You Deserve to Know: Imam Siraj Wahaj
Published by Haseeb July 25th, 2008 in Abdallah Adhami, Current News, Islam, Siraj WahajIm sure most of you have heard about the apparent outrage over the recent ICNA: Why Islam Chapter’s ‘You Deserve to Know’ campaign. Basically they have bought about 1,000 ads in NYC Subways simply asking words that many people have questions about like Islam, Hijab, Prophet Muhammad 
, etc. - and simply an answer, that You Deserve to know. (along with a link to the Why Islam website). (click here to view three sample ads)
Now what possibly could be controversial about this?
Well anything you can think of… Islamophobes across the web/news media have responded with questions as to why these are being released during the 7 year anniversary of 9/11 (It happens to be Ramadan), or claiming that this is a tool to recruit terrorists (ICNA has never been associated with terrorism).
Now dont get me wrong, haters are always going to hate - and this post isnt meant to defend the ads or ICNA (although I definitely will defend both of them) - but what hurts me the most is how some in the news media are attacking Imam Siraj Wahaj (who is simply supporting these ads; See Here) . Imam Siraj Wahaj has done more for the American Muslim community than any other single individual in my opinion. I would argue that if it weren’t for Imam Siraj’s tireless work over the past three decades that there would be no Shaykh Hamza or Imam Zaid or Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, or even Zaytuna Institute or Al-Maghrib, etc. as we have today. Imam Siraj paved the way for ALL of today’s mainstream scholars and leaders here in the United States.
Unfortunately I dont have the time to go into Imam Siraj’s history right now, but just to quickly address some criticisms against him:
1. He has never been charged with any crime. Labeling him as an unindicted co-conspirator of the 93 bombing is character assassination. There is a reason he hasn’t been indicted - because he wasn’t charged with any crime! If he was behind any crime - why wouldnt he have been tried since?
2. His controversial statements in the past, (FBI being terrorists, etc.) - do not necessarily reflect his views today. Everyone changes and evolves. The views we hold in the past may not correlate with what we say today. Imam Siraj has admitted that he wouldnt use the same language today that he used in the past regarding these controversial topics. He would also be the first to admit his mistakes (which he has). And for the record he has rescinded his statement about the FBI being terrorists.
Nonetheless, instead of focusing on defending all the accusations against him, we Muslims should respond positively, and we should all share with the world who Imam Siraj really is! Why you may ask? BECAUSE YOU DESERVE TO KNOW!
We all deserve to know more about Imam Siraj Wahaj, who shaykh Abdullah Adhami has called the Shaykh of Dawah in the West. This goes for both non-Muslims wondering who this man that the media is trashing really is , as well as young Muslims today who unfortunately aren’t aware of all of his work over the years.
For starters, I highly recommend the following brief interview with Imam Siraj Wahaj from Sakeenah.org, chronicling his conversion to Islam, his past experience with the Nation of Islam, his conversion to Islam, studying overseas, his work cleaning up the streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant, and more :
Also of note:
Please read Muslim Matters & Imam Suhaib Webb’s posts on this topic.
Interestingly enough, CNN did some digging on Imam Siraj, and it was overall positive. They tracked down the prosecutor in the 1993 WTC case, who dismissed the allegation as a “tempest in a teapot.”
This seems to be blowing over, NY1 had no coverage of it, and if we shun the Post, it won’t be a popular (money-making) story for them and it may die down.
Can someone volunteer to send the press release on http://www.youdeservetoknow.org to media outlets ? If you can then call me at 718-658-1199 ext 105
So far we have been interviewed or have been covered by CNN, Reuters, FoxNews, CBS, NBC, Islamonline, Canadian National Radio, Japanese Radio, Columbian Radio, Brazilian Radio, and many freelance journalists.
This Sunday Night at 10 PM EST I will be on CNN along with Congressman Peter King. Then Next week I’ll be interviewing with BBC, VOA and some Indian News Outlet.
If we can get some help reaching out to Associated Press, NPR, NY1, ABC7, Time Magainze, WSJ, Newsday it would be much appreciated.
good post haseeb. everyone does deserve to know that Shaykh Siraaj is clear of such underhand tactics and every muslim here in the states can not underestimate how much Allah
has worked through him in both bringing people to Islam and in making Islam a presence here in America. alhamdulillahi rabbi l-’alamin