Amin Muhammad

Published 12:00 am Sunday, March 16, 2008

April 19, 1939 – Feb. 18, 2008
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Services for Amin Ali Muhammad, formerly known as Arthur Lee Washington, who died Monday, Feb. 18, 2008, were Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Mr. Muhammad was born April 9, 1939, in Natchez, the son of Engle Sr. and Annie Bell Washington. He spent his early childhood years in Natchez and later moved to New Orleans for a brief stay before finally moving to Cleveland in 1958 to live with his sister and brother-in-law. It was in Cleveland that he spent the remaining years of his life. His passion was for music. He was very skilled at playing the guitar. He especially favored rhythm and blues and actually played a few sets with the legendary B.B. King as well as played in a few local Cleveland bands.
In 1964, Amin met and later married Mary Shuler. They raised eight children. He worked at Ford Motor plant and Enamel Products before taking on the challenge of owning his own businesses, which included a grocery store, a rubbish hauling business and ultimately the infamous “Art’s Donut Shop.” He was known by many people as “The Donut Man.” This was his lifelong business until his passing.
Amin converted to Islam in the early 1970s and began living his life as a Muslim. He was a leader and pillar within his neighborhood community, as well as within the Islamic community. He was very well respected and will be greatly missed by his Islamic brothers and peers. He received several recognition awards for outstanding leadership in the community.
He was preceded in death by his father; one brother, Engle Washington Jr. of Natchez; and one sister, Thelma Lee Johnson of Cleveland, Ohio; parental grandparents, Malachi and Annie Evans Washington; and maternal grandparents, Henry and Luberta Davis, all of Natchez.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Mary Muhammad; his mother of Bay City, Texas; five daughters, Shahidah Dahl and husband, Kevin, and Denise Stewart and husband, Montell, all of Cleveland, Zakiyyah Williams and husband, Sean, of West Palm Beach, Fla., Tynetta Muhammad of Redford, Mich., and Huriyyah Muhammad of Beverly Hill, Calif.; three sons, Amin Muhammad Jr. and Mustafa Muhammad, both of Cleveland, and Ibrahim Omar and wife, Cindy, of Fayetteville, N.C.; three sisters, Beatrice Hillard of Jacksonville, Fla., Helen J. Smith and husband, Willie L., both of Bay City, Texas and Rose M. Free and husband, Frankie, both of Springfield, Va.; four brothers, J.C. Washington Sr. of Natchez, Claudie Washington and wife, Maxine, both of Duluth, Minn., William H. Washington and wife, Joyce, both of Manassas, Va., and Melvin K. Washington of Milwaukee, Wis..; three aunts, Mamie Lee Edwards of Cleveland, Leonore D. Butler of Natchez and Versie L. Davis of Chicago; one uncle, John Davis; one sister-in-law, Betty J. Washington, both of Natchez; and one brother-in-law of Clabron Johnson Sr. of Cleveland; 11 grandchildren, Aamir Beasley, Aquela Beasley, Minister James Wilson, Monte Wilson, Khalilah Stewart, Mustafa Jr. and Keyesha Muhammad and Elijah Muhammad, all of Cleveland, Shakirah Washington of Paris, Ky., Ashanti Kamela and Jabari Williams of West Palm Beach, Fla.; six great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins and friends.