HISTORY OF OUR PRESIDENT

Dawoud S. Adeyola is a native born Muslim American citizen who is also a decorated veteran of the United States Air Force where he attained the rank of Sergeant E-4 at age 19 and received an Honorable discharge at the age of 21. Upon completion of military service in the Vietnam Era, he began a career as a professional musician and traveled extensively in that capacity for more than 20 years. He also is a graduate of the University of Buffalo with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Design and a Master of Arts in Education. He has been married for more than 50 years and has 7 children and 18 grandchildren.

Dawoud S. Adeyola has been a member of the AA-UAA since 1969 when he took Shahaada with the late Emam Hasson Mubarrak (rA). Emam Mubarak himself was an important part of the AA-UAA history because he took Shahaada with and was a student of the founding President, Professor Muhammad Ezaldeen (rA) in the 1940’s. From that time until the present, Haj Dawoud has been a practicing Muslim with ties to many other Islamic organizations. In 1978 he received an ijaaza (teaching certificate) from the Dar Al-Ifta educational agency of Saudi Arabia and in the 1980’s served in several roles in Western New York as Imam, khatib (preacher), teacher and board member of Islamic organizations. In 1989 he accepted the position of Muslim Chaplain with the New York State Department of Correctional Services, a position he held until his retirement in 2006.

In 1991, Dawoud S. Adeyola founded the Imams Council of Greater Western New York and became its first President. In 1990 he was appointed to be the Emam of Masjid Ezaldeen by the President of the AA- UAA and Jabul Arabiyya the late Shaykh Dawoud Ghani. At present he serves as Muslim Chaplain at the Erie County Holding Center and several hospitals in the Western New York area.

The vision of Al-Haj Dawoud is to reestablish the Jabul Arabiyya community to its original mission of providing a safe haven for the Muslim ummah and also to right minded individuals and families who will not be in opposition to the fundamental principles of the Glorious Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

As the first century of the history of this community comes to an end in less than 20 years, Al-Haj Dawoud and his companions anticipate with optimism that Al-Islam will prove to be the logical panacea for the many problems that face America today and in the future. Some examples of the American quagmire are the historical problems of racism, racial profiling, segregation, discrimination, and inhumane treatment of some Americans. Al-Islam has always taught human brotherhood, racial harmony, and equality among people. Additionally, more than just espousing such high egalitarian ideals, the practice of Al-Islam has created societies that actually put these ideals into practice, thus solving the problems of race and ethnic disparity.