Remembering Imam Al-Hajj Talib Abdur-Rashid: Harlem’s Imam and Champion of Justice

Imam Al-Hajj Talib Abdur-Rashid served as the longstanding imam of The Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood (MIB) in Harlem, a key institution for Black Sunni Muslims in New York and a cornerstone of the city’s Muslim community. He passed away on November 15, 2025, at the age of 74. His passing marks fifty years of leadership that influenced Black American Islam and social justice in New York City. After serving as an assistant imam, he led the mosque, making it a hub for religious practice, political education, and community activism. Under his guidance, the mosque became a spiritual center in Harlem, known for youth development, civil rights, and interfaith work. Imam Talib served as a chaplain at New York prisons and counseled Muslims affected by AIDS and domestic violence. Hundreds recently attended his janazah (funeral prayer) at Harlem’s Masjid Malcolm Shabazz. Sapelo Square remembers Imam Talib through reflections compiled from interviews, social media posts, and news stories.

Dr. Su’ad Abdul Khabeer, anthropologist, author and founder of Sapelo Square

“Imam Talib Abdur Rashid knew my mother. He has known me since I was a child. He always called me ‘young lady.’ He officiated my marriage and officiated my divorce. He was in my book. I’m not a big fan of the imam class, but he was one of those that I felt I could trust. He really kept going strong, that spirit that I was raised with, being Black, being African, being Muslim, being committed to Black liberation, being committed to spiritual excellence. Each loss like this is hard for me. It’s hard not to think that everything is being lost, but I think he’d probably say, ‘No, young lady. It’s your turn.'”

New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, speaking at the janazah (Islamic funeral prayer), reflected on the Imam’s role as a mentor. Mamdani credited Abdur-Rashid with guiding him to integrate his faith with his political vocation. “He was a mentor who encouraged me to embrace my Muslim faith and use it to deliver positive change and justice. He made clear that there was no contradiction, no matter how often or how loudly he heard it, between being proud of your faith and being proud to be a New Yorker.”

Imam Zaid Shakir described the Imam as “a giant in a long legacy of faithful Black Americans struggling for justice,” adding that Abdur-Rashid was “the most spiritually rich person I have ever met.”

 

Nihad Awad, National Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

“We mourn the loss of Imam Al-Hajj Talib Abdur-Rashid, a visionary leader and community builder who for decades guided New York’s Muslims with humility and strength. His wisdom, compassion, and dedication to justice shaped not only our spiritual lives, but the very fabric of our city.”

Imam Johari, Imam Siraj Wahhaj and Imam Talib Abdur-Rasid

“We mourn the passing of Imam Talib Abdur-Rashid, a towering figure in the Muslim community of New York City and the guiding spirit of the Masjid of Islamic Brotherhood. Imam Talib and I served together for many years on the Diwan of MANA (Muslim Alliance of North America), and I witnessed firsthand his deep wisdom, steady leadership, and unwavering commitment to our people. His institutional knowledge of the Muslim community—its history, its struggles, its triumphs—was unmatched. His loss leaves a profound void not only in Harlem, but across the entire nation.”

Dr. Yusef Salaam, motivational speaker, author, New York City council member

“I’ve known him most of my life. When I was incorrectly arrested for the crime that happened in 1989, the ‘Central Park Jogger’ case, he was right there by my side. He did his best to help us. He frequently visited the prisons and had the unique ability to navigate the harsh realities faced by those of us whose lives had been completely disrupted. We were introduced in many ways to ‘great never late’ Al-Hajj Malik Shabazz aka Malcolm X. He said in my hip hop remix translation, ‘you should have never been awakened to the American nightmare in such a way that we were awakened’…. His ability to counsel those of us who were trying to figure out life was vast. In many ways the legacy he left which is still alive is continuing to feed us and give us dawa. He was our saint, our martyr, the one who went out in the front lines and marched for justice, but more than that, he’s the one who in many ways taught me about you can’t just be about the politics of protest, we all have to be about the politics of governance.”

 

Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick, global Islamic historian

Described Abdur-Rashid as “a courageous Imam, a deep thinker, a beloved father, and a dedicated community activist.”

 

Rami Nashashibi, Executive Director of the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), highlighted the breadth of the Imam’s influence, calling him “the real authentic continuity of Malcolm’s tradition.” Nashashibi noted that the Imam was “a reservoir of cultural, spiritual, political connectivity,” who seamlessly connected Islamic tradition with artistic and creative expression, earning him the affectionate title of “the Hip-Hop Imam” for his mentorship of artists like Yasiin Bey.

Jorge “Popmaster” Fabel, Puerto Rican break dancer

“Imam Talib was my first Islamic studies teacher back in 1989-90. May Allah (SWT) have mercy on his soul and grant him paradise. Ameen. Imam Talib, along with The Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood, has helped people and communities for decades and continues to be a driving force for positive change! Alhamdulillah Rabil Al-Amin!”

Ambassador Sidique Wai, former president of the United African Congress (UAC)

“For those of us who worked with him on civil and human rights issues affecting underprivileged communities across New York, Imam Talib built bridges of friendship and shared his wisdom freely. He stood with diverse immigrant communities and helped them find their footing in this city.” 

 

Sheikh Musa Drammeh, founder of Muslim Media Corporation, called him “one of the greatest Muslim leaders of our time, a man who propagated Islam not just with words but with character and compassion.”

 

Dr. Rasul Miller, historian and student of Imam Talib

“I met Imam Talib at 14 during one of my summers in New York. Through him, I learned the history of MIB-Mosque of the Islamic Brotherhood and how Sheikh Tawfiq was selected by Malcom X himself to study Egypt and be his successor. He committed to striving for justice and Muslim life and learning. He was one of the most learned Muslim historians and was the impetus for me to become a historian, which led me to graduate school to preserve this history. He provided invaluable advice, and my favorite khutbah was about racism, white supremacy, Earth Day, and environmental justice before it was trendy to do so. He advocated for all people, not just Muslims or Blacks; he wanted justice for all and always heralded the call for interfaith discourse and action.”

Brother Ali, hip hop artist and founder of The Travelers Podcast

“He was an activist, an educator, an imam, a community leader, a husband, and a father and a man. He could give you great advice on any subject. You’re with an elder who loves you and he also was super fly.”

Angelica Lindsey Ali aka Village Auntie, sacred sexual health educator and founder of Foundational Womanhood

“I heard about Imam Talib through an online chat. He was revolutionary,  a living legacy that did the work and was a signpost for those who grew up under his tutelage. He was the young people’s Imam, especially in the age of hip hop.“

 

Battina Bamba, MIB board member/volunteer and educational instructor

Imam Talib was a chess player, and he knew how to play chess better than any of us.

 

A.R. Abdul Rehman Malik, professor and podcaster

“The funeral of Imam Talib was a remarkable gathering for a truly remarkable man. This has been a time of great heartbreak and fracture for our communities. Imam Talib was a healer, a bridge builder—he was the glue that kept so many parts of the community together.

In my interactions with him over the years, which were always as a visitor bringing students to the Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood or encountering him and being in his jama’at at the commemoration of Brother Malcolm’s birthday in May at Ferncliff Cemetery—to witness Imam Talib’s work was to witness a man who had clearly dedicated his entire life and being to the service of God and the community.”

Imam Johari Abdul Malik, Chaplain Emeritus, Howard University, Imam Johari, Imam Siraj Wahhaj and Imam Talib Abdur-Rasid