SHAYKH ABDUR RASHIED THE FOUNDER OF MASJID AL-HAFEEZ

From "50 INSPIRATIONAL BLACK MUSLIM MEN"

Shaykh Abdur Rashied was born and raised in Washington D.C. to an exceptional mother who was his first spiritual teacher. After attending an Apostolic Church, Catholic High School, and African Methodist College, The Shaykh accepted Islam in his early twenties. Shaykh Rashied was inspired to apply to the University of Cairo in Egypt, where he was the first American ever accepted into the program.

While earning his doctoral degree, he also began his spiritual journey, and was blessed on the last day of his stay in Egypt to meet his spiritual guide, the Sultan Al-Awliyah (Ruler of Saints) ShaykhNazim of Cyprus, Turkey. Now living in Chicago, IL, Shaykh Rashied is a powerful spiritual advisor and community mobilizer, bridging the gap from the streets to the mosque; attracting the hearts of the people by working with all denominations to calm and train the untrained ego.

He is the Shaykh of Masjid Al Hafeez in Chicago, which is known around the world for the beautiful red turbans that the brothers wear, following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (swt). Their headdress serves as evidence of their unparalleled boldness because there are very few Muslim men bold enough to wear a turban in America— especially a bright red one! These brothers wear the red turban because red is a warrior color, and they are known as fierce warriors. Also, it represents the blood of their ancestors who were slaves.  It is also a huge sword to the ego, so it takes one who truly knows “who he is and Who’s he is” in order to wear the red turban. 

Shaykh has giving shahadas to people all over the world and brought countless people to Islam with his beautiful style of teaching, making divine wisdom easy to understand because he is so down to earth. He is able to talk to a room of people and everyone feels as if he is addressing them personally. He supports the work of his wife, Ameena Matthews, and travels with her often. 

#BlackHistory #BlackHistoryMonth