Wealth, while one of the greatest blessings that mankind has been given, is at the same time one of the greatest trials and temptations. It is mentioned in the Holy Quran, “Your wealth and your children are only a trial. And Allah ... Read more
In this lecture, Imam Siraj Wahhaj addresses the importance of choosing the right friends and the real extent to which friends can impact us. What are the consequences of bad companionship and the benefits of good companionship? What is some practical advice on what one should do if one doesn’t have good friends?
Unhappines is Easy: Happiness Takes Work By Iman Siraj Wahhaj ISLAM: the pursuit of happiness 2013 ICNA-MAS Convention, Hartford, CT
Based on a seemingly trivial hadith in which Prophet Muhammad (P) said “Eat with your right hand”, this khutbah makes clear the profound position of the Prophet (P), the weightiness of his teachings, and the responsibility on those who claim to follow his message. Siraj Wahhaj’s “old school” fire and passion resurface in this brief ... Read more
In this lecture, Imam Siraj Wahhaj discusses what it means to be a Muslim man in an inner-city environment characterized by poverty, crime and the other well-known challenges existing in the typical American urban environment. He not only discusses what is needed from our brothers, but how he was able to lead an urban renewal ... Read more