Foolishly, I had believed Sayed Jumaa Salam in his offer that we would both share ‘authorship’ and profits, and that we would author several other writings together, which clearly was a totally insincere promise on his part, obviously made to get what he wanted. -SaLee Amina

When someone is accustomed to using any trick in the book to get what they want, it is difficult, if not impossible, to get them to conduct themselves honorably, most especially if they are profiting off of their scam. I realized this fact when I, Salee Amina Mohammed, had the misfortune of believing the business promises made to me by Sayed Jumaa Salam, the Imam of the Islamic Center of Reseda (ICR), California, where I have donated and attended whenever in town for decades. Unfortunately, after soliciting my professional writing services to produce the book, “Noor Al-Bayan, A Universal Interpretation and English Translation of the Holy Quran”, I found (to my shock and dismay) that every promise Sayed Jumaa had made to me, including to have both of our names on the front cover, was broken. I believe he had no intention whatsoever to keep his word. I think he simply said anything he needed to, so as to make his dream come true, so that he could be praised for his talent, in being the sole author of this book, which was actually a phony, fraudulent, fabricated and false representation. To this day, two years later, he has pocketed huge amounts of money off of the fruits of my labor, and he has paid me nothing. not one cent. Meanwhile, he continues to carry around copies, soliciting donations from mosques, embassies, Muslim VIPs, Muslim businesses and individual Muslims. His promise of putting both of our names on the cover was substituted by his name ALONE on the cover, in huge golden letters, with my name being lost in the middle of page ten, as barely an afterthought. When I complained about that, reminding him of his PROMISE to me, he threatened me that IF I DARE to complain, then he will remove my name altogether. And so he did.

The following editions of Noor Al-Bayan mentioned NOTHING whatsoever about me, and the profits derived from the fruits of my labor lined the pockets of Sayed Jumaa Salam, while I never received even one cent. These were, in my opinion, mafia-like “thug” tactics that he used against me, and which I have seen him use against others. Things people told me of threats they received suddenly seemed believable, although I previously could never have imagined this from a Muslim, no less an Imam!

As regards the broken promises made to me by Sayed Jumaa Salam, who solicited my professional writing services, resulting in the “Noor Al-Bayan”, a Universal Interpretation and English Translation of the Holy Quran, I have tried over two years to convince them to come clean and to do the right thing as regards the false claim of sole authorship of “Noor Al-Bayan,” by Sayed Jumaa Salam, and his many broken agreements, but it seems rather hopeless.

Nevertheless, despite feeling betrayed and abused, I have continued to do my best to show respect towards Sayed Juma, because of his position as Imam of ICR, and for the mosque itself, as well as for the fact that Sayed was born as a Muslim. I have always been careful in my conduct to not rush to judgment, be closed minded or ‘throw the baby out with the bathwater,’ knowing that there is no person who is all bad or all good.

I have always been one to actively try to forgive and not display animosity for fellow Muslims. But, the pain of this ‘slap in the face’ of being cheated and deceived still stings, and I believe that such apparently insidious greed, selfishness and dishonesty by Sayed Jumaa Salam and the ICR has marked a bruise on the face of Islam, and is an insult to all Muslims; while they parade through the mosque, as if they are righteous leaders and authorities. (‘There are some who say, “We believe in Allah [God] and the Last Day”, [but in reality, they] do NOT believe. They deceive Allah [God] and those who believe, yet, [truly] deceive none but themselves, though they do not know.’ Quran – 75:8-9, 4:8,12)

Unfortunately, all of my efforts failed miserably to convince Sayed Jumaa to keep his word and to conduct himself ethically in all matters, including the publication of the “Noor Al-Bayan”, to which I had devoted long hours and tedious work, at the exclusion of everything else in my life, even my own family members and my career. I had put everything else on hold, so as to concentrate exclusively on the writing necessary to result in a book that would be deserving of the title “Noor Al-Bayan”. I had dedicated myself to creating a translation that would be very easy for any person to comprehend, with sufficient explanation to satisfy even the newest reader, while painstakingly adhering to the true meaning and spirit of the original Holy Quran, without deviation.

In the end, even that noble goal of mine was undermined, since Sayed Jumaa Salam, seemingly convinced to always have the last word in everything, chose to change some of what I wrote; and thus, the finished work had deficiencies and errors, much to my dismay.

Foolishly, I had believed Sayed Jumaa Salam in his offer that we would both share ‘authorship’ and profits, and that we would author several other writings together, which clearly was a totally insincere promise on his part, obviously made to get what he wanted. But, some might say that his conduct was such that it might be called false, fabricated, fraudulent and illegal.

In the State of California, all agreements, even verbal promises, are binding in a Court of Law. Now that the sales of the fruits of my labor are being tallied up at considerable profits to Sayed Jumaa and ICR, lining the pockets of culprits in a rather dishonorable ploy to deceptively extract professional work out of people, under false pretenses, I assume they are convinced that their positions of power and the money they have gathered, albeit, somewhat unethically) would protect them in case of a legal battle. Plus, they would surely call upon the donations of the community of Muslims who are unaware of their antics to finance any such circumstances. (‘Let not their strutting about through the land deceive you!’ Quran 40:4)

However, the disjointed writings that I received from Sayed Jumaa was something that might have been described as an often indecipherable, confusing, muddled, wandering of words; often going off on irrelevant tangents, adding his personal distortions and subtracting some of what I considered vitally necessary, so as not to CHANGE the original meaning of the Holy Quran, in its original historic Arabic, which is the only actual and true Quran.

Unfortunately, there are some people who are inclined to do what is correct, honest, forthright and in keeping with the prescribed boundaries of proper Muslim conduct, according to the Quran and the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), and there are other people who simply give their alleged religious philosophy lip-service, but they do not apply it in their lives, or they choose what portions they wish to follow, and what they choose to discard, according to their own desires, or to their financial benefit. In the case of Sayed Jumaa Salam, I have seen him as a person who cannot be trusted by me, and therefore, I have ceased all contact with him and with the Islamic Center of Reseda (ICR), after twenty years of patronage there.

I stand by all I have said, now and previously, and I am KNOWN for my veracity & courage. Also, I HAVE INVARIABLY STATED TO THE FACE OF SAYED Jumaa Salam ALL OF WHAT I HAVE EVER CONVEYED TO ANYONE ELSE; and I gave him the chance to DO WHAT IS RIGHT BY ME. But instead, he chose to fill his coffers with profits from the fruit of my labor, without ever sharing one penny with me, as had been promised, and without even giving me written credit for my work, which also had been promised. I believe that I was robbed, cheated, deceived, used and abused, and I feel as violated as anyone would if they were similarly ‘raped’ in any business deal or personal transaction. In fact, Sayed Jumaa tried to connive even more free work out of me, after having betrayed my trust and broken their agreement with me. This is NOT the proper conduct of leaders of an Islamic Center. However, this seems typical of a certain type of person who only knows how to take, take, take; and who think nothing of the negative consequences they may cause upon others.

However, having said that – let me please remind you that years ago, when MANY people were complaining about & slandering in emails the alleged character & misconduct of Sayed Jumaa Salam, I was the ONLY person who came to his defense, reminding them that he leads the prayers, gives classes on Islam & has studied much about Islam and is the Imam of ICR (although he is PAID to do all of those things).

I defended him at that time, while even his own best friends had failed to do so, despite that he had been ABOMINABLE in his rude treatment of me & using my work to create the Noor Al-Bayan, conniving me with false promises (all of which he broke), and removing my name from ANY acknowledgment. (Originally, I was barely mentioned on page ten, then, I was told that if I complain about it, he will remove my name completely, and he did so!)

The CHEATING of me in the situation as regards the publication of Noor Al-Bayan was ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back’. I would like to see this issue resolved, but I hold little hope of this happening. My only solace at this point is that in the end, those who do such dishonorable things will receive their just punishment. (‘It will inevitably come that all your deeds will be brought and placed before you.’ Quran – 75)

If our dear Prophet (PBUH) was alive today, I think he would be ashamed of Muslims who show their faces to others as if they are Muslims, smiling and cajoling to gain favor, while they cheat and deceive behind closed doors. Such hypocrisy! (‘Allah hates the hypocrites even more than the disbelievers.’ ‘The hypocrites are indeed the transgressors.’ Quran – 9:67)

We need to cooperate as a community, to be forthright and straight forward, to CARE about each other, and to be FAIR, HONEST & ETHICAL in all matters.

I pray for the future of Islam, which is in the hands of Muslims. The reputation of Islam rests upon the CONDUCT of Muslims.

Salam Alaikum

AMINA
Dr. SaLee Amina Mohammed
www.saleeamina.com
YouTube: Salee Amina