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PORTRAIT OF AN EXEMPLARY IMAM IMAM REDA SHATA: A SPIRITUAL LEADER WITH A GOLDEN HEART. For Islam to be fully understood in America as a Religion of Peace and Love, Imam Reda Shata Must Take the Lead!
THE BEGINNING:
Imam Reda: "A man's greatest asset is his heart." I met with Imam Reda. He touched my heart, not because of an emotional weakness or a predisposition for liking him and believing in him, but because of that unmistakable goodness emanating from him and his legendary generosity. Imam Reda was born in 1968 in Kafr al Battikh, in northeastern Egypt. He lost his mother at a young age, and lived in a very modest home with his father and grandmother. They never had a TV, an air conditioning, running hot water or any item of luxury. At 18, he enrolled in Al Azhar University and four years later, he graduated with honors, seventh in his class; a large class of 3,400 students. To earn his bread, he went to Saudi Arabia to teach Al Sharia, (Islamic law) to Saudi children. In the Saudi kingdom, Imam Reda faced a very literal form or interpretation of Islam, quite different from the Islam he studied in Egypt, especially in matters related to women's rights, social status and woman's role in Muslim community. Five years later, Imam Reda returned to his homeland Egypt, and once again, to make a living, he opened a small furniture business. But teaching Islam was always on his mind. By then Egypt has changed politically, and amid this political change, the government began to monitor new social Islamic movements, allegedly fueled by radical imams. This would be the second dilemma Imam Reda will be facing on the religious landscape. Politics, power and truthful teachings of Islam do not blend well, thought imam Reda. So, he returned to his village, and to his great delight, he was appointed as the new imam of his hometown mosque. A dream came true for the young and visionary Reda Shata. One day, his visions and bright open mind will come handy and will serve him well, when he will face the Western world.
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Imam Shata with his daughters Esteshhad, 10, left, and Rahma, 6 in Bay Bridge, Brooklyn, New York. Photo Credits: James Estrlin. REDA SHATA IN THE WESTERN WORLD: In 2000, Imam Shata left Egypt and went to Germany, where he settled in the industrial section of Stuttgart. Europe was a large window for the young imam. A large window from where he could and would see a wider view of the world, a universe of multiple societies and ethnic groups sharing equal freedom and the absolute right of free speech and free expression, privileges and rights which Egyptians did not totally enjoy. And so candidly he admitted. "I saw a different world. A larger world, I was impressed by the freedom of speech and the liberty people took in expressing their feelings, emotions and beliefs without fear or threat of being jailed or maltreated.", told me Imam Reda. One year later, he made a trip to the United States and visited the Muslim society in Bay Bridge, Brooklyn. At that time, and following the attack on the World Trade Center, several Muslim communities in the United States were targeted and fell under the microscopic investigation of the government. Bay Bridge Muslim community and its mosque were not an exception. The previous imam of the Mosque in Brooklyn encountered continuous acts of hostilities and could not take it anymore. He resigned. Imam Reda was the obvious choice for succeeding his predecessor. Chosen by the community and highly recommended by scholars at Al Azhar in Egypt, Reda Shata was nominated the new Imam and head of the mosque. He consented to take the job, provided that the US government will give him a work permit and allow him to bring his family to the United States. In October 2002, the American Consulate in Cairo granted visas to the Shata family. Imam Reda's wife and three small daughters boarded a plane for New York City. Imam Reda: "Only goodness and forgiveness bring you closer to God." With lots of personal efforts, charismatic persona, very likable personality, open mind policy, new constructive and peaceful visions, constant moral and financial support to the needy and the poor, and direct rapport with American Muslims and immigrants Muslims from around the world, Imam Shata transformed his new assignment into one of the most visible, active and affluent Muslim communities in the United States. Insiders told me that his generosity and personal sacrifices were the driving force behind the success of the Islamic Society of Bay Bridge, the very society he was entrusted to develop and ameliorate. Despite the fact that he does not speak English, Imam Reda managed to effectively communicate with Muslims and non-Muslims from multiple ethnic backgrounds and faiths. Amazingly enough, those who praise and highly admire him are not necessarily Muslims. Many of them are Christians and Jews. While I was on 5th avenue asking for direction on how to get to his office, I asked two men if they knew where Imam Reda's mosque or office is located, and with a welcoming smile, both of them said "Of course, right there, you can't miss it." CONTINUES ON P55
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"Deep in my
heart, I try to be more of a comforter than a judge. Passing
judgment on others is not what I believe in. It saddens my heart
to see people rushing to accuse others, to hurt others and to
justify any act that lacks goodness and forgiveness.", told me
Imam Reda Shata, a highly respected and strongly visible Muslim
leader in Bay Bridge, Brooklyn, New York, who made headlines in
the American media.
