Fatiha Islam

Jowa accepted religion at an early age at Garrett Grove Baptist Church and later converted to Islam. Jowa graduated from Lee High School in Marianna, AR in 1969. On April 22, 1970, he enlisted into the United States Air Force where he served exactly one year and one day in the Vietnam War as an aircraft mechanic. While in Vietnam, Jowa studied Taekwondo under a Korean Master, in Southeast Asia. He also boxed all-service the first year of his military career. He would eventually get to the rank of E-4 and receive an honorable discharge in 1973. After leaving the military, he opened up a martial arts school in California.

Jowa felt education was very important, and he would later earn several degrees including an Associates of Arts on May 19, 1990, a Bachelor of Arts on January 11, 1992, a Masters of Public Administration on December 16, 1999, and a Master of Education in Adult Education on May 18, 2002 from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He also received a Master of Education from University of AR at Fayetteville in 1995. He had fruitful career at the University of AR at Little Rock.

Jowa was a passionate writer and wrote and published several books which included Come to Life: And Live Forever in the Flesh and Ab-Djograta: Doctrine of the Duo Disciplined. He was a gifted artist. He was also passionate about languages becoming fluent in American Sign Language and conversational in Thai and Arabic.

He was preceded in death by his parents, maternal grandparents Eulah Ivy-Randle and Ezekiel Randle, and eldest sister, Emma. He leaves behind to cherished his memories his wife-Arie (Boaz) Islam; 6 daughters-Fatisha (Stanley) Islam-Giles, Neatera Islam, Solona (David) Islam-Lukens, Israela Islam, Alandria Johnson and Jihada (Jerrick) Islam; 4 sons-Fatiha Islam, Jr., Neotero Islam, Buford Boaz and Osiriso Islam, 2 sisters-Jessie Mae and Maryann White, 24 grandchildren, and a host of other family members.

A memorial service for Fatiha will be held Saturday, June 11, 2022 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM at Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth Funeral Home, 5800 W 12Th St, Little Rock, Arkansas 72204.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com for the Islam family.