ICNA Council for Social Justice Mourns Passing of Imam Jamil Al‑Amin and Reaffirms Call for Justice

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ICNA Council for Social Justice Mourns Passing of Imam Jamil Al‑Amin and Reaffirms Call for Justice

The ICNA Council for Social Justice (ICNA CSJ), together with the Muslim Alliance for Black Lives (MABL), mourns the passing of Imam Jamil Abdullah Al‑Amin (formerly H. Rap Brown), who returned to his Lord on November 23, 2025, after decades of wrongful incarceration. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, children, family, and Muslim community all who loved and were inspired by him.

For more than six decades, Imam Jamil stood at the heart of the Black freedom struggle in America, from his early leadership in the Student Non‑Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and his role as Minister of Justice of the Black Panther Party, to his transformative work as an imam in Atlanta’s West End. He helped build masajid, reduce crime, and revive a community through daʿwah, service, and principled organizing.

ICNA CSJ has long affirmed that Imam Jamil was a political prisoner, targeted for his beliefs and community leadership rather than any crime. In August 1995, he was arrested in Atlanta on highly publicized shooting allegations; the alleged victim later stated he had been pressured to name Imam Jamil and admitted he never saw the shooter. Those charges were ultimately dropped. Years later, the same pattern of suspicion and overreach reappeared in the tragic events surrounding the shooting of two Fulton County deputies on March 16, 2000, for which Imam Jamil was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to life without parole.

“We believe Imam Jamil’s conviction was a grave miscarriage of justice and part of a longer history of state repression against Black freedom fighters and Muslim leaders,” said Imam Khalid Griggs, ICNA CSJ. “His passing does not end our responsibility to seek truth, accountability, and restoration of his honor.”

After his conviction, Imam Jamil was held for years in harsh federal facilities far from his family and community, including extended isolation and prolonged medical neglect. Even as his health deteriorated with serious illnesses, he remained a teacher, a source of strength, and a symbol of steadfastness for movements against racism, Islamophobia, and mass incarceration.

ICNA CSJ and MABL honor Imam Jamil’s lifelong struggle for justice and renew our commitment to:

 -Support efforts to fully review and publicly disclose all evidence in his case;

 -Pursue posthumous measures to clear his name;

 -Stand with other political prisoners and victims of wrongful convictions, especially Black and Muslim prisoners.

Inna lillāhi wa inna ilayhi rājiʿūn (From Allah we Belong and to Allah we shall return). May Allah grant Imam Jamil the highest ranks of Jannah, forgive his shortcomings, and reward his family for their immense patience and sacrifice.

Media Contact:

Imam Khalid Griggs

ICNA Council for Social Justice