Beloved Sister Hamidah returned to Allah on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. Hamidah was a native of Newark, New Jersey who grew up on Chester Avenue. She attended and graduated from both elementary school and Central High School in Newark New Jersey. Hamidah continued her education and earned an Associate’s Degree at Essex County College in Newark, N.J.
After college, she worked for The Leaguers Organization for a period of time as an Administrator. Soon thereafter, she became employed at the same college she graduated from at Essex County College, where she tenured for twenty years. Hamidah, with her entrepreneurial spirit, began what would be her life’s work as an entrepreneur by starting a home-based business. The start of their business along with her husband Abdul Kariem which would lead to a larger brick and mortar business called “All Body Shop” located on Branford Place in the heart of downtown Newark, NJ. “All Body Shop” sells a variety of products and serves to the larger Newark Community. This is where Hamidah and her husband have worked daily in tandem for more than forty years. She leaves behind a legacy, this thriving family business, which she would want the community to continue to support and patronize.
“All Body Shop”, where she and her husband employed their children and grandchildren, became a gathering place for their beloved customers. It was here that Sister Hamidah “wet their appetite” with baked goods and her famous hibiscus tea and lemonade, known as an uptown-downtown mix. Sister Hamidah loved pleasing her customers, especially each Friday after Jumu’ah Prayer, and kept her store readily stocked with items her customers enjoyed. They would always leave satisfied.
Sister Hamidah was a true sales woman whose generosity and forwardness was unmatched! She was a woman who always spoke her mind and did not hold her tongue. Her customers could all agree that she loved sending them home with gifts to try from the store, which always kept them coming back.
In addition, as the “mama of the community”, Hamidah’s servant leadership would lend itself to various capacities such as, leader, counselor, advisor, and a motherlike figure.
Sister Hamidah wedded her beloved husband, Brother Abdul Kariem Abdullah, in 1972. He too is a native of Newark, New Jersey. Together, they have three children along with his two additional daughters from a previous marriage. The strength of their marriage is a testament to them having remained together in union, faith, and love for a total of fift y-three years.
Sister Hamidah was a devout Muslim, a strong believer in Allah, and one who made a great impact on her community.
Sister Hamidah would spend time each day reminding others about the power of Allah by sending them videos of Islamic speeches by learned elders as well as motivational quotes. She enjoyed sending these to her friends and family. She and her beloved husband would remind friends and family of the importance of Allah, Prayer, and that a Muslim is one who submits to the will of Allah.
Sister Hamidah was an original Board Member of the former Islamic School of New Jersey and attended the Reunion of this very school this past January. She enjoyed attending yearly Eid Brunches with her close companions, among some of whom were also Board Members and Founders of I.S.N.J.
Her dedication to her religion was evident as she helped chair Islamic events. Sister Hamidah valued education and worked to bring Islamic education to the Newark Community.
Affectionately known as “Jedda” by her grandchildren, which stems from the Arabic name for grandmother “Jida”, her love of family was so strong. You could always find her planning the next vacation or cookout with no child or grandchild left behind. We can’t forget how much she loved bringing family and extended family together for fun nights over bushels of crabs and homemade dishes created with love.
Sister Hamidah enjoyed cooking and showing off every food seasoning she would collect. She also loved long weekend drives to discover new places in her van filled with her children and grandchildren. These adventures often included her passion for deep sea fishing with her beloved husband who was truly her best, closest, and dearest friend above all.
She was a lover of reading and a true historian who had a strong passion for traveling the world. She saw the importance of adding travel to her experiences as this often times materialized what she had learned in history books. She would travel to far away countries and lands such as: Bahamas, China, Egypt, England, France, India, Mexico, Jordan, Morrocco, Saudia Arabia, Spain, Trinadad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates (Dubai), and many places across the United States. She established new friendships everywhere she traveled and had a passion for learning and understanding the cultures and traditions of each place she visited. She visited many of these places several times each and would often bring family members and extended family members with her on subsequent trips back so that they too could experience these cultures and traditions.
Sister Hamidah was blessed to visit Saudi Arabia to make Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, five times and Umrah twelve times in her life. Each trip, she ensured to also visit the city of Medina to rekindle with good friends and pray in The Prophet’s Mosque as the call of the Adhan was always music to her ears.
Hamidah developed a love for crocheting and filled the “All Body Shop” retail store with baskets of handmade items she would crochet. She also developed a love and hobby for hand beading. And, as a perfumiest, she developed a passion for mixing her own scented fragrances.
This included oils in their shop to imported oils she would bring back from around the world. Lavender was her absolute favorite and would be the last scent for her to be lathered in as she journeyed back to Allah. If her family could narrow down what they believe she loved to do most, it would again be her love of deep-sea fishing on trips with her husband. She looked forward to a good fishing excursion every chance she got. And, she wasted no time frying and cooking her fresh catches for her family as soon as she returned. Gathering family at the house outside on the back patio was a true highlight for her.
Sister Hamidah’s last and most recent trip was two weeks before Allah called her back was, a family trip in July to visit her youngest daughter Qiyamah and son-in-law Zeke at their home in the Bahamas. Her trip to Frederic on the Bay was a most beautiful time spent thoroughly enjoying fishing, the beaches, the food, and soft Island life.
Hamidah is preceded by her late mother Carolyn Nottage and her late father David Gunn, Sisters: Alberta Joy Hastings and Ikhlas Mu’Tasim, Grandson: Fareed, and Nephews: Michael and James. Hamidah is survived by her beloved husband Abdul-Kariem Abdullah. Children; Son: Insan Abdullah. Daughters: Shana Abdullah, and Qiyamah Abdullah-Frederic. Step Children: Denise, Sherry, and their children. Son-in-Law: Eziekil Frederic. Daughter-in-law: Devonia Abdullah. Grandchildren: Naeem, Mujahid, Ibaadah, Raafiq, Munaj, Zulhair, Attiyah, Raqieb, Samiyah, Samirah. Great Grandchildren: Kyon, Malik, Kyre, Andre (Bear), Cairo, Nazneen. Nieces: Sonja, Khabirah, Ruqaiyah, Ayaah, Ruqayyah, Kemalyn. Nephews: Ricardo, Rajhan, Amir, Idris, Elliott, Amaan. Cousins: Sylvia, Ronald, Patricia, Kindra, Tarik, Amaadi, Jala. Extended Family: Taaliba, Sakina P., Zaire, Jamil, Sakeenah, Arnette, Lerine, The Frasier family, The Singletary family, and The Cherry family. Pets: Prett y Girl, Zinc, Sajda. She also leaves behind a host of additional relatives and extended family. .
