Intro
Wali Akram was born Walter Gregg (in 1904, died in 1994-Aug, a black Texan who was raised Christian (See Dannin). Wali Akram seems to have converted to Ahmadiyya in 1923 under Sheikh Ahmad Din (aka Paul Nathaniel Johnson) in St. Louis, however, his name is not written anywhere in the Moslem Sunrise from 1921 to 1924 or from 1930 to 1937. Interestingly, Sheikh Ahmad Din (aka Paul Nathaniel Johnson) had left Ahmadiyya by 1927 and created his own temple situation.
However, in 1922-1925, he was in St. Louis and was running his own community of pseudo-Ahmadiyya African-American’s. It should be noted that Turner didn’t really mention Wali Akram (he did in his 2nd edition), nor did Jameela Hakim in 1979. Wali Akram also got married to a female convert to Ahmadiyya in 1924, Kareema Akram (aka Hannah Dudley of Savannah, Georgia, See Dannin).
By 1925 (see Fanusie), Akram seems to have out-grown Sheikh Ahmad Din and soon followed another pseudo-Ahmadiyya Sheikh, Ashiq Ahmad. It’s unclear who made Ashiq Ahmad a sheikh, it must have been either Muhammad Yusuf Khan or Sheikh Ahmad Din. Nevertheless, in 1925, Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad visited St. Louis from Ohio and asked Akram to move to Ohio and help him as his apprentice. Thus, he moved to Cincinnati and Dayton and began working under Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad.
By 1927, Akram again outgrew his Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad and moved to Cleveland to start his own temple. Ayesha Khan alleges that in 1930, he rented a mission house (called a mosque) and called his flock of followers to worship therein and that an Ahmadi missionary, Abul Fazl was also there, however, she gave no references. (See Khan, Aysha. 2022. ‘A Seed of Truth’: Ahmadiyya Muslim Propagation Networks and the Development of Islam in America. Master’s thesis, Harvard Divinity School).
By 1932, Wali Akram had 150 families following him. Wali Akram somehow asks Sheikh Nasir Ahmad to come to Cleveland (from Pittsburgh) and help him with imam work. Thus, by 1932, Sheikh Nasir Ahmad was made the official imam of the Ahmadi’s of Cleveland. Dannin makes a mistake here, he alleges that Muhammad Yusuf Khan heard about Wali Akram’s success and came from Chicago, that would incorrect, since Muhammad Yusuf Khan was working out of Pittsburgh since at least March-1930 (See Dannin, Bowen and the Moslem Sunrise of 1975). In June (23-25th) of 1932, Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali was in Cleveland lecturing at different halls (See the Moslem Sunrise of Oct-1931/Jan-1932, pages 18-20).
The ROR of Sep-1933, has a report from Dr. Muhammad Yusuf from America about the spread of Ahmadiyya in Cleveland, Ohio, they allege to have 300 Ahmadi’s in Cleveland. Dr. Muhammad Yusuf gave 4 lectures at the Ahmadiyya Hall. He also mentions how Sheikh Nasir Ahmad and Sheikh Muhammad Omar (Omar Ahmad of Braddock?) are working with him, both were Christian priests. Dr. Muhammad Yusuf also alleges that some Turks and Arab Muslims might have converted to Ahmadiyya and caused a stir.
In 1934, the local Cleveland newspapers were calling Muhammad Yusuf Khan as “The Head Moslem of Cleveland”. On Apr-1-1934, Muhammad Yusuf Khan returned from an import/export run to British India and immediately confronted Sheikh Nasir Ahmad (in Cleveland or Pittsburgh?) and accused him of having alleged ties to the Moorish Science Temple, which he characterized as “worthless” and “un-Islamic.” Rather than seeing the Moors and the Garveyites as links to a larger American audience, Dr. Khan challenged their influence. He vehemently opposed Freemasonry and insisted that membership in the Ahmadiyya Movement excluded other sectarian affiliations. (See Bismilla,” Cleveland Call and Post, April 21, 1934, 2; Dannin, Pilgrimmage, 38, via Bowen). Thus, in April of 1934, Sheikh Nasir Ahmad seems to have been ex-communicated by Muhammad Yusuf Khan in Cleveland, Sheikh Nasir Ahmad then moved to Philadelphia and started working with Muslims therein. Just six weeks (by June of 1934) after Sheikh Nasir Ahmad’s departure, the Ohio River Valley Muslims got word of Ahmad’s success in Philadelphia (See Abdul Mohammad, “Philadelphia Mission,” Cleveland Call and Post, June 2, 1934, 2., via Bowen).
By July of 1934, the Muslims in Pittsburgh had totally ousted Muhammad Yusuf Khan (See Bowen). On July 14, an important announcement was made in the religion section of the Cleveland Call and Post, the local black newspaper:
“””The leaders of Vearianue [sic], or what is better known as Imams, gathered [in Pittsburgh] and formed a council, according to the Islamic teaching. We discharged the missionary, M.Y. Khan because of his failure to carry the work on in the right way. We, the members have been successful in making connection with the Moslem League, that we may be known throughout all the Moslem World. Our lecturer will cost just about half what it has been costing. The new
missionary will be located at … Pittsburgh. His name is Abdul Mohammed Iben Akbar. For any information, please write 18 South Sickel St., Philadelphia, Pa. Shaikh Nasir Ahmad has returned back to his mission in Philadelphia. We are making wonderful progress here in Philadelphia. Unity is our aim. May Allah guide us wherever we go.”” (Cleveland Call and Post, the local black newspaper of July-14-1934)(See Bowen).
The Vearianue, which was also known as both the Islamic Council and the Supreme Council, was led by Nasir Ahmad and was initially composed of twelve leading men from the Ohio-Pennsylvania community (because Philadelphia was now included, the region cannot be limited to the Ohio River Valley), and it soon acquired representatives from the Pittsburgh, Braddock, Youngstown, and Columbus Ahmadi missions (See Saadi Mliak, “Proceedings at the Pittsburgh Mosque,” Cleveland Call and Post, July 31, 1934, 2; Abdulla Eesa, “Bis-mil-lah,” Cleveland Call and Post, July 31, 1934, 2., via Bowen).
In August 1934, Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali who had spent most of the last few years promoting Islam to whites in cities outside of the Ohio River Valley, attempted to win back the disgruntled members in Pittsburgh (Braddock Mosque). He publicly denounced Muhammad Yusuf Khan and pleaded with the mosques that had broken off to return under his leadership. (See “Moslem Activities in Braddock,” Cleveland Call and Post, August 4, 1934, 2, via Bowen).
Muhammad Yusuf Khan seems to have fled (went to India) Cleveland by Oct-1934 and in Nov-1934 he sent a letter to Wali Akram asking for travel funds (See Dannin, page 99 and 283). Akram refused! While Muhammad Yusuf Khan was gone, the imam that he had appointed Chaudhri Mohammed Ashraf was chased from the community, then Muhammad Yusuf Khan’s possessions were seized and auctioned to repay the Muslims for the hardships they had endured on his behalf. They had even bought him a car (See Dannin). At this point, Wali Akram stepped forward and wrote letters to the 2nd Qadiani-Khalifa in Qadian and told him how much of a crook Muhammad Yusuf Khan was. This prompted the 2nd Qadiani-Khalifa in Qadian to send in Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali to try to save Ahmadiyya in Cleveland. However, Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali began requesting “back fees” for all the payments of chanda that had been missed.
The Moslem Sunrise of Nov-1934 didn’t give any locations of Ahmadiyya centers in the USA, it was a regular feature of the magazine to list locations in the USA and abroad. However, just 10 month earlier, the Moslem Sunrise of Jan-1934, the Pittsburg branch of pseudo-Ahmadi’s was mentioned and with Muhammad Yusuf Khan as in-charge and with the famous 2222 Webster Ave, Pittsburgh, PA as the location of the mission house. In the very next issue of the Moslem Sunrise (March-1935), a new Pittsburgh location is given, 2008 Wylie Ave, Pittsburgh, PA.
In Jan-1935, Muhammad Yusuf Khan seems to have been stuck in India, the schism continues to brew in Cleveland. Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali travels to India in Dec-1935 and leaves the Chicago mission with no one in-charge. Even the Moslem Sunrise ceases to operate. While he is gone to India (1936), Wali Akram had totally leaves Ahmadiyya and had taken many pseudo-Ahmadi’s with him. At some point in 1936, while at Juma prayer, Wali Akram announced his independence from the Ahmadiyya Movement (Qadiani) in dramatic fashion, he had a dream. In roughly Oct-1936, Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali heard about all of the turmoil and rushed to Cleveland where he found Wali Akram in the Mosque (mission house) giving Arabic lessons. Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali yelled out that this mission house was property of the Ahmadiyya Movement and anyone not loyal to Ahmadiyya should leave, practically the whole congregation left (See Hameeda Mansur, audiotape interview by author, Cleveland, Aug-25-1990, via Dannin).
Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali returned to America in Oct-1936 and the vast majority of his African-American converts had totally left Ahmadiyya. African-American’s were totally disgusted with the financial crimes of Ahmadi’s. By 1950, Ahmadiyya in the USA had totally failed, barely 200 members remained, 5 mission houses, NO MOSQUES.
Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali returned to Qadian on 12 December 1935, and was sent back to America on 21 October 1936 (he stayed for roughly 11 months), he arrived in Chicago on Dec-10, 1936 (See the Moslem Sunrise of Aug-1937). By 1937, all Ahmadiyya missions had shut down, only the Ahmadiyya temple/house on Wabash Ave in Chicago remained. In the 1940’s there was barely any growth. By 1950, Ahmadiyya in the USA had totally failed, barely 200 members remained, 5 mission houses, NO MOSQUES. They promptly moved the headquarters of the community to Washington D.C.
From 1937 to 1994, Wali Akram was the face of Islam in Cleveland, he had integrated with immigrant Muslims from Pakistan and India and even performed Umra and visited Pakistan. Akram and his wife Kareema raised a large family of twelve children, sixty grandchildren, and more than seventy-five great-grandchildren, all of whom were educated in the Muslim tradition. The Akram family is still in Cleveland and they run his mosque, his grandson took over as Imam in 1990.
One question remains, how many Ahmadi beliefs did he retain after 1937? Dannin doesn’t cover this topic, he only mentioned how “loyalty to country” was retained and a few other beliefs. Thus, more research work needs to be done.
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Finding W.D. Fard: Unveiling the Identity of the Founder of the Nation of Islam – John Andrew Morrow – Google Books
Fatimah Fanusie | Islamic Studies | Johns Hopkins University (jhu.edu)
The Wali Akram Story – America’s Islamic Heritage Museum (aihmuseum.org)
Karl Evanzz Books | List of books by author Karl Evanzz (thriftbooks.com)
Brent Turner on Ahmadiya – Google Search
Islam in the African-American Experience – Richard Brent Turner – Google Books
Click to access Dannin2002black-pilgrimage-to-islam.pdf
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His children
4 girls, 6 boys
Rasool Akram (see Dannin), Rasool Akram, interview by author, Cleveland, April 26, 1990.
Mahmud Akram (see Dannin).
Khadija Akram, her son was Imam Abbas Akram, in 1988, he succeeded his grandfather as the new imam of the Cleveland Mosque.
Mubarka Akram.
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His wife
Kareema Akram is an Ex-Qadiani too (from the Cleveland Area, wife of Wali Akram) – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
“….when not busy running the family grocery store or tending to their children, Kareema Akram assisted him in mosque affairs. Both husband and wife had attained enough proficiency in Arabic to teach it along with Quranic recitation. Since Islamic etiquette meant respecting a modest separation between the sexes, Kareema conducted classes right in her kitchen, where women might bring their babies and young children…” (See Dannin).
Akram and his wife Kareema raised a large family of twelve children, sixty grandchildren, and more than seventy-five great-grandchildren, all of whom were educated in the Muslim tradition.
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His brother
Bertram Gregg.
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1904
He is born.
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1915–1922
In Texas, Wali Akram (aka Walter Gregg) worked first as a blacksmith, then as a prospector, and finally on the railroad (See Dannin). That job carried him north to Missouri, Indiana, and then Ohio. There in Cleveland, he answered his calling after a decade of incessant roaming. “All that traveling,” he once commented, “I had to become a hobo before I could become a Muslim.”
Aunt Willie and Walter’s father, Clarence Gregg, were the grandchildren of Sarah, who was a slave to the Scottish Gregg clan that settled in Burleson County, Texas, in the early nineteenth century. Clarence’s father was a child of African, Native American, and Scottish heritage. When Grandma Sarah was set free, she left the Gregg clan and married a Mexican named Cevina. She gave him four daughters, who inherited their father’s fair complexion. Everyone in the county called Cevina “the Mexican.” Three of his beautiful daughters married the Oldham brothers, sons of Captain Oldham, a white landowner and veteran of the Mexican War. Thus Grandma Sarah was the matriarch of two lineages, the Greggs and the Oldhams. Black, brown, and white cousins shared the estate equally. After the Civil War, the redistributed plots of farmland formed a checkerboard, multiracial neighborhood.
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1923-1925
Sheikh Ahmad Din (aka Paul Nathaniel Johnson) was a prominent convert to Ahmadiyya by Mufti Muhammad Sadiq in 1922. However, after Ahmadiyya failed (1924) in the USA and both Maulvi’s left America (Mufti Muhammad Sadiq and Maulvi Muhammad Din)(1924), Sheikh Ahmad Din (aka Paul Nathaniel Johnson) kept working in St. Louis and attending to a flock.
Wali Akram allegedly converted to Ahmadiyya under Sheikh Ahmad Din in St. Louis in roughly 1923 (see page 95, Dannin), a year later, he then met another female Ahmadi (Kareema) convert and got married to her. Her previous name was Hannah Dudley of Savannah, Georgia. By 1925, Wali Akram became Sheikh Ahmad Din‘s most accomplished student. His energetic devotion to Islam was rare in comparison with the way some other men came and went according to their mood. He became a trusted assistant to Sheikh Ahmad Din and helped him maintain a reputation as the most successful American missionary in the Ahmadiyya Movement. They purchased a small printing press and incorporated the Sheik Ahmad Publishing Company to printed handbills announcing the arrival of a new religion that would rescue the “Negro” from the doldrums. In the summer of 1925, Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad had came to St. Louis and complained about the lack of missionary support for his missions in Cincinatti and Dayton, Ohio. Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad offered Wali Akram an opportunity to become a Sheikh of sorts, they had a few dozen Ahmadi followers spread between 2 cities.
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1925–1927
See Dannin
Who is Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad? Another ex-Ahmadi? – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
In the summer of 1925, Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad had came to St. Louis and complained about the lack of missionary support for his missions in Cincinatti and Dayton, Ohio. Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad offered Wali Akram an opportunity to become a Sheikh of sorts, they had a few dozen Ahmadi followers spread between 2 cities. In October of 1925, Wali Akram and Kareema departed St. Louis enroute to Ohio (Cincinatti and Dayton specifically) to work under (follow) another African-American missionary Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad. It’s unclear if Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad had a rogue Ahmadi sect. Wali Akram and Kareema spent 3 months studying under Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad, but they stayed in total, 2 years in Dayton and Cincinatti, Ohio. In 1927, they moved to Cleveland. Dannin alleges that Wali Akram read copies of the Review of Religions magazine and most likely other English Islamic magazines.
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1927-1931
See Dannin
Dannin alleges that Wali Akram read copies of the Review of Religions magazine and most likely other English Islamic magazines. While in Cleveland, Wali Akram met real Muslims and even went and prayed with them, this while being an Ahmadi.
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1932
Dannin
By 1932, Wali Akram had 150 families following him. Wali Akram somehow asks Sheikh Nasir Ahmad to come to Cleveland (from Pittsburgh) and help him with imam work.
In June (23-25th) of 1932, Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali was in Cleveland lecturing at different halls (See the Moslem Sunrise of Oct-1931/Jan-1932, pages 18-20).
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1933
In 1933, Ahmadiyya in Cleveland is acknowledged via the ROR of 1933, however, Wali Akram is not mentioned at all. Muhammad Yusuf Khan was a big hit in Cleveland, his congregation was already paying a monthly tithe, on top of that they bought him a car. A big, black Chrysler with yellow wheels, most likely a 1930 model (See Dannin).
The ROR of Sep-1933, has a report from Dr. Muhammad Yusuf from America about the spread of Ahmadiyya in Cleveland, Ohio, they allege to have 300 Ahmadi’s in Cleveland. He also mentions how Sheikh Nasir Ahmad and Sheikh Muhammad Omar (Omar Ahmad of Braddock?) are working with him, both were Christian priests. Dr. Muhammad Yusuf also alleges that some Turks and Arab Muslims might have converted to Ahmadiyya and caused a stir.
Thus, by 1933, Sheikh Nasir Ahmad was the official imam of the Ahmadi’s of Cleveland. Dannin makes a mistake here, he alleges that Muhammad Yusuf Khan heard about Wali Akram’s success and came from Chicago, that would incorrect, since Muhammad Yusuf Khan was working out of Pittsburgh since at least 1930.
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1934
Muhammad Yusuf Khan is mentioned by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (of 17 Jun 1934, Sun Page 26) as the head Moslem in Cleveland, however, he seems to be giving new converts Muslim names, which is now causing fraud. This is same incident is mentioned in 10 additional newspapers around America.
Scans
Dannin explains how Muhammad Yusuf Khan described himself as “headman” of the Ahmadiyya Movement in America. On page 39, Dannin explains how Muhammad Yusuf Khan left America in early 1934 and returned to Chicago on April 1-1934 and came to Cleveland and had major beef with Wali Akram and Sheikh Nasir Ahmad. Dannin also acknowledges that Muhammad Yusuf Khan came to the USA in 1921. Muhammad Yusuf Khan and his boss Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali (head Ahmadi Maulvi in the USA) were trying to spread Sufi-ism to whites in America and traditional Islam to the blacks, which was seen as unfair and racist by the local African-American community. Dannin mentions how Muhammad Yusuf Khan was working specifically out of Pittsburgh and Cleveland from 1932-1934. Dannin explains how Muhammad Yusuf Khan began charging his followers for prayers and selling them Islamic regalia (as part of this import/export business). In the summer of 1934, Muhammad Yusuf Khan had Ahmadi’s from Cleveland (and possibly Pittsburgh) pay for his trip to India, he left a man named Chaudhri Mohammed Ashraf in-charge of Cleveland before he left.
In the later summer of 1934, Chaudhri Mohammed Ashraf was chased from the community, then Muhammad Yusuf Khan’s possessions were seized and auctioned to repay the Muslims for the hardships they had endured on his behalf. They had even bought him a car. At this point, Wali Akram stepped forward and wrote letters to the 2nd Qadiani-Khalifa in Qadian and told him how much of a crook Muhammad Yusuf Khan was. This prompted the 2nd Qadiani-Khalifa in Qadian to send in Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali to try to save Ahmadiyya in Cleveland. However, Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali began requesting “back fees” for all the payments of chanda that had been missed.
However, it should be noted that even though M.Y. Khan was ousted from Pittsburgh, he moved to Cincinatti and began working therein. The leadership for the Pittsburg Mosque hired an Arab from Egypt, named Abdul Mohammed Ibn Akbar for half the price that they were previously paying M.Y. Khan. The new missionary will be located at 1800 Center Ave, Pittsburgh, PA. For any information, please write to 18 South Sickel St., Philadelphia, PA. Sheikh Nasir Ahmad has returned back to his own mission in Philadelphia. There is an article on “The Akron Mosque”, a man named St. Abdus Subhan gave a short lecture and several short talks by Bro Nasir Hicmat and sis Moleeks Shaun, Bro Hickmd, sis Shann, written by Wakeela Mula, reporter. There is another report on the Cincinatti Mosque, it is reported that they recently held a “Young People’s Islamic Program”, however, only women were speakers. This is a report by Dr. M.Y. Khan, who seems to be working with Prof. Malik and Mr. Ishaq Mohammad. They had all recently returned to Cincinatti from Pittsburgh. Dr. M.Y. Khan alleges that Prof. Malek is “in-charge” of the Cincinatti Mosque. Mr. Majid Hassan is also named as a speaker. Prof. Malek gave a speech on the death of Jesus Christ. Jamal Deen, reporter. Dr. Khan quickly reported to the newspaper about the progress of his cult and left of Cleveland. Prof. Malik (from the Cincinatti Mosque) is currently touring in Chicago. Jameel Geen, reporter. There is another report on the “Akron Mosque”, Sh. Subhan gave a speech, by Wakeel Mula.
Scan
Cleveland Call and Post, the local black newspaper of July-14-1934, via Bowen
In July-1934, via the Cleveland Call and Post of Sat, Jul 21, 1934 ·Page 2, Ahmadiyya is not mentioned at all, Muhammad Yusuf Khan is not mentioned and nor is Sufi Bengalee. It seems that by July-1934, Ahmadiyya had been totally ousted. There was a series of essay’s entitled, “Among the Moslems” by Abdullah Easa. He starts with BIS-MIL-LAH, and alleges to see a bright future of Islam in the region. Abdullah Easa relates a major announcement from the Islamic Council and Maulvi Muhammad Yusuf Khan was removed (however, he is not named in this article) from the mosque. Abdullah Easa consoles the Moslems from Pittsburgh and other areas. Abdullah Easa alleges that old members who had left previously have now returned to the mosque. Abdullah Easa praises the Moslems of Ohio and specifically Colombus. Sheikh Hason is mentioned. Abdullah Easa mentions the council of 12 men. Bro Abdul Mohammad Ibn Akbar has been named as “Imam U1 Shareef in America”. Allegedly Bro Abdul Mohammad Ibn Akbar has connections to the Moslem world via Egypt, Africa, Palestine, Arabia and many other Moslem Governments. Abdullah Easa says that it is in the best interest of the council to join the Moslem League (of which an Ahmadi is the leader, Zafrullah Khan). Abdullah Easa announces that Sheikh Nasir Ahmad is heading the council. There is also a report from the Akron Mosque, on July-15, there was a social held at the house of Bro and Sis Moosa Raheem, at 185 McCoy Street, Akron, Cleveland. Bro’s. Sarle Subhan, Nasis Hiemat, Moosa Raheem and Sis. Bismala Shako gave a talk or a reading. Signed off by Wakeei Mula. There is 3rd article on “Proceedings at the Pittsburgh Mosque” by Saadi Malik. Saadi Malik alleges that there is new life in the Moslems of the region, from places like Colombus, Youngstown, Ohio, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, PA. Saadi Malik alleges that a missionary from Egypt is coming soon.
Scan
Cleveland Call and Post of Sat, Jul 21, 1934 ·Page 2
Another schism erupted in Pittsburgh in the summer of 1934, with Sheikh Nasir Ahmad and Saeed Akmal leading the ex-Ahmadi’s. They worked together for many years and got the famous “Braddock Mosque” built in the 1940‘s. Dannin makes an error on the references page 284, he writes that Maulvi Muhammad Ali’s famous commentary of the Quran was published in 1928, that’s not accurate, it was published from London in 1917. Saeed Akmal descibed his version of Ahmadiyya as Lahori in a private letter to Akram (Dated, March 27, 1937). Akmal called Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali a slave master. In 1936, the ex-Ahmadi’s rented a new space at 7605 Woodland Avenue and called it the First Cleveland Mosque (even though it was a mission house).
Muhammad Yusuf Khan leaves for India in the late summer of 1934 (most likely Oct) and leaves Professor Ashraf in-charge. Ashraf recalled the Ahmadiyya identification cards, asking each member to pay an additional thirty-five cents for a new Ahmadiyya stamp and official gold seal. Prodded by Akram to justify this expense, Ashraf announced publicly that the Ahmadiyya’s needed Americans to furnish them with intelligence information because “a big war” was coming. They needed to be photographed and fingerprinted and to have their names legalized, all for a whopping fee of fifteen dollars each. Already suspicious of the professor’s motives, Akram smelled real mischief when he proposed to teach Urdu instead of Arabic. Yet, despite Akram’s misgivings, the others grudgingly submitted to this chicanery and handed over almost seven hundred dollars to Ashraf. To their dismay, he promptly left town and returned to India. Fights also broke out. By late Nov, early-Dec-1934, Muhammad Yusuf Khan wrote 2 letters to Akram asking for money to return to the USA in Jan of 1935. Wali Akram calls a meeting at the Cleveland Mosque (mission house), they then seize the furniture of Muhammad Yusuf Khan and sell it at auction. In Dec of 1934, Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali came to Cleveland and seems to have met the flock and heard their grievances. Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali chastized the congregation for selling Muhammad Yusuf Khan‘s furniture.
Bengali left Cleveland in late Dec-1934, a few months later, Wali Akram refused to send money to Chicago (March-1935) where Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali was stationed (this was also the Ahmadiyya headquarter for the USA). The schism between the converts and the missionaries had widened into a gulf by the latter half of 1936, when Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali demanded more money for travel to India. He pressured Ahmadiyya stalwarts in Pittsburgh and Chicago while urging the Clevelanders to pay their arrears. The whole structure of Ahmadiyya authority was based on this material sign of loyalty. Any breach of unity was tantamount to blasphemy against Allah, he warned.
The Moslem Sunrise of Nov-1934 didn’t give any locations of Ahmadiyya centers in the USA, it was a regular feature of the magazine to list locations in the USA and abroad. However, just 10 month earlier, the Moslem Sunrise of Jan-1934, the Pittsburg branch of pseudo-Ahmadi’s was mentioned and with Muhammad Yusuf Khan as in-charge and with the famous 2222 Webster Ave, Pittsburgh, PA as the location of the mission house. In the very next issue of the Moslem Sunrise (March-1935), a new Pittsburgh location is given, 2008 Wylie Ave, Pittsburgh, PA. This evidence proves that the Ahmadiyya schism did in-fact happen in Pittsburgh in the late summer of 1934.
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1935
In the Moslem Sunrise of March-1935, Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali mentions 8 missions of the Ahmadiyya Movement in the USA. The first being in Chicago. The second being at 1419 Roosevelt Ave Indianapolis, IN. The third at 913 Woodland Ave, Kansas City (MO). The 4th at 537 Hendrie St. Detroit (MI). The 5th at 2008 Wylie Ave, Pittsburgh, (PA). The 6th at 928 W. 7th St. Cincinatti (OH). The 7th is a new mission at 216 S. Euclid Ave, Dayton (OH). The 8th is also a new mission at 5311 Woodland Ave, Cleveland (OH).
On Jan-2-1935, Wali Akram wrote a letter to the 2nd Qadiani Khalifa at Qadian and explained the situation in Cleveland. In this letter, Wali Akram admitted that Muhammad Yusuf Khan did convert 100’s of African American’s to Ahmadiyya in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Ohio. However, these people have all left Ahmadiyya because of the financial exploitation by honorary Qadiani-Ahmadi missionary Muhammad Yusuf Khan. Via Dannin, Page 100, On Jan 12, 1935, Wali Akram received a letter from Maulvi in charge USA, Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali wherein he was asking for chanda money (unpaid dues, subscription to the Moslem Sunrise and his travel expenses).
Bengali left Cleveland in late Dec-1934, a few months later, Wali Akram refused to send money to Chicago (March-1935) where Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali was stationed (this was also the Ahmadiyya headquarter for the USA). The schism between the converts and the missionaries had widened into a gulf by the latter half of 1936, when Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali demanded more money for travel to India. He pressured Ahmadiyya stalwarts in Pittsburgh and Chicago while urging the Clevelanders to pay their arrears. The whole structure of Ahmadiyya authority was based on this material sign of loyalty. Any breach of unity was tantamount to blasphemy against Allah, he warned.
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1936
Wali Akram famously quits Ahmadiyya in Cleveland in 1936, another schism erupted in Pittsburgh in 1934, via Saeed Akmal and Sheikh Ahmad Nasir. The schism between the converts and the missionaries had widened into a gulf by the latter half of 1936, when Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali demanded more money for travel to India. He pressured Ahmadiyya stalwarts in Pittsburgh and Chicago while urging the Clevelanders to pay their arrears. The whole structure of Ahmadiyya authority was based on this material sign of loyalty. Any breach of unity was tantamount to blasphemy against Allah, he warned.
Akram/Saaed also alleged that Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali, did little to change the Jim Crow system of double standards. It became known that he organized Sufi rites for white people but kept African Americans segregated in their mosque. Those who questioned his practices were told that black people weren’t ready for Sufism, an affront that prompted one anti missionary partisan to retort, “I’d rather be a friend of the white man than be a friend of yours. . . . You have nothing to offer me, not even the Arabic language because all you know is Urdu. You don’t even know Arabic, just enough Arabic to read the Quran and that’s it! (This is the testimony of Hameeda Mansur, audiotape interview by author, Cleveland, August 25, 1990, via Dannin). At some point in 1936, while at Juma prayer, Wali Akram announced his independence from the Ahmadiyya Movement (Qadiani) in dramatic fashion, he had a dream. Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali heard about all of the turmoil and rushed to Cleveland where he found Wali Akram in the Mosque (mission house) giving Arabic lessons. Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali yelled out that this mission house was property of the Ahmadiyya Movement and anyone not loyal to Ahmadiyya should leave, practically the whole congregation left (See Hameeda Mansur, audiotape interview by author, Cleveland, Aug-25-1990, via Dannin).
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1937
FCM (firstcleveland.org)
The First Cleveland Masjid is one of the oldest Muslim institutions in the U.S. Founded in 1937 by Al Hajj Imam Wali Akram, an African American. The First Cleveland Masjid remains a testimony of the powerful attraction that Americans have towards the beliefs and culture of Islam.
Al Hajj Imam Wali Akram, born Walter Reese Gregg in Caldwell Texas on August 04, 1904 was introduced to Islam in the early 1920s and went on to establish the First Cleveland Masjid in 1937 with the creation of the Muslim 10 Year Plan. The mission of the First Cleveland Masjid was to entertain and educate the Muslim community. Imam Wali Akram continued to spread the Islamic message of peace, love and unity, which made the First Cleveland Masjid the milestone of peace making among the diverse religious groups across greater Cleveland.
Over the years, the First Cleveland Masjid persevered, demonstrating consistency and growth. In fact, the Masjid was instrumental in the development of several other Islamic Institutions throughout the Greater Cleveland area. Since the genesis of the First Cleveland Masjid, this historic institution resided at the following locations in Cleveland, Ohio before relocating in 1975 to its current edifice at 3613 East 131st Street:
5611 E.55th Street (1937-1939)
7605 Woodland Avenue (1939-1966)
12715 Miles Avenue (1966-1969)
13405 Union Avenue (1969-1975)
Saeed Akmal described his version of Ahmadiyya as Lahori in a private letter to Akram (Dated, March 27, 1937). Akmal called Sufi Muti-ur-Rahman Bengali a slave master. In 1936, the ex-Ahmadi’s rented a new space at 7605 Woodland Avenue and called it the First Cleveland Mosque (even though it was a mission house).
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1937
The Cleveland Plain Dealer of Sun, Jun 20, 1937 ·Page 4
Wali Akram and his Moslem 10-year plan is presented. He still seems to be an Ahmadi. The Mosque is located at 5311 Woodland Ave, S.E., Cleveland, Ohio. Wali Akram is an Imam for communities of his followers in Dayton, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Cleveland. It is mentioned how Wali Akram learned from Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad.
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1937
Cleveland Call and Post of Thu, Dec 09, 1937 ·Page 2
Muslims in Cleveland celebrated Eid ul Fitr, Wali Akram gave a speech about the Moslem 10-year plan.
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1939-ish
See Dannin
Other stalwart Muslims at First Cleveland were Fazl Kareem, Abdu Salaam (who eventually quit the Ahmadiyyas), Muhammad Ali, Abdul Malik, Saleem Yahya, Ghams Raziz, Abdul Majeed, and Abdul Hafeez. Some were on welfare. Their sons were being drafted into the army as the country prepared for war. Their hardships had a way of making the mosque a trial of will, a crisis that was explicit in Wali Akram’s assertion of a link between religion, the mosque, and finances. If Islam was the Message, then its physical manifestation in the mosque signified new creative potential. “The whole question [of money] is up for review in every relationship of life. How should men make their money?” he asked. “What is the basic purpose of money in our social order? How do men lose their money? What is the social result of periods of prosperity and periods of depression? What relationship is there between giving and the general prosperity of the people?”
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1942
Cleveland Call and Post of Sat, Feb 21, 1942 ·Page 5
Abdullah Akram, the infantson of Mr. and Mrs. Wali Akram of 7605 Woodland Ave died.
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1943
The Akron Beacon Journal of Sun, Dec 12, 1943 ·Page 1 and 14
Rasheed Abdul Ghafoor is mentioned as the Imam of the Akron Mosque, which is on 30 N. Howard St. Akron, Ohio. Wali Akram and his 10-year plan are also mentioned as well as his location at 1605 Woodland Ave, Cleveland. Rasheed Abdul Ghafoor lives in the back of the Mosque.
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1945
New Pittsburgh Courier of Sat, Mar 03, 1945 ·Page 10
At the First Moslem Mosque of Pittsburgh, Saeed Akmal was the master of ceremonies and Imam Deen were present. The wife of Abu Saleh was also there. Shaikh Nasir Ahmad of Philadelphia gave a speech as well as Wali Akram.
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1946
Cleveland Call and Post of Sat, Feb 02, 1946 ·Page 8
A wedding was held at the first Cleveland Mosque, at 7605 Woodland Ave, Cleveland, Ohio on Jan-17-1946.
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1946
Cleveland Call and Post of Sat, Jul 27, 1946 ·Page 24
Rasool Akram, the son of Wali Akram is in the newspaper.
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1947
Sep
Cleveland Call and Post of Sat, Sep 20, 1947 ·Page 4
The Cleveland Plain Dealer of Sat, Nov 22, 1947 ·Page 15
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1951
Apr
A member of the First Cleveland Mosque died, Wali A. Akram officiated at the funeral.
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1951
Nov
The Cleveland Plain Dealer of Sun, Nov 11, 1951 ·Page 175
Wali Akram is interviewed, he alleges that his father is from Saudi Arabia. His make-shift Mosque is located at 7605 Woodland Ave S.E., Cleveland, Ohio. Wali Akram told the newspaper that he founded this mosque back in 1935. Wali Akram owns the grocery store at 7413 Woodland Ave, Cleveland, Ohio.
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1957
See Dannin
In 1957, Wali Akram became one of the first African Americans awarded a visa for pilgrimage to Mecca. During the trip he traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East, experiences that are recorded in an autobiographical manuscript entitled “From the Cotton Fields of the South to the Sandy Deserts of Arabia.” Working as an inventor, Akram was successful, technically speaking, having twenty-seven electrical and mechanical patents to his name. He had invented a coupler that was standardized on boxcars throughout America, but as an African American he was never given credit or a share in the profits that followed. Akram and his wife Kareema raised a large family of twelve children, sixty grandchildren, and more than seventy-five great-grandchildren, all of whom were educated in the Muslim tradition. An inventor by profession, so by confession he built a framework for Islam in America. He also traveled to Pakistan. Strangley enough, lots of Pakistani’s form the tablighi jamaat were in Cleveland and they paid for this trip.
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1994
“Al-Hajj Abdul Akram Founded the First,”, Plain Dealer, August 3, 1994, 9B
Wali Akram died at age 89.
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2007
Local Mosque Celebrates 70 Years | Ideastream Public Media
Local Mosque Celebrates 70 Years
It doesn’t really look like a mosque. The stodgy, red brick building on Cleveland’s east side doesn’t have a golden dome or slender towers reaching toward heaven. Looks can be deceiving, but there’s no mistaking the sound that reverberates through the hallways.
About 50 men, women and children sit on the carpeted floor of a former gymnasium, where Slovak kids used to play basketball. This largely African American group has gathered in response to the traditional Muslim call to prayer. Once Jalal Akram has focused the attention of the worshipers, his brother Khalid begins the Friday service at the First Mosque of Cleveland.
Khalid Akram is filling in for First Mosque’s official Imam, Abbas Ahmad, who is out of town. The role is an easy fit for a young man who has been coming to these services for as long as he can remember.
Khalid Akram: It was a great experience growing up in the Mosque because our family is so huge.
The Akram brothers are part of a family lineage that goes back decades, all the way to the founding of the First Mosque by their grandfather, Imam Wali Akram. There are now over 300 Akram descendants. Jalal says his faith is as natural as breathing, though he admits it hasn’t always been easy.
Jalal Akram: We knew that we were kind of different, but we grew up watching Bugs Bunny and everything everyone else watched. We knew our names were different. You know, sometimes I was embarrassed when people would call me by my Muslim name.
Mahmoud Akram: The name stands out, I understand.
81-year-old Mahmoud Akram has some sympathy for the plight of a young Muslim caught between two cultures.
Mahmoud Akram: But, by the same token, the most common name of boys born in the world is “Mohammed”. And that comes before “John”, even. Everybody and his brother is named Mohammed.
Mahmoud’s father, Wali Akram, was born as Walter Gregg in Bryan Texas, in 1904. He became intrigued with the teachings of Islam while attending a Nashville seminary school. He became a convert in 1923 and moved to Cleveland, soon after. In 1937, he founded and became the spiritual leader to what the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History calls the city’s first official home to area Muslims. Aisha Samad says the story amazes her.
Aisha Samad: In 1937, to think of an African American man establishing a mosque in Cleveland, Ohio, when we know the condition of most people in the ’30s. The Depression, and all those things.
The faces of Aisha Samad and her friend Loretta Kirk are framed by the traditional Muslim scarves, known as “hejabs”. Their serious faces break into smiles when challenging the notion that Islamic dress codes are tools of oppression against women.
Aisha Samad: There are many looks. We dress, and we have wardrobes. [laughs] I mean, we’re just like everyone else.
Loretta Kirk: [shares the laugh] Yes, we do have a wardrobe. I think it’s important for the public to realize that… we’re not strange people. We’re just Muslims. We work every day. We’re tax-paying people, we just have a different religion.
To help explain his religion, Mahmoud Akram quotes the holy book of another faith.
Mahmoud Akram: And that scripture says “What does the Lord require of thee? To love mercy… to do justly… and walk humbly with thy God.” And I respect people’s God, I don’t care who he is or what he calls him. You have to respect another person’s right to worship differently than you do.
The roots of Mahmoud Akram’s faith are deep. They’ve been growing for over eight decades. He and other members of the First Cleveland Mosque hope that non-Muslims will come visit, take part in the 70th anniversary celebration… and maybe lose a few preconceptions along the way.
Mahmoud Akram: [completes the prayer:] And then, we say, “Amen”, which means “So be it, Lord”
David C. Barnett, 90.3.
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Links and Related Essay’s
The Wali Akram Story – America’s Islamic Heritage Museum (aihmuseum.org)
Saeed Akmal is an ex-Ahmadi too – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
The untold story of Black Muslims: The Mufti and the Sheikhs (alhakam.org)
Who is Sheikh Nasir Ahmad? Aka Walter Smith Bey, another Ex-Ahmadi
Who is Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad? Another ex-Ahmadi? – ahmadiyyafactcheckblog
Who is Mr. Muhammad Yusuf Khan? A crooked Ahmadi Maulvi in the USA, 1921-1976?
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