Imam Mahdi Bray Oct 10 2024
| In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Assalamu Alaykum It is with deep sadness and profound sorrow that the community extends its heartfelt condolences on the passing of our dear brother and leader, Imam Mahdi Bray. He was a pillar of strength, a tireless advocate for justice, and a beloved member of our community whose legacy will endure for generations.
Imam Mahdi Bray was a man of great compassion and unshakable faith. His work in civil rights, his dedication to service, and his unyielding pursuit of justice left an indelible mark on our community and the broader Muslim Ummah. His presence was a blessing, and his contributions have touched the lives of many. Our thoughts and prayers are with Imam Mahdi Bray’s family, loved ones, and all those whose lives he impacted. We pray that Allah (SWT) showers him with mercy, forgives his shortcomings, and grants him the highest place in Jannah. May Allah also grant strength and patience to his family during this difficult time. ADAMS Center stands with his family and our community in this moment of grief, and we are here to offer any support needed. We ask Allah (SWT) to ease this heavy burden and bring peace to all hearts mourning this great loss. Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un — “Verily, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.” Imam Mahdi Bray’s Funeral Announcement: Parking Notice: |
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Some words on the passing of Imam Mahdi Bray. <https://default.salsalabs.org/X124526c4-b2fa-461b-89e9-77579c94d579/2b2ed6ec-8c0a-4775-9949-0772f4a52524>
Imam Mahdi Bray: Passing of an Unheralded Civil and Human Rights Icon
Inna lilahi wa inna lilaihi rajeoun
From Allah we come and to Allah we return
As a child of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s-1970s, Imam Mahdi was born in 1950 in Norfolk, Virginia, the state with the dubious distinction of having the most enslaved Africans in the country before Emancipation. His grandparents raised him in Richmond, VA, the former capital of the Confederacy. At an early age, Imam Mahdi was influenced by his grandparents to struggle for civil rights and to stand up for the oppressed. The 13-year-old Wright Bray was present at the 1963 March on Washington, where he listened to the giants of the Civil Rights Movement, including the historic “I Have a Dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
He did not just have a childhood flirtation with civil and human rights but later became a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). During this time, Imam Mahdi worked closely with former US Congressman from Georgia John Lewis, who spoke at the March on Washington, and other recognizable names from the Civil Rights Era. SNCC was a driving force in the movement for racial justice during the 1960s, including the Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964.
After embracing Islam, Imam Mahdi used his considerable organizing and oratory skills to take a stand for justice for Muslims in the United States and worldwide. He was a constant, courageous voice calling out the civil and human rights excesses that targeted the Muslim community in the United States after the events of 9/11. Imam Mahdi was frequently seen at demonstrations and rallies and heard on radio and television stations defending the rights of Muslims and condemning the wrongdoings of law enforcement against the Muslim community here and abroad. Imam Mahdi understood the necessity of organized Muslim work as he worked with various civil and social Muslim groups, including Impact, MAS Freedom Foundation, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and the American Muslim Council. He was also a frequent lecturer at national and regional conferences sponsored by Muslim organizations.
Imam Mahdi Bray is one of the unheralded Civil and Human Rights Movement heroes. After suffering a debilitating stroke a few years ago, he was no longer a visible fixture for the rights of Muslims in the United States and across the globe. However, he did not miss a single major demonstration in the DMV area against the one-year-long genocide against Palestinian Muslims in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank. Imam Mahdi’s life is a symbol of a profile in courage for Muslims left behind to emulate. May Allah subhanawata’la forgive his shortcomings, make his grave spacious and filled with light, and grant him Jannatul Firdous.
Imam Khalid Griggs Executive Director ICNA Council for Social Justice
View on Website <https://default.salsalabs.org/T903fc020-51e0-4d90-9153-ba15e5a8e0fd/2b2ed6ec-8c0a-4775-9949-0772f4a52524>
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| Indeed, to God do we belong, and, indeed, to Him are we returning. —The Quran, 2:156 (WASHINGTON, DC – 10/9/2024) The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), on behalf of our member institutions and American Muslims, mourns the loss of Mahdi Wright Bray, who passed away today at the age of 74, and gives condolences to his family, loved ones, and the Muslim American community, that he deeply loved. USCMO Secretary General Oussama Jamal in his condolence message for the civil rights activist said: “Inna li’Llahi wa inna ilayhi raji‘un. To God we belong and to Him we return. “We, and the entire Muslim American community, are deeply saddened by news of the passing of our dear brother Mahdi Wright Bray, a leading civil and human rights voice in our country and community. It is a profound loss for our community, especially at this time. “For years Brother Mahdi selflessly served the Muslim community and the cause of fairness and freedom for all human beings and the marginalized and voiceless of this nation. “Mahdi will be remembered for his outspoken courage on the most important rights issues of our times. Wherever there was injustice in or of this country, you could be sure Mahdi’s voice and organizational skill would be heard and felt.” Mahdi was currently serving as the National Director of the American Muslim Alliance, a vital Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit focused on Civic education, participation, and leadership training for the American Muslim community, particularly young people, training them in mainstream public affairs, civic discourse, and party politics in the United States. Mahdi formerly was the Executive Director of the Muslim American Society’s Freedom Foundation, as well as the Muslim Public Affairs Council, a U.S. advocacy and public policy nonprofit. USCMO condoles his family, loved ones, and colleagues, and we ask God to receive him with mercy, forgiveness, and love and to admit Mahdi into His Gardens Everlasting, and join him with the righteous. ### |
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