Itinerant scholar & historian, world
traveller, religious leader
- MA in African History, U of T.
- 1995 Ph.D History Department, U of T, West African Islamic History
- Aspects of Social Intellectual History in Hausaland; 1774 – 1804 Shaykh Uthman Ibn Fudi
- Did research in Northern Nigeria (Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Zaria; all in Nigeria among others) – brought 37 original Arabic manuscripts back to Canada; translated and analysed them to understand his thoughts. Consulted writings of leading historians in major archival centers of Nigeria.
- Professor Martin Klein, Thesis Examiner: John Hunwick, a leading African Arabic historian in the world (head of African studies program in North Western University in Chicago, the university has largest collection of African authored Arabic documents (from Africa) in North America
Islamic University of Madinah
1979 BA Islamic Sciences & Da’wah (outreach), Saudi Arabia
AlMaghrib Institute
Senior Lecturer & Historian, Head of History Department, (2010 – present)
Islamic Institute of Toronto (IIT)
Senior Lecturer (May 2012 – present)
Ontario Science Center
Consultant
Honorary Chief
Sierra Leone
Order of Arctic Adventurers
Honorary Member
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
February 24, 2013
Childhood Roots
Born June 25, 1949 in Boston, Massachusetts
• Grew up in a housing project, Washington Elms, near M.I.T. in Cambridge, Mass.
• Father, Earl Grey Quick, an African American with possible indigenous Mohawk ancestry. US Military police, served in WW2, landing in Algeria and going through Europe fighting fascism.
• Mother: She was an educated African American woman who attained a MA. Her mother came from Barbados, W.I. Her grandfather was Charles Bourne White British businessman who married Mary Bynoe, a Black Barbadian.
Dr. Quick’s evolution from a Cambridge MA
public school to Bucknell University,
Lewisburg PA
• In 6th grade, was placed in an “Academically Talented” program that brought together the brightest minds of Cambridge MA.
• 1963: Entered Cambridge High and Latin School where he maintained an honors grade throughout.
• Selected as the Captain of the Basketball and Tennis teams.
• December, 1967: Recognized as City of Cambridge’s Scholar-Athlete.
• Awarded a N.N.S.F scholarship to Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA.
• Awarded full scholarship to Reed College in Portland, Oregon.
• Became an anti-war activist at Bucknell U.
• Joined the Black Student Union of Reed College that successfully won the right to have a Black Studies Program.
• 1969: Left Reed College, returned home to the Anti War and Black Consciousness Movement .
• Refusing to participate in the Vietnam War, he eventually left USA for Canada.
North America to the Sacred City of Medinah
1970:
Took up residence in Canada. Accepted Islam at the Islamic Foundation in Toronto. Dr Ahmad Sakr of the MSA witnessed the conversion to Islam.
1971:
1971: During social activism work in Canada, met Charmaine Patricia Harris (now, Kareema Ameena Quick). The two married in 1972 and have been together ever since.
1973:
Accepted an invitation to study at the Islamic University of Madinah as one of the first two scholarships ever given to Canada.
1974:
Brought young wife and first child to Al-Madina. Over the next 5 years, completed the (Arabic) language Dept. and the College of Dawah and Islamic Sciences.
1977:
While studying in Medinah, he was pardoned by President Jimmy Carter and was allowed to return to America; he opted to complete his studies in Medinah.
1979:
Studied in Riyadh, earning a Diploma in Teaching Arabic to non-Arabic speaking people.
To: Around The World
A new scholar addresses a
global audience
• Left Saudia Arabia and travelled throughout the English speaking territories of Central America and the Caribbean Region.
• 1980: Took up residence in Los Angeles CA at Masjid Mu’min, teaching and inviting to Islam.
• 1981: Left California and migrated to Jamaica, W.I., taking up residence and teaching their Muslim community for almost four years.
• Helped establish the Association of Islamic Communities of the Caribbean and Latin America. Travelled to Trinidad, Guyana, Belize, Bahamas and other places, assisting the Muslim community and teaching the public about Islam.
Canadian homecoming
•1985: Returned to Toronto as Imam (Director) of the Jami Masjid, one of the largest masjids in Canada.
•1990: Left the Jami Mosque and opened I.S.S.R.A., the first bonafide Islamic Social Service organization in Canada, counseling thousands of people, primarily Muslims immigrating into Canada searching for a better life.
•1997: Attended a Islamic Medical Association A.I.D.S conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. After touring the country, realized a need to leverage his Afro American roots for helping underserved African communities in South Africa and surrounding region.
Outreach for folks in hard to reach places
• 1998: Moved to Cape Town on the personal sponsorship of Shaykh Nazim Muhammad of the Muslim Judicial Council. Established the Dawah Department and got busy in the local African townships.
• 2000's: Formed the Dawah Coordinating Forum with national Dawah agencies and became its first Amir. With Br. Rafeek Hasan (IPCI) and others, formed a special Dawah (outreach) team and visited 35 cities in South Africa speaking to the public and training Muslims in Dawah.
• 2000’s: Initiated the Discover Islam Center, an all-purpose Dawah facility to train people, produce literature, initiate open houses, and coordinate Dawah work, locally, nationally and internationally.
• Anchored and co-produced two documentaries (Untold Ethiopia and Journey to The Empire of Knowledge: Timbuktu) and taught a series of related workshops.
Canadian Snow
Global Scholar returns to home base in Canada
• 2008: Left South Africa for Bahrain where, along with Muhammad Qadeer (Discover Islam America), engaged in outreach activities in Bahrain. Hired by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs of Bahrain to lead outreach activities at Masjid Al Fateh, in the city of Manama.
• 2009-2010: Returned to Canada and joined Al Maghrib Institute (Head of the History Department) and the Islamic Institute of Toronto (locally).
• 2011: Became the Director of Outreach for the Canadian Council of Imams (to the present).
All Over The Place
Dr. Quick’s research, outreach, and education work spans across 62 countries and counting.