New Council Members for 2002

Four candidates were elected to begin three-year terms in January 2002, on the Council of the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo. The newly elected Council members are as follows:

Mr. Assad Hawary

Mr. Hawary was born in Lebanon and came to the United States in 1959. He is retired now, but he started out running a restaurant and bakery and then worked for many years at the Jeep Corporation. He and his wife, Delal, have three sons, one daughter and six grandchildren.

He has been actively involved in the Center's activities having served on a number of committees in the old Mosque. He taught Arabic and religion for ten straight years in the Weekend school and has been a substitute teacher on and off since then.

Mr. Hawary would like to see more study groups formed that would make our membership more united, would help us to be a more close-knit family, and would foster and teach us to "live in the Muslim way." He would also like to see us develop good playgrounds for the children and go forward with plans for the senior citizens home.

Dr. M. Razi Rafeeq

Dr. Rafeeq was born in Hyderabad, India and came to the United States in 1976. He is a physician with a specialty in the treatment of allergies and he maintains offices in Maumee and Oregon. He and his wife, Shahida, have two daughters and one son.

He served three terms on Council from 1991 through 2000 and held the positions of Treasurer for two years, Vice-President for one year, and President for one year. He was chairman of the Religion and Education committee, Finance committee, Public Relations committee, Visiting Scholars Lecture committee, and others.

Dr. Rafeeq hopes that we will continue with the programs we have developed and will be able to add new programs. "It is important for us to continue what we decide, to follow through, and achieve what we hope to achieve."

Mr. Husayn Hazimah

Mr. Hazimah was born in Lebanon and came to the United States in 1957. He attended the University of Toledo and graduated with a Masters degree in education with a major in mathematics. He taught mathematics for 30 years at Bettsville high school and retired in 1991. He and his wife, Laila, have one son, one daughter and three grandchildren.

Mr. Hazimah favors a more aggressive membership program. He feels we should work to get more people involved with the Islamic Center. He also thinks that members should be informed about issues confronting the Council and that members should be made aware of the decisions made about those issues.

Dr. S. Amjad Hussain

Dr. Hussain was born in Peshawar, Pakistan and came to the United States in 1963. He is a physician specializing in thoracic and peripheral vascular surgery and maintains an office in Oregon. He and his wife, Dottie, have two sons, one daughter and one six-year-old granddaughter.

He served eight three-year terms on Council and was President from 1982 to 1984 and again from 1996 to 2000. He has been chairman of the Public Relations committee, Social Services committee, Publications committee, Finance committee, Building committee, Visiting Scholars Lecture committee, and was Editor of the Monitor. He has worked on a number of other committees as well. He writes a regular column for The Blade and has published six books.

Dr. Hussain feels the Center should continue the progress that has moved it forward for the past 20 years.

posted 12/13/01