“Imam Mohammed was more than just a faith leader, he was a community leader and a community builder. He was a visionary who developed successful grassroots economic plans to help to help those living in hardship pull themselves up despite difficult historical odds. He inspired a culture of confidence and motivated communities in the pursuit of knowledge. For Imam Mohammed, ignorance was the enemy and education was man’s best ally.

“I had the privilege of personally knowing Imam W. D. Mohammed who in his own words was ‘a big fan of CAIR-Chicago.’ During one of our early meetings, he was kind enough to urge me to call him directly if I ever needed any help in my line of work. I never wanted to burden him with phone calls, but I was always delighted to sit down with him and hear his wise words delivered in his typically humble demeanor. One time, I ran an on-camera interview with him that lasted close to two hours; it was like getting access to a treasure chest filled with precious gems. Whether it was a personal memory of Malcolm X, or a simple but profound advice on how to carry myself as a young leader, he had me charmed.

“Imam W.D. Mohammed was by all measures a great man who lived life with dignity and grace. But most of all, he was great in humility. As such he was loved dearly by all who knew him. He was America’s Imam; there is a lot for us to learn from his life and the way he carried himself.