In the second presidential debate, the Republican presidential candidate was asked how to curb Islamophobia in society. In response, Trump answered, “We have to be sure that Muslims come in and report when they see something going on. When they see hatred going on, they have to report it.” As a Black Muslim, I would first like to report the blatant white supremacy at the heart of Donald J. Trump’s presidential campaign. Trump’s very campaign slogan of “Make America Great... Read more
As African-American Muslims, we are often subjected to multiple microaggressions within the large Muslim community. Microaggressions: according to professor Derald Sue are verbal remarks which,”whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color.” In this article, we will examine common microaggressions against African-American Muslims and give a Black Muslim response to them. Read more
Embed from Getty Images By Nzinga Muhammad. (Editorial Note: This is a guest post by Sister Nzinga Muhammad which originally appeared on brotherjesseblog.com. ) Black Muslims in America have to deal with two struggles: anti-Islam rhetoric and anti-blackness. Inside and outside of the mosque, or masjid, there is racism that shouldn’t be ignored. If you tell a Muslim who isn’t black that there is racism among the ummah, sometimes the response will be “That’s not true! There is no color in Islam!”... Read more
Toward Black Muslim Liberation Theology The suffering of black people is unjust, unbearable, and requires urgent action. White Supremacy renders black life devoid of value making their bodies disposable. This manifest not only through pervasive acts of police brutality, but also through an entire system of institutional racism that leads to lower life experiences, inferior education, and inferior standards of living for black people. The Prophet Muhammad(Peace be Upon Him) stated: “All mankind is from Adam and Eve. An Arab... Read more
The topic of race emerged extensively during the presidential elections. In a question Lester Holt asked specifically about healing the racial divide, Trump repeatedly made reference to the gang violence in Chicago communities to bolster his campaign’s call for “law and order” whilst promoting images of black social delinquency. In contrast, senator Hillary Clinton has positioned herself as the rightful inheritance to the Obama based democratic political machine and a de-facto extension of her husband’s politics which her campaign... Read more
Can prayer have the ability to impact the material world? Can someone sincerely calling out to their lord be a catalyst for social change? We’ve heard the cliché: religion and its various rituals is a mere opiate of the masses. It serves as a means to placate the masses as they are being tyrannized. A real life implication is the saying the quote“When Missionaries came to Africa they had the bible and Africans had the land. They said... Read more
The Farrakhan litmus test has been widely observed by sociologists to describe a phenomenon in which African-Americans seeking to advance in their careers must repudiate controversial outspoken black leaders. Derrick Bell, the first tenured African-American professor of Law at Harvard University and the originator of Critical Race Theory, writes in Faces at the Bottom of The Well, The Permanence of Racism that “just as blacks in South Africa have to carry a passbook to go from place to place, black... Read more
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and it is a duty incumbent upon all capable Muslims. Annually, nearly 2 million Muslims from all across the world from various nationalities and races make this journey. In this series, we will look at the spiritual insights of African-American Muslim leaders upon making the pilgrimage to the holy land. Next: Malcolm X Read more
In a critique of Donald Trump’s proposed ban on Muslims, George. W. Bush argued ,“Islamic women should come to the U.S. to experience a free society so they can lead the charge for equality in the Middle East.” Similarly, In an infamous televised discussion on CNN between Don Lemon and Reza Aslan, Don Lemon lambasted what he referred to as the “primitive treatment in Muslim countries of women and other minorities” while asking , “Does Islam promote violence?” The perception that Islam is a... Read more
As one reflects upon the numerous atrocities that have comprised human history, the transatlantic slave trade stands out unique in its cruelty and savagery. Captured Africans were forcibly taken from their homelands and shackled in the decrepit holes of ships. During their shackled journey to the Americas, many slaves would be thrown overboard so that gluttonous slave traders could collect insurance money. So severe were the oppressive conditions on those slave ships that some captured Africans jumped overboard. They... Read more
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