Our Leaders and Board Members

Guiding with Faith. Serving with Heart.

Resident Imam

Rudolph Muhammad

At Al-Inshirah Islamic Center, our leadership is committed to upholding the values of Islam while meeting the spiritual, educational, and social needs of our diverse community. Through wisdom, compassion, and service, our leaders work diligently to guide our congregation, foster unity, and inspire growth in faith and character.

Imam Rudolph Muhammad serves as the spiritual leader of Al-Inshirah Islamic Center, offering guidance through khutbahs, prayer leadership, educational classes, and pastoral care. With deep knowledge of the Qur’an, Sunnah, and Islamic jurisprudence, Imam Muhammad is dedicated to nurturing faith and understanding among individuals and families. He also actively engages in interfaith dialogue and community outreach to promote peace, justice, and shared values.

Our Founder

Warith Deen Mohammed

Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, a visionary Islamic leader and reformer, was the founder of Al-Inshirah Islamic Center. As the son of Elijah Muhammad and the leader who guided the Nation of Islam toward mainstream Sunni Islam, Imam Mohammed established Al-Inshirah as a spiritual home rooted in unity, education, and community service. His legacy lives on through the center’s commitment to authentic Islamic teachings, interfaith engagement, and uplifting the lives of Muslims and the broader community in Kansas City and beyond.

Warith Deen Mohammed (October 30, 1933 – September 9, 2008), born Wallace Delaney Muhammad, was a trailblazing American Muslim leader and reformer who dramatically reshaped the religious and cultural trajectory of African American Islam in the United States. As the son of Elijah Muhammad, the longtime leader of the Nation of Islam (NOI), he inherited a religious movement steeped in Black nationalist ideology, with beliefs that diverged sharply from orthodox Islam. However, after becoming leader in 1975 following his father’s death, Warith Deen Mohammed initiated sweeping reforms that would bring the majority of NOI adherents into alignment with mainstream Sunni Islam.

Early Life and Conflict with Nation of Islam Beliefs

Raised in the strict teachings of the NOI, Warith Deen Mohammed was groomed as a future leader. However, as a young man, he began to question many of its core doctrines—most notably, the belief that W.D. Fard, the mysterious founder of the NOI, was a divine being, and the characterization of white people as inherently evil. These views caused friction between him and NOI leadership, resulting in his being demoted or excommunicated several times during his early adult life.

Despite these setbacks, he remained deeply committed to Islam and immersed himself in studying the Qur’an, Arabic, and the traditions of Sunni Islam, which emphasized universal brotherhood, prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage.

Transforming the Nation of Islam

Upon becoming leader in 1975, Warith Deen Mohammed moved quickly to dismantle the racially charged and theologically unorthodox framework of the NOI:

Abandoned the Deification of W.D. Fard: He rejected the claim that Fard was Allah (God) in person, re-centering the faith around the oneness of God (Tawheed), in accordance with orthodox Islamic belief.
Promoted Unity of All Races: Rather than preaching racial superiority, he emphasized the universality of Islam and taught that righteousness—not race—was what distinguished people before God.
Reorganized the Movement: He dissolved the old structure of the NOI and renamed it multiple times, including “World Community of Al-Islam in the West” and “American Muslim Mission.” These shifts reflected a conscious effort to rebrand the movement into a more theologically and globally integrated form of Islam.
Instituted Sunni Practices: Under his leadership, followers began performing the five daily prayers (salah), fasting during Ramadan, attending Friday congregational prayers (Jumu’ah), and making the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).

A Voice for Interfaith and Civic Engagement

Warith Deen Mohammed became a prominent advocate for interfaith dialogue, believing that cooperation among people of different faiths was vital for peace and social progress. He:

Partnered with leaders of Christianity and Judaism in numerous public initiatives.
Delivered the first Islamic invocation at the U.S. Senate in 1992.
Met with global figures, including Pope John Paul II and President Bill Clinton.
Championed the idea that Muslims in America should be both fully faithful and fully engaged citizens.

Legacy and Death

Warith Deen Mohammed passed away in 2008, but his legacy is enduring. At his funeral, thousands gathered to honor a man who courageously redefined a movement, bringing hundreds of thousands of African American Muslims into alignment with mainstream global Islam.

His teachings live on through:

The Mosque Cares, a nonprofit led by his son, Wallace D. Mohammed II.
A nationwide network of mosques, schools, and community centers grounded in the principles of Sunni Islam, racial harmony,
and social justice.
The thousands of families and individuals whose faith journeys were shaped by his integrity, scholarship, and vision.

Warith Deen Mohammed’s leadership represents one of the most significant religious transitions in 20th-century American history. He showed that deep reform was possible—even within a powerful and established movement—and his peaceful, inclusive approach remains a model for religious leadership and interfaith cooperation.

In many ways, Warith Deen Mohammed is not just a figure in Muslim American history—he is a national leader who helped redefine Black religious identity in America, bridge divides, and build paths of unity between Islam and broader society.

Meet the Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors oversees the strategic vision and operations of the masjid. Each member brings unique experience and a shared commitment to advancing our mission.

Dr. Halalah Hazziez

Board Chairman

Saleem Rasheed

Vice-Chairman

Amelia Chilchoat

Treasurer

Rashid Junaid

Secretary

Robert Rashad

Board Member

Jamal Shakur

Board Member

Kim Tolefree

Board Member

Rasool Ahmed

Board Member

Your Contributions Make A Difference

Your generous donation helps us continue our work in serving the community through prayer, education, outreach, and support programs. Whether it’s maintaining our masjid, offering classes, or providing aid to those in need, every contribution makes a difference. Give today and be a part of sustaining faith, service, and unity.