Meet our Principal
Qur’an Shakir Abdul-Khaaliq
Principal, Educator, Motivational Speaker, Writer, Counselor
Sis. Qur’an, affectionately called Madame Q, believes strongly that the more we are focused on getting closer to the One who Created us and being as pleasing to Him as we can, the better and healthier we will be as human beings in our marriages, families, communities, society and the world. For more than 20 years, she has been a teacher at W. D. Mohammed High School of Atlanta. She is a certified AP (Advanced Placement) teacher and one with extensive training in literacy and reading support for adolescents. She enjoys researching and teaching teachers about “Best Practices” and creative ways to incite learning and encourage success among students, especially those who seem lost and unmotivated. She has a passion for catering to struggling learners using differentiated instruction and appealing to the multiple intelligences that G’d has given to us. Madame Q is Principal of Mohammed Schools of Atlanta. Because of her work with the children and teachers of Mohammed Schools and in training and sharing her talent with teachers in the public school system of Atlanta, she has been initiated as a Jegna –Master Educator of African-American children (2002). She has been named Teacher of the Year at Mohammed High and listed repeatedly in Who’s Who Among American High School Teachers. She has served as a chaplain in a local women’s prison, conducting a weekly “Confronting Self” workshop. Additionally, she is a motivational speaker at colleges, local schools, institutions, juvenile systems, and children’s centers. She is a doula (pronounced doola), one who coaches women in childbirth labor. She is a freelance writer, owning her own column in Muslim Journal called “Road to Nikkah”. She is a founder and CEO of the Taalib-Din Company, a company promoting learning Islam through games and competitions, founder and board member of Taqwa Productions, an Islamic television production company, a Fulbright Scholar, a founding member of UMMA (now called Muslims for Marriage), a group of workers to help married and unmarried Muslims. The list of work, achievements and titles for Madame Q continue.
Born and raised Muslim in the Nation of Islam and later converting to Islam proper, Qur’an learned to value strong families and communities. Her father was a minister; her mother was a captain. She was the first in her family of eight siblings to be born Muslim and she was named “Qur’an” by the Hon. Elijah Muhammad, a profound leader of the Nation of Islam and father of the late Hon. Imam W. D. Mohammed. At the age of 12 when she questioned her name, the Hon. Elijah Muhammad told her to consider it her challenge to live up to her name, which means “the book that must be read, a clear guide to truth”. All of these experiences put Qur’an on a journey of being an activist for healthy relationships with G’d, self, mates, family, community, society and the world.
Other than her relationship with Allah, she has four other valued relationships: her marriage to her loving husband and friend, William Abdul-Khaaliq, her relationship with her five children –four who grew under her heart, one who grew in it. Her relationship with her extended family of more than 50 Muslims including her late mother (Maryam Shakir), sisters, brothers, uncles, aunt, nieces, nephews, who gather regularly for dinner, games, laughter and good family relations; lastly, her relationship with her Muslim community, which plummets her into many activities –from planning Islamic conventions and conferences, designing publications on Islam, and organizing various press conferences and the like to being voted (2004) as one of eight to serve on the Majlis Ash-Shura, leadership and consultative body of the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam. She has made the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca and fulfilled the fifth pillar of the Islamic religion earning the title of Al-Hajja (1990).
She says simply, “Allah is my Guide. I listen carefully to His strategic calling and I just follow. I don’t know where this road will take me, but I trust Him and I am enjoying the ride. The Creator has a ride for everyone. Enjoy it!”
Education:
Fielding Graduate University – Doctor of Education pursuit, Educational Leadership, (currently)
National University – Master of Science, Instructional Technology, 2008
Georgia State University – Bachelor of Arts, Journalism, 1980
Certifications and Special Training:
Certificate of Education – State of Georgia, 2009
College Board Advanced Placement Instruction, 2009
Literacy and Reading Specialist, DeKalb County, 2002
CPR and First Aid
Honors and Awards:
– STAR Teacher, PAGE (Professcional Association of Georgia Educators), 2007, 2011
– Teacher of the Year, Mohammed Schools of Atlanta, 2002, 2007, 2010
– Lady Khadijah Award, Masjid Ash-Shura, 2007
– Jegna, Master Educator of African American Children, 2002
– Who’s Who Among American Educators
– Who’s Who Among U.S. Executives
– National Council of Negro Women, Hall of Fame
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Professional Affiliations:
– Majlis Ash-Shura, Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam, board member, www.atlantamasjid.com
– Muslim Educational Professionals Association, muslimeducationalprofessionals@yahoogroups.com, www.claramuhammadschools.org
– Taalib-Din Company, founder and board member
– Taqwa Productions, founder and board member
– Georgia Reading Association, member
– Muslims for Marriage, co-chair, www.muslimsformarriage.net
– Teen Leadership and Development – Powerful Youth in Charge; Be Smart, Don’t Start Inc.
– Muslim Journal Inc. – columnist “Road to Nikkah”, correspondent (http://muslimjournal.webexone.com/login.asp?loc=&link=)
Overview of Achievements:
Completed the Hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca, 1990
World Pilgrims Alumni, Turkey and Greece Group, 2006
Fulbright Scholar, “African Presence in the Americus”, Nicaragua, Central America, 2004
Designed Islamic game –Kabara, Challenge of Islamic Knowledge
Other responsibilities of the past:
Classes Taught:
Grammar and Composition (English 9)
American Literature (English 11) (AP)
British Literature (English 12)
Yearbook Design and Layout (12th grade)
Drama (11th and 12th grade applications course)
Mohammed Schools Responsibilities:
Principal
Mock Trial Team, advisor
National Honor Society, advisor
Thespians Guild, advisor
Tech Ten Team, member
School Improvement Team