A
funeral service will be held after Dhuhr prayers on Monday at Masjid Muhammad,
1519 4th Street N.W., Washington, D.C.
"To
God we belong and to Him we return," said CAIR National Executive Director
Nihad Awad. "Brother Hodari's leadership and activism were an inspiration
and example to all who knew him. CAIR's board and staff offer their sincere
condolences to his family and loved ones."
Abdul-Ali
was born in San Diego, Calif., graduated magna cum laude from Howard
University's School of Communications in 1976 and undertook graduate studied at
Johns Hopkins University. He was editor in chief of the Howard University
campus newspaper.
In
1976, he founded Liberation Information Distributing Co., a leading national
wholesaler of books and periodicals about Africa, African-Americans and Islam.
In 1981, he founded Pyramid Books in Washington, D.C., which grew to become the
first chain of independent African-American owned and oriented bookstores.
Since 1995 he operated Dar Es Salaam Books/Health Center in suburban
Washington, D.C.
As an
activist, Abdul-Ali received numerous awards for community service and was
involved with a variety of non-profit organizations. He was a member of the
governing body of the Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA), director of the
Universal Human Rights Network, executive director of Give Peace a Chance
Coalition, and a member of NCOBRA — the National Coalition of Blacks for
Reparations in America. Abdul-Ali also hosted a radio program, "The
Struggle Continues!" at WPFW 89.3 FM.
