Khadijah Siddeeq

Wife of Imam W. D. Mohammed (May Allah's Mercy be upon him)

November 1, 2008

To Investors in CPC, LLC:

I have been receiving calls and emails from many of you asking for information about your investments and the outlook or next step for CPC, LLC. Regrettably, circumstances beyond my control have not yet permitted me to return to work, thus I am unable to provide sufficient answers to your questions and concerns. Although this is my current situation, it is my strong desire to, as soon as possible, return to work and fulfill my responsibility with CPC, LLC and be one of the many who will help further the initiatives and vision of our leader, Imam W.D. Mohammed.
 
I have sent separate copies of a letter to this affect, one addressed to Yusuf T. Abdullah and the other addressed to Rafah S. Muhammed, explaining my situation and my desire in hopes that they would assist and support me in this endeavor. To date, I have received calls from Yusuf Abdullah and he supports me resuming my work for CPC, LLC and he has committed himself to doing whatever he can to make it a reality. However, I have not yet heard from Rafah Muhammed and I am patiently awaiting his reply. It is crucial to me that this support is shared among the CPC managers, because we must be united in our effort if we expect to succeed.

Below I have included the text of the letter that I sent to Yusuf Abdullah and Rafah Muhammad as well as a letter from my father, Muhammad Siddeeq, which accompanied my letter to both Yusuf Abdullah and Rafah Muhammed.

*I would like to note that since I have written and mailed my  following letter I became aware of Imams and community members in the Chicago area that are concerned about the injustices that were done. However, I am obligated to present the letter in the form that it was sent, with the original text which was written before I was made aware of their support.
 
**It is also important to note that we still await a return call from Wallace Mohammed II.

 

With Allah's Name The Merciful Benefactor, The Merciful Redeemer

Muhammad Siddeeq
P. O. Box 502528
Indianapolis, IN 46250

Rafah Muhammed/Yusuf Abdullah
P.O. Box 550
Chicago Heights, IL 60411

October 3, 2008

As-Salaamu-Alaikum

Dear Rafah Muhammed: /Dear Yusuf Abdullah:

I am forwarding a letter from my daughter Khadijah, for your review and consideration.  Prior to writing you, I reached out for Brother Wallace Mohamed and left a message on his voice mail asking him to get in touch with me so that we could sit down and begin attempting to work through some of these problems that are going to cripple our community in a very critical way if this effort does not get underway very soon.  As of the posting of this letter I have not heard back from Wallace and the clock is still ticking and problems are festering.  

Upon receipt of this letter I would appreciate it if you would check and see if Brother Wallace received my phone call and then respond in writing of your will and vision as to how we, together, might begin to address this as well as the many other serious problems that we are facing.  Needless for me to say that time is of the essence.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Brother Muhammad Siddeeq

With Allah's Name The Merciful Benefactor, The Merciful Redeemer

Khadijah Siddeeq
P. O. Box 502528
Indianapolis, IN 46250

C/o Rafah S. Muhammed/    C/o Yusuf T. Abdullah
CPC Board of Directors/ CPC Managers
P.O. Box 550
Chicago Heights, IL 60411

October 2, 2008

As Salaamu Alaikum

To CPC Board of Directors/ CPC Managers:

As you are aware CPC's President/ Manager Imam Wallace D. Mohammed has passed away. I, his wife, was his personal secretary and many of my duties involved CPC matters as well as many other projects on the drawing board for this community.
 
Although situations that are not in my control have, for the time being, forced me to abruptly leave my residence and as a result my work, it is my intention and strong desire to return to CPC as soon as the situation permits to continue my work and assist with ensuring CPC will continue to move forward in the manner Imam Mohammed intended.  

Prior to the death of my husband, in the weeks leading up to the 2008 Annual Muslim Convention on August 29th, 30th, and 31st, Imam Mohammed had me typing his speeches and doing other work that was associated with the success of the convention. As a result, much of the CPC work that I had to do he had me put on hold until after the convention. Immediately after the convention, my brother who had cancer was in a serious struggle for his life. Both my husband and I took time off to go to Atlanta, GA to visit him. Although Imam Mohammed returned home the same day, I stayed a week to help tend to my brother. On Monday September 8, 2008 my brother passed away and on September 9, 2008 I was made aware that my husband had passed away. I was still in Atlanta and had not returned back home or back to work yet. (It is important to note that in addition to setting up an office at CPC's new facility, my husband, Imam W. D. Mohammed, maintained a home office at our home in Markham, IL for CPC so that he could more readily respond to the needs of the business.) I returned home the following day and attended my husband's janazah on September 11, 2008. Even though I returned to Markham, I was not welcomed home. His children had taken the liberty to lock me out of my home. Even after I gained access to my home the disrespect did not end. Each day following my return, some of his children did something to make me know that they didn't think I was actually the wife of my husband and that they were not going to honor and respect me in that role and that I had no right to privacy in my home or that I even had a right to live in my home. To my knowledge, *not one community leader, especially among the imams, took his children aside and told them that not only was what they were doing callous and insensitive, but it was also unislamic, wrong, and unacceptable. The situation was very hostile and I was under extreme pressure to leave and did not have any local support, so instead of staying in an insecure and hostile environment and being disrespected and harassed I left so that I could try to bring some sense of peace to my mind and soul after all that had happened.  Since I had left for Atlanta to tend to my brother on September 3rd, 2008 I have not been able to address any business matters that were on my desk at the home office and those that I am assuming have accumulated as this unfortunate chain of events unfolded.

It is my strong desire and intention to fulfill my responsibilities with CPC and other initiatives put in motion by Imam Mohammed; however, before I can return to work, I need to know that there is support for me to return, that I will not be disrespected and harassed, and that I will not be prevented from doing my work. We, my father and I, have attempted to contact Imam Mohammed's eldest son, Wallace Mohammed II, who I believe now holds the keys to our home in which the home office is located, in hopes that he could give me assurances that I am welcome there and I will not be disturbed or disrespected so I can continue my work for CPC. We were unable to reach Wallace Mohammed II and my father left a voicemail message on his phone and as of the writing of this letter he has not returned our call.**
 
I am aware that there are very serious issues, although I don't understand why they exist, which must be resolved and will most likely take some time to resolve before I can actually return to live in Markham. However, CPC, as well as other projects where the believers have faithfully invested large sums of money and time, should not have to suffer as these issues are resolved. As a result of working directly with Imam W. D. Mohammed, the President/ Manager of CPC and the head of many other community and business projects, my insights could help protect these projects and give them a better chance to succeed. It is my hope that a situation arises to support me returning to work. Because Imam Mohammed guided and assisted me with my duties and he is no longer here; if and when the situation permits and if it is accepted, I would like to work with an accountant or someone with accounting knowledge, of my choice, who has experience in corporate financial and tax obligations as my experience in these areas is very limited and I want to ensure that the quality of my work is in accord with what is required of CPC on a state and federal level and as envisioned by my husband, Imam W. D. Mohammed.

Sincerely,
Khadijah Siddeeq

We ask everyone who visits our family's website to please keep the daughter of Imam Vernon and Sister Swiyyah Fareed in their prayers and make dua for her, as her health is in a most serious condition.

With Allah's Name The Merciful Benefactor The Merciful Redeemer

I, Khadijah Siddeeq, am the wife of Imam W. Deen Mohammed, he was not confused about that nor am I.

There are those among his children that have treated me with disrespect that they would have only dreamt of if their father were living. Changing the locks on our home while I was away at my brother's janazah, telling me that I am not his actual wife just an "Islamic wife" as if what Allah ordains as marriage is some delusion in the mind instead of a solemn contract between man and wife, coming against me for canceling his credit cards when I discovered that his wallet had been taken, attempting to block me from speaking at his janazah because I had not asked their permission first, coming in my home without notifying me and demanding that they come in our bedroom to take pictures of our possessions so they can proceed to divide everything amongst themselves, telling me that I have no right to have my family comfort me in our home after I have lost my husband, giving me an ultimatum to move out of our home, never once reaching out, as family should, to help one another to cope with the loss of a close loved one but instead sending messages to my cell phone that are grounded in lies and tell me that I am the one exacerbating the situation, calling me in Atlanta immediately after I had learned that my husband had passed and demanding, "what did you do" as if I had done something to hurt my husband.

These things are hurtful and disrespectful but I bore them without broadcasting them because I felt that these were personal affronts on me. I am not of any importance in this situation other than the fact that I loved my husband and he openly loved me in return and I don't need any further validation of his love and my position in his heart and life.

However upon reflection on these events and their broad implications, I am shaken to the core of my soul. When a man lives for the last four years of his life with a woman in the capacity of husband and wife. Share a home and a bed and this is publicly known. What does it mean when upon his death his family, those who are entrusted to be on the first line of defense when it comes to his honor come out with press releases and statements that say in fact the woman he has lived with for the past four years is not his actual wife. If that is accepted as truth, what does that say of this man's honor? 

As a wife I stand firmly in defense of my husband's honor....and as a follower of Imam W. Deen Mohammed I stand firmly in defense of his honor.

This is no longer a personal situation because more importantly than being a husband and a father, Imam W. Deen Mohammed is a devout servant of Allah who has elevated our honor and stature as a people and made it such that we as a people can stand proud on the world stage. His whole life has been nothing but dedication to our honor and dignity as a people. What type of people are we when immediately after his death his honor and dignity are affronted in a most serious way and we don't rise up and defend the honor of a most revered servant of Allah?

Why is it that those from outside our community are appalled by these affronts and are moved to action no matter the cost in popularity, possessions, or life; yet we who have directly benefited from his tireless dedication to uplift our collective honor sit by and act as if we did not hear these insults. We did hear and the command from Allah to those who hear is to obey...to respond to what you've heard in at least the same manner that this same man had responded to what he heard as an affront on our dignity. He didn't care what people thought of him, he planted his feet firmly in what was right and marched forward trusting that "The One who created me will guide me".

I see us in this time as in the battle of Uhud in the Prophet's (pbuh) time (Surah 3:121). We were entrusted to hold the hill...defend our leader's honor as he defended ours...and when we thought the battle was over because his physical body passed away we were overcome with our desire for the spoils and benefits of his sincere work that we left our position while we knew our leader and his works were calling us to hold firm to our positions. It was in this battle that the Prophet (pbuh) was injured...and it is in this battle in our time that we are allowing our leader's dignity to be injured.

I don't care if everyone runs for the spoils and material possessions I will hold my position on this hill and defend the honor of my leader and protect what he would have me to protect in his absence and not be swayed by perceived material benefit or perceived popularity or support.

Take to heart what Allah has revealed in Surah Muhammad 47:35-38
 

Be not weary and fainthearted, crying for peace, when you should be uppermost: for Allah is with you, and will never put you in loss for your (good) deeds.

The life of this world is but play and amusement: and if you believe and guard against evil, He will grant you your recompense, and will not ask you (to give up) your possessions.

If He were to ask you for all of them, and press you, you would covetously withhold, and He would bring out all your ill-feeling. 

Behold, you are those invited to spend (of your substance) in the Way of Allah: But among you are some that are miserly. But any who are miserly are so at the expense of their own souls. But Allah is free of all wants, and it is you that are needy.  If you turn back (from the path), He will substitute in your stead another people; then they would not be like you!  

Surely Allah Speaks the Truth.

transcript from the video

As Salaamu Alaikum

My name is Khadijah Siddeeq Mohammed. I'm the wife of Imam W. Deen Mohammed. I don't want to ...I am not the type of person to get up in front of people and speak. But this morning I found a notebook from Imam Mohammed, my husband, and in it what I read Allah put on my heart to share with the believers who are gathered here today. He titled it:

Man's Shared Freedom Space...

Those who use their freedom are strong enough to respect what's important.
People avoiding their RESPONSIBILITY cannot be FREE.
Freedom is the reward for hard work.
In the wilds where ANIMALS are free, freedom is not protected. The SURVIVAL of "the FITTEST" is the LAW.
Although industrial man is thousands of years away from ANIMAL LAW, conditions can form in the freedom space of those who go about carefree and the ANIMAL LAW will be their dead-end street.
For freedom, the wilds had to be defeated. The first to be defeated were wild animals and unprincipled people.
Heavy responsibility was carried by parents.
Neighbors were not able to go it [alone]. Neighbors had to band together. 

Working for common INTEREST, laws were put in place, public land was developed, schools were opened to have life assisted by practical knowledge.
To make it, to live through [these] RAW TIMES, neighbors worked as a FAMILY of partners in the RISE of CIVILIZATION.
Today, in modern times, to know the REALITY of populations surviving to have more, citizenship knowledge is indispensable.
Rights not understood cannot be vouchsafe and get the protection under the LAW.
Intelligent laws reached the public as HOME-GROWN benefits, like almost every other public good:
An Inherent [sense] of ownership is a human property belonging to the SOUL.
When the human mind accepts ownership as real, the powerful human soul supports the mind accepting ownership and respecting ownership.
Animals respect rights of the other animal...
Children insist their rights be respected: sharing freedom space in the home, in the bedroom, in the bed, etc.

(Homemaking)
Family life in the care of devoted females is where people should qualify for CITIZENSHIP.
"Citizenship" should bring to mind a certain BEHAVIOR expected of persons individually.
Civic minded community servants who have been awarded for "good citizenship," they know its MEANING: "the state of being vested with the rights, privileges, and duties of a citizen"... "the character of an individual viewed as a member of society ...behavior in terms of the DUTIES, OBLIGATIONS, and functions of a citizen."

 

Imam Mohammed's words and leadership are inspired by God. He has dedicated his life to freeing our mind and making us aware of our shared freedom space, which we must develop into a balanced community under God. Like all of his words, the words that I shared with you today are rooted in the clear guidance of the Qur'an.

At-Tin (The Fig)
With Allah's Name The Merciful Benefactor The Merciful Redeemer
By the Fig and the Olive
And the Mount of Sinai,
And this City of security
We have indeed created man in the best of moulds,
Then do we abase him (to be) the lowest of the low-
Except such as believe and do righteous deeds: for they shall have a reward unfailing.
Then what can, after this, contradict you as to the Judgment (to come)?
Is not Allah the wisest of Judges?

 

Imam Mohammed has taught us that this Surah, At-Tin The Fig, is guidance to us as to how a balanced community under God is established. The first 4 statements of the Surah show the path that the divinely inspired leadership takes in its effort to assist in establishing such a community.

Imam Mohammed has lived a complete life and fulfilled the role that Allah gave to him. And I believe firmly that he will enter paradise in the ranks of the most righteous and hear a word from his Lord saying enter you oh my servant pleased and pleasing.  However, This Surah doesn't end with divinely inspired leadership. Allah reminds us that He created each and everyone one of us in the most Excellent of moulds. And shows us that we have a choice to rise to the occasion as the baton is passed on to us from our leader or we can lower our selves down to our base desires and live on our bellies with the lowest of creatures.
Allah gives us clear instructions on how to achieve our excellence in community life by believing and doing righteous deeds.  Allah concludes the Surah with "Then what can after this contradict you as to the Judgment to come? Is not Allah the wisest of Judges?"

I love my husband and I wish I could spend the rest of my life with him but as my life on this earth will continue after I die, my only prayer for myself is that in this life I can qualify by working and believing and assisting in the community life to be his wife among the ranks of the righteous in the hereafter. I as well as all of us have a lot of hard work to do to qualify. So I conclude with a community prayer, the Al-Fatiha...and yes it is a community prayer notice that every pronoun is "we" ...we ask you for help...guide us...it is not a personal prayer.

 

Al-Fatiha (The Opening)
With Allah's Name The Merciful Benefactor The Merciful Redeemer
Praise be to Allah, Lord of all systems of knowledge
The Merciful Benefactor, The Merciful Redeemer;
Master of the Day of Judgment.
You do we worship and Your aid we seek
Show us the straight way.
The way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.
Ameen.