A few years ago, Hamas attacked Israeli civilians, and Israel responded against Palestinians with what many experts call genocide.
Although the violence — which is still going on — occurrs in the Middle East, the actions have had reverberations for Americans.
Anti-semitism and Islamophobia have grown worse. After October of 2023, the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations and CAIR national recorded some of the highest levels of Islamophobic activity seen since September 11, 2001.
The Metro’s Sam Corey spoke to people practicing Islam in the area, and scholars of Islamophobia to better understand why this particular form of hatred is rising.
Click play on the media player above to hear the full story and additional comments by Sam Corey on The Metro.
Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.
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The U.S. Justice Department wants Wayne County to hand over ballots from the 2024 election. Justice officials claim the county surrounding Detroit has a “history of fraud convictions and other allegations.”
Michigan officials say the few examples of fraud cited by the Justice Department out of millions of votes cast were not connected to the 2024 election. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson—who is running for governor as a Democrat—says she believes President Trump is trying to manufacture fear among voters.
Michigan’s Republican-controlled state senate also found no evidence of widespread or systemic fraud in the 2020 election.
Detroit representatives co-sponsor water access, affordability bills
Detroit-area representatives are among those co-sponsoring water access and affordability bills in the U.S. House. If passed, he bills would create an Environmental Protection Agency program that provides access to clean water for low-income households.
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell is one of the sponsors of the legislation. She says clean, accessible, affordable drinking water is a basic human right. The bills would also prohibit water shutoffs and give equal protection for renters and homeowners.
These bills are similar to ones Dingell and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib got passed in 2021, though funding was allowed to run out in the Republican-controlled House.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud says the city and its private sector partners are investing $180 million in a wide variety of developments, including new housing. Hammoud says the city has already reviewed and approved some concept plans and is speeding up the permitting process.
Volunteers needed for Cinco De Mayo Fiesta
Raíces Detroit is looking for volunteers for its Cinco de Mayo Fiesta and Parade. Volunteers will serve in a variety of roles, including event set-up and breakdown, assistance with parade staging, vendor support and more.
The Fiesta will be Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3. The parade will be held on Sunday.
To volunteer, contact Raíces Detroit at 313-404-0850.
Interfaith Odysseys explores Islam
The Interfaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit invites the community to explore Islam as a part of its Interfaith Odysseys program in May. Attendees will visit the Islamic Center of America – the largest mosque in the United States. The event includes a tour of the mosque, an introduction to Islam and a warm meal.
Guests will also view the “Art, Faith and Sacred Space” exhibit of work by Lebanese-born artist Haroutioun Isack Bastajian. Interfaith Odysseys are designed for all members of the family.
Joyce Foundation seeks to fund artists
The Joyce Foundation is offering artists across the Great Lakes a chance at a hundred thousand dollars in unrestricted funds for community-focused projects.
Artists in Michigan can nominate themselves through May 4. The Joyce Awards artists in the visual, performing, film, literary and media arts exploring issues of racial equity and engaging communities through collaboration.
Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
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February is Black History Month and WDET’s Detroit Evening Report collected stories from listeners for the Black History Listening Project.
Hadiyah Ahmad is the wife of late Imam Nadir Ahmad, founder and director of Al-Ikhlas Training Academy, one of the first Islamic schools in Detroit. She serves as the Administrative Assistant at the school.
In an interview with WDET, Hadiyah Ahmad shares the story of her husband’s life.
Listen: Hadiyah Ahmad shares Imam Nadir Ahmad’s journey as founder of Islamic school
Religion brings Ahmad to Detroit
She says they both converted to Islam from Christianity in 1973. They lived in Virginia before moving to Detroit.
Imam Nadir came to Detroit in 1980 to study Islam at Wayne County Community College’s Muslim World Studies program. Ahmad says Imam Nadir was working on writing a book.
“He’s always been an avid reader and researcher. He studied the religion constantly,” she says.
Ahmad says Imam Nadir studied under Dr. Shahbazz from Masjid Wali Muhammad. The mosque was given historical designation in Detroit in 2013. It was the first temple for the Nation of Islam before becoming a Sunni Muslim mosque.
From student to teacher
Nadir Ahmad became an Imam and taught at the Sister Clara Muhammad School, starting as a 5th grade teacher and eventually making his way up to assistant principal and principal.
“He’s always been committed to giving the children an Islamic education,” Ahmad says.
Imam Nadir Ahmad founded and served as director of Al-Ikhlas Training Academy since 1991. He passed away in January 2026.
Ahmad says following the closure of the Clara Muhammad school, Imam Nadir opened Al-Ikhlas in 1991 as a space for kids to continue their Islamic education.
“We had our children, and many parents had their children that they didn’t want them to go to public school. So we decided that… we weren’t going to wait. We were going to continue with Islamic education. He said that, well, we’re going to branch out and open our own school,” she says.
In an effort to allow all students to attend, he created a sliding pay scale for tuition.
Family and community focus
Ahmad says Imam Nadir balanced his home life as a father and husband while working for the community.
“He was doing what he loved doing,” she says.
“We worked hard together, and he always let me know what his mission was and where we were going and what the plans that he had,” she says.
The couple was married for 53 years and worked together in the schools.
Ahmad says Imam Nadir did a lot of work behind the scenes.
“Allah had blessed him with so many talents; he could basically do anything that he decided to do. We didn’t hire a lot of different people to do a lot of different skills, but he did most of it himself,” she shares.
After Imam Nadir’s passing last month, several students shared their memories online, saying they were inspired to come together. They also created a fundraiser in his honor to raise funds for the school.
Ahmad says he was a little obsessed with his role.
“He could not even think unless he thought about the children, what they need, when they need it, how they need it. He loved those children,” Ahmad expresses.
A life of service and a lasting legacy
Imam Nadir previously served in Vietnam, having been affected by Agent Orange from his time in service. Ahmad says he got cancer in 1997 and had to remove a kidney. But that didn’t stop him from continuing his work.
“It didn’t really start affecting him until 10 years ago. He had to get on dialysis. He was the type of person that he never really let anything stop him from what he wanted to do in terms of leading the school he was teaching during this time, he was Mashallah,” she says.
Ahmad says Imam Nadir’s legacy is his love of Allah and the love of community. He died in January 2026.
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