Imam Siraj Wahhaj joined the Nation of Islam in 1969 and became the imam of Masjid Muhammad 7C in Bedford-Stuyvesant in 1976. He studied with the Muslim World League in Chicago and at Umm Al-Qura University in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He founded Masjid At-Taqwa in 1981; the following year, he purchased a building in Bedford-Stuyvesant to house the mosque. As the imam of Masjid At-Taqwa, Wahhaj coordinated successful efforts to reduce crime in the area, especially through anti-drug patrols in 1988, and by emphasizing significant community outreach.
