Imam Qasim Khan visited Fanar - Qatar Islamic Cultural Center and delivered a powerful and inspirational reminder to the Muslim Ummah during his Friday Khutbah. ____________ ABOUT THE SPEAKER - Imam F. Qasim ibn Ali Khan was introduced to Islam by way of the Nation of Islam in 1971. Shortly, after becoming Minister in 1975, he proclaimed shahadah-tain under the leadership of Imam W. Deen Mohammed. After chairing the Fundraising Committee and Public Relations Committee of Masjid Al-Amin in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was unanimously elected as Imam of Martinsville (Virginia) Masjid of Al-Islam in 1977, where he served for two years, and led the Mayor's Commission for Community Change as well as Associate Editor of the Danville News & Observer Weekly Newspaper. It was under his leadership as Resident Imam in Martinsville, Virginia, where he led a successful boycott against the sale of toy weapons in 1978 that impacted major department stores throughout Henry County. Qasim has held several positions as Associate Imam, while chairing several Islamic committees of Masjid Bilal (formerly Masjid Willie Muhammad), Masjidul Warith Deen, and First Cleveland Mosque in Cleveland, also Masjid Al Awwal and Masjid Al-Amin in Pittsburgh. Islamic Committees he has served as Chairman of included, three separate Fundraising Committees, Director of Security, Director of Public Relations, AMMCOP, Brotherhood Committee, Mufeed Committee, Renovation Committee, and Secretary General of Greater Cleveland Council of Masajid. From 1978 through 1998, he was a regular freelance writer for the Pittsburgh Courier, Cleveland Call and Post, and Muslim Journal newspapers. In 1999, he founded Al-Adhan Magazine, published at First Cleveland Mosque, and served as Editor-in-Chief. During the 1970's, he served as Chaplain and Counselor for 11 prisons, juvenile detention centers, and county jails throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Imam Qasim helped to lead the initial fundraising efforts to build Masjid Bilal in Cleveland, OH. He was the Lead Organizer for two national conferences for the American Muslim Mission, in 1977 and 1978 respectively, featuring Imam W. Deen Mohammed, which each took place at the historical Syria Mosque, in Pittsburgh, PA., was contracted by Cigna Insurance Company to coordinate the retirement banquet for Congressman Louis Stokes, and co-chaired Annual ICNA/MAS Conventions in Cleveland in 2001 and 2003. Qasim also chaired several civic committees, including City of Cleveland Mayor's Task Force for Diversity and Inclusion, City of Cleveland Mayor's Religious Leaders' Advisory Board, and the Cleveland Cultural Critique Committee. When he founded and chaired Business Owners Honoring Super Seniors (BOHSS), which was a national organization promoting free services to all citizens 75 years of age and older, he was awarded Proclamations by 10 United States Governors, received a personal letter of gratitude from India's Mother Teresa, and was invited by the U.S. Department of State to address the 1992 International Conference on Aging in Vienna, Austria. He was also the official Motivational Speaker for the Cleveland Municipal School District for two years, where his published booklet, "Four Stages of the Ideal Employee" was used as a manual for high school students. The booklet, now available as a 77 minute audio book was endorsed by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Tuskegee Airmen, and Cuyahoga Community College of Ohio. In 1985, Qasim, along with his brother, Imam Tariq Mustafa Khan, founded Bold! Footwear, the first minority owned athletic footwear manufacturing company in the world, with offices in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, South Korea, and Taiwan, and served as it's president until the company was sold to stockholders in 1987. His other published booklet, "Islamic Rhythm and Rhyme", has been endorsed by Imam W. Deen Mohammed. Two of the poems from the booklet, he recorded with SoundVision.com as nasheed on the CD, "Light Upon Light", which is currently being sold in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. In 2004, he was National Event Coordinator for Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), based in Dallas, Texas. He was formerly the Director of Outreach for Islamic Circle of North America -- Chicago Unit., and before leaving Chicago, he was lead Spokesman for Northside Alliance, and Amir of the Majilis As-Shura of Chicago. From 2006 to 2010 Qasim was Director of Special Events for Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), under the leadership of Imam Siraj Wahhaj. Currently he is President and CEO of Shades of White, LLC, a member of North American Imams Federation (NAIF), Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA), a Board Member of Quba Institute, Islamic Learning Institute, founding Board Member of Shura of Islamic Counselors of America (SIFCA), and Imam & Director of Masjid At-Tawhid in Houston, Texas, and Founder of At-Tawhid Educational Center of Houston (A-TECH), which serves primarily underpriveleged children.

• published: 20 May 2013
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