Martial Arts in African-American Muslim Culture

Martial Arts in African-American Muslim Culture December 10, 2016

fruitofislamIn his autobiography, Malcolm X stated that a news reporter once asked him, “Why is your Fruit of Islam being trained in judo and karate?”

In answer, Malcolm X reported, ‘An image of black men learning anything suggesting self defense seemed to terrify the white man. I’d turn their question around:”Why does judo or karate suddenly get so ominous because black men study it.”

He notes a double standard in pointing out that the YMCA and Boy Scouts teach judo to a predominately white demographic and did not illicit the sort of panicking response of black Muslims  studying martial arts.

The emphasis upon self-defense came as a result of the wanton violence to which black people were subjected to during slavery and jim crow.

Malcolm X stated,”I frankly believe every Negro in America should learn karate and judo.”  Malcolm emphasized the study of self-defense as a means by which African-Americans could learn to protect themselves and their families.  Since then, Martial Art has become an integral element of African-American Muslim culture.

shadidlewis
Shadid Lewis(African-American Muslim Martial Artist)   (Used with his Permission)

In my interview with African-American Muslim martial artist, Sensie Shadid Lewis, he expressed to me that studying martial arts has several benefits for Muslim communities.  With the rise of hate crimes against Muslim communities, he stated that it is imperative that Muslims learn to defend themselves.

Moreover, Sensie Shadid Lewis stated that with Muslim women disproportionately targeted in hate crimes, it is imperative that they learn  and study self-defense as well.

              Dr. Musa Muhammad and Sanuces Ryu Jujitsu. 

One notable member of the Fruit of Islam was legendary and hall of fame, martial artist, Dr. Moses Powell  who later became Master Musa Muhammad. Musa Muhammad was one of the first men to perform a martial arts demonstration in front of the United Nations and one of the first African-Americans to instruct the DEA, FBI, and the Secret Service in martial arts.

 

Dr. Musa Muhammad was a member of the famous Mosque#7 when Malcolm X was the Minister and later Louis Farrakhan selected him to be a lieutenant in the FOI, when he replaced Malcolm X as the minister of Mosque #7.Master Musa Muhammad was a master in the martial art known as jujitsu and he taught it earnestly among other black Muslims.

Jujitsu evolved in a Japanese environment in which people wore armor that left them impervious to being harmed by punches and kicks. Unlike other martial arts such as karate and taekwondo, which emphasize kicks, punching, and striking abilities, jujutsu emphasizes joint locks, chokes, and grappling.

The jujitsu practitioner bends the ligaments of his opponents in directions that it was not intended to move in order to inflict pain.

At only 5’2 and 125 pounds, Filipino  martial artist Florendo Visitacion would bring his adaptation of jujitsu to Bronx, New York, where Dr. Moses Powell who later became Dr. Musa Muhammad became his prodigy.

Dr. Musa Muhammad distinguished himself as an exceptional martial artist and eventually garnered a tenth degree black belt in jujitsu. One commentator in the Worlds Collide Martial arts documentary stated that; “I’d never seen jujutsu done then to see this huge man just flying through the air, rolling out, without making a sound. It’s beautiful and is very frightening. “ Dr. Moses Powell would go on to originate his own unique martial arts system known as Sanuces Jujitsu which means “Survival by Simplicity”.
Edward E. Curtis in the Encyclopedia of Muslim-American History writes that sanuces jujitsu was designed to, “train Muslim communities against the often hostile environment where Muslims were growing.”

The time period of 1975 to 1977 is very critical in African-American Muslim history. In marks the period in which Imam Warrith Deen Muhammad assumed leadership of the Nation of Islam who sought to transition it into a Sunni Islamic movement followed by the Hon. Min Louis Farrakhan’s rebuilding of the Nation of Islam.

Many practitioners, students, masters, and devotees of Sanuces exist both within the community of Imam Warith Deen Muhammad and the Nation of Islam under Farrakhan and train together. In many ways,  Martial Arts has functioned as a source of unity for the two communities each evolving from the same source.

 Steve Muhammad and the Black Karate Federation

In addition, to Sanuces Ryu-jujitsu, Steve Muhammad was a master karate practitioner. In his youth, Muhammad learned the art of Tai Chi and would eventually join the Marines, where he studies Goju Karate. Steve Muhammad became a champion karate practitioner and began innovating karate by developing the five speed theory and the 12 basic moves of kendo.

Steve Muhammad also distguished imself as a member of the SWAT and as an LAPD officer. Steve Muhammad improved in his skills and he eventually gained a tenth degree black belt and became inducted into the black belt hall of fame. Steve Muhammad would eventually establish the black karate federation.  Explaining the history behind the Black Karate Federation, their organization notes:

Due to the unfair treatment that blacks were subjected to in tournaments in the 60’s and 70’s Sijo Muhammad founded the Black Karate Federation (The BKF) in 1969 along with several other martial arts and produce numerous champions on the tournament circuit as well as committing himself to invaluable community service in the Los Angeles area through the teaching of martial arts.

Steve Muhammad not only taught black Muslims in Karate but worked to expand Karate training to large segments of the African-American populations.

                                           Martial Arts and Spiritual Growth. 

shawnshaid
Shadid Lewis(African-American Muslim Martial Artist) (Used with his Permission)

The study of martial arts in African-American Muslim culture also works to instill fundamental Islamic spiritual values such as self-discipline, self control, humility, standing up to oppression, and overcoming of personal ego.

Practicing Jujitsu particularly aids one in overcoming their ego, something which is an integral aim of Islamic spirituality. Especially for the beginner, Jujitsu involves so many techniques and a simple mistake of movement can result in one being tapped out or submitted. In order to grow in the art, one must recognize that at some point or another, they will in fact be submitted and  tapped out. Recognizing this fact, helps one grow in humility and can assist them in overcoming their ego.

Studying martial arts movements also involves intense mental focus and mental endurance. Particularly, martial arts composed of “katas” involve the repetition of a series of movements in which ones mind and body must be aligned. Martial arts training can also help individuals increase their mental focus and endurance and thus achieve greater concentration.

The kind of concentration that one develops through martial arts training can assist in other aspects of a Muslim’s religious life such as prayer. Martial Arts training also  teaches and inculcate self-discipline, the delaying of gratification and temporal pleasures for a greater goal. Thus, martial arts has several benefits for Muslims and should be studied earnestly by us all.


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