Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad
Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad | |
|---|---|
 Muhammad receiving promotion to lieutenant colonel in 2009 | |
| Born | Template:Birth year and age |
| Occupation(s) | African-American imam, retired U.S. Army officer |
| Known for | the first Muslim chaplain in U.S. military history |
Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad (born circa 1953) is an African-American imam and a retired officer of the United States Army. In 1994, he made history as the first Muslim chaplain commissioned in the U.S. armed forces. Following the events of September 11, he provided spiritual care at the Pentagon and offered support to emergency personnel. Currently, he serves as an imam based in San Diego, California.
Biography
Raised in Buffalo, New York, Muhammad was brought up in a family with Methodist and Baptist traditions. Influenced by figures such as Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, he embraced Islam during his undergraduate studies in 1973.
He attained the role of imam in 1978 and pursued advanced education, earning a master's degree in social work from the University of Michigan and subsequently a master's degree in counseling from San Diego State University. Prior to his military service, Muhammad served as a chaplain within the New York Department of Corrections.
Muhammad enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1982 for an initial three-year term. Initially intending to serve as a chaplain assistant, he declined training that involved handling wine due to religious restrictions (haram). Consequently, his early military role focused on mental health services.
Military chaplaincy
At age 40, in 1993, Muhammad reentered the Army as a chaplain candidate. The military had partnered with American Islamic organizations to facilitate chaplaincy access for Muslim service members who had converted. On December 3, 1993, Muhammad was officially sworn in at the Pentagon, becoming the first Muslim chaplain candidate in the U.S. Army. Army Chaplain Col. Herman Keizer Jr. highlighted this milestone as representing a faith group outside the traditional Judeo-Christian spectrum. By April 1994, Muhammad completed his candidacy requirements and was commissioned as the Army’s first Muslim chaplain, subsequently serving at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. That same year marked his inaugural Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. In 1996, Monje Malak Abd Al-Muta Ali ibn Noel, Jr. became recognized as the first Imam chaplain within the U.S. Navy.
Reflecting on early military experiences, Muhammad noted:
“Before 9/11, Islam was often grouped with Buddhism and Hinduism... Muslims were frequently viewed as adversaries. Fortunately, many commanders ensured we encountered no difficulties.”
Subsequent service
In 2001, Muhammad undertook his second pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca. After the September 11 attacks targeting the Pentagon, he was requested to lead Islamic prayers there while assigned as a chaplain at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He provided ongoing support to first responders over several weeks and took part in a Pentagon memorial ceremony led by President Bush alongside senior officials.
By 2005, Muhammad held the rank of Major within the 1st Cavalry Division stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. During an eighteen-month deployment to Iraq, he offered spiritual support to his division and facilitated establishing a mosque in Taji. His deployments also included service in Afghanistan.
In 2009, while assigned to the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School, Muhammad earned promotion to lieutenant colonel.
Retirement
Muhammad concluded his 23-year tenure with the U.S. Army in 2012. Following his military career, he assumed the role of imam at Masjidul Taqwa located in San Diego and offers support and counseling services to veterans at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in La Jolla, California.
See also
- Muslims in the United States military
- Abuhena Saifulislam, the first Muslim imam serving in the United States Marines
External links
- Interview with Abdul-Rasheed Muhammad conducted by Krista Tippett on Speaking of Faith from American Public Media