Imam Talib Shareef, leader of The Nation’s Mosque, Masjid Muhammad, the oldest Muslim community in the nation’s capital, which was once led by Malcolm X, and transitioned upon universal aspirations and teachings, forcefully condemns the actions of Boko Haram and its kidnapping of numerous girls. We stand with all local, national, and international voices and organizations demanding the girls’ immediate and safe return, and we applaud the actions of our President, Barack Obama.
This group, Boko Haram has done the Haram, the prohibited, forbidden, outlawed, illegal acts in Islam and is operating as criminals. How dare they call themselves representatives of Islam and violate its sacred teachings.
There are several chapters in Islam’s holy text, the Quran, named in honor of and brings attention to the precious life of the female. In the very chapter entitled the female, it says that men should be their protectors, yet you, Boko Haram, have become that which they need protection from.
They, Boko Haram have reverted back to the days of uncivil acts and ignorance in Arabia when the idea of education as we understand it today was nonexistent. So Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, obligated men to do something about educating their daughters and to help their daughters get an education. He said if any male would educate two daughters, G-d would give him the paradise. In the Quran, it says that education is an obligation for both the male and female child born. It is clear that Boko Haram does not understand the Qur’an, and they don’t understand the teaching of the Prophet (Pbuh), and are therefore acting upon ignorance and violation, and their actions invoke that all Muslims should stand against them and with all people globally who are demanding release of the girls.
IMAM TALIB M. SHAREEF, CMSgt, USAF-Retired
President, Masjid Muhammad (The Nation’s Mosque)
Imam/Chaplain, National Muslim American Veterans Association
1519 Islamic Way, 4th Street. NW, Washington, DC 20001
Off: 202-483-8832 FAX: 202-265-3562
Websites: www.nationsmasjid.com
Email: imam@thenationsmosque.org
Masjid Muhammad
Dating back to the mid 1930s, Masjid Muhammad, The Nation’s Mosque is representative of the oldest established Muslim community in the Nation’s Capital and America. It was established as the first community Mosque to be built from the ground up, upon a national platform by indigenous African-American citizens. Located just off of New Jersey Ave. NW on 4th Street (ceremonially designated “Islamic Way” by the city), Masjid Muhammad has long been a pillar in the neighborhood, the city of Washington, D.C., as well as a leader in an association of numerous Masjids and Islamic Centers nationwide. Under the leadership of the late Imam W.D. Mohammed (raa), it transitioned into mainstream Islam and has gone from smaller circles of self to broader circles of humanity and the universal teachings of the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammad (swa). Its members have proudly taken serious the responsibility of citizenship, and is comprised of and associated with millions of healthy-minded hardworking loyal Muslims who are in every field of public service and the private sector, and are making significant contributions to support, protect, and invest in the betterment of our society, our nation, the United States of America.