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Early Life and Conversion

Siraj Wahhaj, born Jeffrey Kearse on March 11, 1950, in Brooklyn, New York, grew up in a Baptist family with a nurse mother and a hospital dietitian father. He attended church regularly and even became a Sunday school teacher as a teenager. In 1969, at age 19, he joined the Nation of Islam, adopting the name Jeffrey 12X, and preached its teachings, including controversial views like "white people are devils." Following Elijah Muhammad's death in 1975, he transitioned to Sunni Islam under the influence of Warith Deen Mohammed, changing his name to Siraj Wahhaj (meaning "bright lantern" in Arabic). In 1978, he studied Islamic theology for four months at Umm al-Qura University in Mecca. He is married to Wadiyah Wahhaj and has nine children. 

Career and Community Work

Wahhaj founded Masjid At-Taqwa (the Mosque of Piety) in Brooklyn in 1981, starting in a small apartment before expanding to a former clothing store. As its imam, he leads daily prayers, delivers weekly sermons (khutbahs), and offers classes in Islamic studies, Arabic, and marital counseling. In the late 1980s, he gained recognition for community activism by partnering with the New York City Police Department on an anti-drug patrol in Bedford-Stuyvesant. His Muslim volunteers staked out drug houses for 40 days and nights, helping to shut down 15 locations and reclaim the neighborhood from crime—efforts praised by police at the time.  A prolific speaker, Wahhaj has lectured internationally on Islam, social justice, and family values. He served as vice president of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and founded the Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), a group focused on African-American Muslim empowerment. In 1991, he made history as the first Muslim to deliver the opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives. Supporters describe him as a "pillar of the community" and advocate for peace and justice, particularly in New York City's Muslim circles. 

Controversies

Wahhaj has faced significant criticism over his past associations and statements. In the 1990s, his mosque, Masjid At-Taqwa, was attended by individuals linked to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, and he was named an unindicted co-conspirator by federal prosecutors (though never charged; some experts later called the list overly broad). He testified as a character witness for Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman (the "Blind Sheikh"), convicted in the bombing plot, but has denied any involvement in extremism.  Wahhaj has publicly stated that "Islam is better than democracy" and advocated for strict Sharia punishments, such as stoning for adultery and amputation for theft, framing them as divine obedience rather than personal views. Critics, including retired FBI agents and 9/11 survivors, have highlighted these as promoting radicalism. In 2018, three of his adult children were arrested at a New Mexico compound for terrorism-related charges and child abuse; they were sentenced to life in prison in 2024 for training children for jihad, though Wahhaj said he had cut ties with them years earlier and tipped off authorities. 

Recent Developments

As of 2025, at age 75, Wahhaj remains imam of Masjid At-Taqwa and leader of MANA, continuing his lectures and activism. He has been thrust into the spotlight amid the New York City mayoral race, where Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani was photographed arm-in-arm with him at an event. Opponents, including Andrew Cuomo's campaign and figures like JD Vance, have condemned the association, citing Wahhaj's WTC links, anti-LGBTQ+ views (e.g., opposition to same-sex marriage), and alleged ties to groups like the Muslim Brotherhood. Mamdani has faced calls to disavow him, with some Muslim reformers warning it could fuel extremism. Defenders, including some community leaders, call the attacks Islamophobic smears against a lifelong anti-violence advocate. The controversy has amplified debates on Wahhaj's legacy in U.S. politics and interfaith relations.