Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed
by Bob Knotts, Founder & President
A Personal Reflection
I have lost a valued friend. The Humanity Project has lost a valued Board director. And our community as well as the world at large have lost an important voice for respect among all people. I am profoundly saddened to announce the death of Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed, the result of an unexpected sudden illness that began only short days ago.
Shafayat was the Imam of a busy South Florida mosque as well as a highly regarded Muslim scholar who spoke all over the world, in person and through his TV program that was seen by millions. The Humanity Project twice was featured on that show. Everywhere he went, Shafayat spoke up for interfaith understanding and compassion — and he represented what it means to apply the Humanity Project’s core values in daily life: The need for self-worth within every individual. The importance of equality and respect at every level of society. The celebration of human diversity. As he said in a recent public forum: “Christians, Jews, Muslims, we need all sides to educate one another about each other.” Shaikh Shafayat Mohamed believed this to his core. And he lived it in his work and his day-to-day life.
I am writing this blog under my byline for a reason. The passing of this extraordinary man requires the expression of loss in terms more personal than a mere announcement by the nonprofit organization he served. I had many many conversations with Shafayat over the past few years, chats that usually began with the words, “Hello, my friend!” Every word I ever heard from him and each action I witnessed reaffirmed for me his deep and genuine commitment to universal respect among all people. He was a wise and compassionate human being. And I cared for him a lot, as I always will.
In closing, I feel it’s perhaps appropriate to share a musical composition I finished only about a month or so ago — with no thought whatsoever that it might be used in this way, of course. At this link, you’ll find a simple video to accompany the brief work I titled, “Of Fond Remembrance.” It’s a classical composition for flute and harp that tries to convey the bittersweet feelings of both gratitude and sadness at the memory of someone lost to us in one way or another. Listen to the music.
To the fine family of my friend, Shafayat, I and everyone at the Humanity Project offer our most sincere and deepest condolences on your loss. We know you will make every effort to continue his work — just as we at the Humanity Project will redouble our own fight to promote self-worth, equality and respect in our troubled world.
