URS date April 4, 2012
Majida Janet Fowler was a Church of Christ minister and member of our Spokane Sufi community who died April 4, 2012 at age 70 following a brief illness. Present at her passing were: her husband, Ghani; her local minister here in Spokane, also a Sufi (named AmiShanti); our Sufi sister Sister (a lovely nun named Mariam); stepson Tavis Habib and his wife, Sarita.
Mariam was the “Christ has no hands on earth but yours” hands inscribing the heart and wings on Majida’s forehead as Subhana Star Jameson from Montana initiated her over the phone with everyone in the room present and in witness. The initiation, with the name “Majida” occurred at her last breaths, in the ICU of Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane. As a Sufi-Christian the name Majida, given as she “went to Glory” is most beautiful and apt.
Songs were shared, including “All I Ask of You” and “Shaddai” and “Ishq Allah”. Just the right and perfect people were present. The medical staff present were supportive and deeply moved.
Majida Janet’s initiation was already in place for our Inland Memorial Day Sufi Camp at Lake Coeur D’Alene, where Majida first encountered The Dances, this walk that we call “Sufi” and her teacher, Star. She started coming to camp from Missouri, where she was the pastor at a church, following her marriage to Ghani. At Camp, they both had a community to bless Majida Janet as she embarked on the role of grandmother to Raziel, 9, and Rajani, 5. She shared in the joy of the coming of a new baby in July!
Majida Janet was an amazing being I had the grace to know for a short time. She appeared at Inland NW Sufi Camp as the wife of Ghani Tom Schmidt, a friend I have known, it seems, forever.
She was a minister in Missouri at the time I met her, later migrated to the Spokane area where she lived with Ghani. Her interests were many and her involvement in social justice issues remarkable.
But I remember most her sweet inquisitive heart and open mind, always curious, always learning.
Ya Salaam Majida Janet