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[Podcast] The Parts of Being an Imam They Don’t Warn You About | Sh Mohammad Elshinawy

Published

January 27, 2026

What does every new Imam need to know about being an imam? What do you do if you’re in a small community with minimal resources? How do you manage joining a new community, learning the ropes, and not biting off more than you can chew? In this episode, Sh. Mohammad Elshinawy shares his advice for new imams, community building, and reflections on his own imam experience.

Shaykh Mohammad Elshinawy is a Graduate of English Literature at Brooklyn College, NYC. He studied at College of Hadith at the Islamic University of Madinah and is a graduate and instructor of Islamic Studies at Mishkah University. He has translated major works for the International Islamic Publishing House, the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America, and Mishkah University.

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Zainab bint Younus (AnonyMouse) is a Canadian Muslim woman who writes on Muslim women's issues, gender related injustice in the Muslim community, and Muslim women in Islamic history. She holds a diploma in Islamic Studies from Arees University, a diploma in History of Female Scholarship from Cambridge Islamic College, and has spent the last fifteen years involved in grassroots da'wah. She was also an original founder of MuslimMatters.org.

4 Comments

Amer Rizvi

January 29, 2026 at 9:52 AM

I wish Muslim scholars and imams, in general, knew more about worldly affairs and not just religious matters. I asked one scholar from AMJA as to what I should do about the vicious racial discrimination I faced in the public school I taught in. He said I should forgive them as Muslims are allowed to forgive disbelievers. And on the Day of Judgement I will get my justice! What I wanted was some encouragement to get my rights as a human being, not a formula to become another Muslim doormat!

Reply
- Wael Abdelgawad
  
  January 31, 2026 at 12:08 AM
  
  To be fair, a religious scholar can’t know everything about everything. He can’t be a civil rights expert, marriage counselor, financial advisor… You should have consulted a CAIR official or civil rights attorney.
  
  Reply
Amer Rizvi

January 31, 2026 at 8:15 AM

Religious scholars who give fatwa in our country should be broadly educated and have strong knowledge particularly of civil rights issues.

Educated Muslims in the US now realize that to thrive as a community, and not just survive, pursuing careers in just IT, business and medicine will not cut it. Muslims are now entering fields like broadcast journalism, law enforcement, public school teaching, politics (Democratic and Republican), public service, sports, the entertainment industry etc. As Muslim trailblazers, they are going to encounter much racial and religious discrimination. I believe a strong background in civil rights is critical for a religious scholar and Imam working in our country.

I did not take the Fatwa from the AMJA scholar. In my opinion, the fatwa to forgive the perpetrators and oppressors would have allowed religious and racial discrimination as well as child abuse at the school I was working at to continue.

As a Virginia public school teacher, an American Red Cross lifeguard and a mandated reporter of child abuse, I had to send a firm message to our school district. And, most importantly, on the Day of Judgement, I would have to answer to Allah: Did I try to stop the evil I saw in this world?

Fortunately, the scholars at our local ADAMS Islamic center were well aware of civil rights issues. First, they listened to me with empathy, the most important thing for a scholar to do. They understood the trauma I had been through. They said I had a strong case and the main Imam even referred me to a former school board member. May Allah reward them all.

And of course I went to CAIR. CAIR informed me, “CAIR receives a large volume of complaints each month and is unable to accept all complaints that it receives. Upon reviewing the information you provided in connection with your claim, we are unable to assist you with your case at this time.”

I also consulted with several civil rights lawyers. They were asking for retainer fees from $20,000 to $30,000 up front. I could not afford that. So, I sued the school board myself,

حسبي الله و نعم الوكيل

Reply
- Wael Abdelgawad
  
  February 1, 2026 at 1:38 AM
  
  What he said to you does not sound to me like a fatwa. It sounds like a bit of advice based on his personal opinion.
  
  Reply