Islam: Are African-Americans: Trading One Master for Another?

(Edition 2, 2004)

"W hat is religion but the deification of ancestors, the making sacred of traditions within the context of history. How can we honor any god who was used against us? The only people who accept alien gods are defeated people; all others honor and accept their own name for the Almighty. We must learn to appreciate our traditions and ourselves. What is wrong with the African God?

What would we think of a Yoruba who accepted Chinese ancestors as his own? We would find it quite interesting and wonder how it came to be. But what of Africans' acceptance of others' gods? Is there no tradition with these alien gods? Of course there is tradition with these gods! To accept the Jews' god or the Arabs' god or the Hindu's god and so forth is to valorize those histories above your own. Indeed, it is to honor the names in those myths and stories higher than your own stories, it is to love the language, the places in their stories above your own. Why is Mecca, Rome, or Jerusalem more sacred that Bosumtwi? Quite simply, it is imperialism, not by force of arms, but by force of religion, which sometimes comes armed." - Dr. Molefi Asante

"The slave trade: consequence of the explorations. European or Arabic. the slave trade always had a destructive effect on the African society.. the principal sources of slaves for markets in Arabia, the Middle East, and the New World. The trade had devastating effects"

"... The Arab general Amr-ibn-al-As entered Alexandria (In Egypt) in 642 A.D. with four thousand men. The conquest of (Black) Egypt by the Muslim armies was not only to change the character of Egyptian Civilization radically, but it was to have disastrous impact on the dignity and destiny of Africans as a people. The Arab conquest had opened the floodgates wider and Arabs poured in. Colonization and Islamization progressed. As Egypt became a main center for Arab power, this fact found concrete expression in Arab-Islamic expansion over North Africa, into Spain, and southward in what remained as 'The Land of the Blacks. ""With eventual conquest of the Sudan through mosques and traders." - Destruction of Black Civilizations, Chancellor Williams

It almost goes without saying these days. Africentric people know better than to be affiliated with European culture or religion. (Sorry for my candor, but today we are going to keep it real.) Most people don't realize that for over 1,000 years Europeans have been trying to subjugate Africans. Whether it is with war or religion, they have been fighting to tie our minds and confuse us politically and spiritually. Am I wrong? Now, I know this is a generalization. But we know that it general; this is the essence of things. Most of us picked that up by studying history.

But how did it come to pass that more and more black people are adopting Islam as their faith of choice. Why don't we ever talk about the role that Islam played in destroying Africa? Perhaps it is because of all the positive things that the Nation of Islam has done in the black community that we are now giving the entire Islamic community a free ride. For sure no other black organization has had the commitment to work with black people from all walks of life. (Note that I called the Nation of Islam an organization, and not a religious organization.)

Malcolm X is of course a shining example of how the Nation worked in a positive manner to turn around the lives of many people. Malcolm X was a drug dealer, school drop out, pimp, thug and ex-convict that was transformed into a respectful, intelligent, informed voice for Africans in America. No denying it, that was the doing of the Nation of Islam. But I just can't get over the idea that black people are once again taking on the ways of people that have enslaved, colonized and basically disrespected us. It was Malcolm's own words that got me to thinking about whether Africans were just trading one master for another. "Just because you put kittens in an oven that does not make them biscuits." Within the context of to me, this meant that just because the Nation of Islam has done many good things in the black community this does not mean that Islam is good for black people. Maybe being in the Nation got a lot of people off the streets, working, organizing, but so does the Black church. So could the United Way or a job-training program. It's does not make the United Way or the temp agency a source of Black culture. And it is high time that black people live within the confines of their own culture. * See bottom for further explanation. *

Regardless of the good work that Islamic organizations have done in the black community, it is hard to ignore the long history of violence and racism suffered at the hands of Arabs. Arabs were the first outside group to enslave Africans on a large scale. A book worth reading is "Two Thousand Seasons". It details all the violations of African human rights that took place at the hand of Arabs during the times of ancient slavery. You could say they provided an example for Europeans to follow. Africans were used for labor and leisure throughout the Middle East. Under the guise of Allah-sanctioned Jihads (holy wars) many African nations were colonized and enslaved. So, are we to believe that God told the Arabs to enslave us and introduce Islam to Africa by way of the sword? I doubt it. Just like God didn't tell the Christians to come to Africa and "save our souls." Now, I might be able to forgive this little lie except that both Christians and Muslims continue to say that God wants them to convert the world. I find it hard to believe the God only talks to Muslims and Christians.

There are still reports to this day of African slavery in the Middle East. Are not the perpetrators of these actions Muslims themselves? The same people that persecute their women and encourage chauvinist tendencies in their men? This does not sound like the West Africa from which African-Americans can find their ancestry. Are we to give this culture a free ride because black people made something good out of it (in spite of it's origins?). So here we end up asking ourselves another question; how did black people again [end up following the religion] of those that have enslaved them?

When you become a Muslim exactly what do you really become anyway? It seems that a lot of Africans (Blacks) in America sought refuge in Islam during the conscious movement of the 60s and 70s. These people were looking for a way to connect with their own culture. Most of these people were interested in eradicating all the European (white) influences in their lives and got involved in Islam because they mistakenly believed that Islam was of African origin. Again in the 80s and early 90s more African fled the ways of white America, which they considered racist and oppressive, in favor of Islam and what they knew to be a different way of doing things. These individuals now pray in Arabic (if they are good Muslims), they (women) wear their hair covered in a middle eastern manner, prescribe to the thought that Mecca is the Holy Land, and use traditional, and more stoic Arabic culture to define etiquette and ethics within their households, While we can say that Muslims are less than likely to be drinkers, drug abusers, or social thugs, can we say that they are expressing their pride in being black? Are they any closer to the freedom that they desired when they left Christianity and white American values? Maybe they are living more clean lives, but they cannot say that they arrived at their original objective of knowing themselves better. Or are they simply trading one master for another?

I offer this brief passage from the Institute of Islamic Information:

The word "hijab" comes from the Arabic word "hajaba" meaning to hide from view or conceal. In the present time, the context of hijab is the modest covering of a Muslim woman. The question now is what is the extent of the covering? The Qur'an says:

"Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..," (Qur 'an 24:30-31) These verses from the Qur 'an contain two main injunctions:

A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes, and the head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck and the bosom. Islam has no fixed standard as to the style of dress or type of clothing that Muslims must wear. However, some requirements must be met. The first of these requirements is the parts of the body, which must be covered, Islam has two sources for guidance and
rulings: first, the Qur 'an, the revealed word of Allah and secondly, the Hadith or the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (S) who was chosen by Allah to be the role model for mankind. The following is a Tradition of the Prophet:

"Ayesha (R) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (R) came to the Messenger of Allah (S) while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: '0 Asmaa! When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything should remain exposed except this
and this. He pointed to the face and hands." (Abu Dawood)

Now whose culture are these mandates in dress and conduct coming from? It is clear that this is not a classic African interpretation of how women or anyone maintains respectability. A thousand years ago, a woman who was initiated in the holy priesthood's of any African religion would have probably appeared bare bare-chested during rituals, sometimes during daily activity. If nothing else we know that she would be bare shouldered (as in the photograph shown here). Is she any less a priestess in showing parts of her body? Are the people present any less than children of God for having witnessed and participating in said spiritual ritual because a bare shouldered sister conducted it? By the way, black people have always recognized the spiritual powers naturally inherent in women, Why would any black woman deny her God-given right to serve as clergy because Arabic and White men have a problem with women as priests? Imagine how many sisters miss their calling because they allow the dictates of other cultures to determine their lives.

Which brings us to another point; the validity of the Quron in the African person's life. How did we come to be introduced to this book? Should we be following its words? Don't we have our own spiritual teachings? Yes! And these words of wisdom or no less sacred or important because they are primarily passed down orally.

Every religion is birthed from some people's culture. Religion is not created in a vacuum, nor is it a non-cultural thing. So, when you adopt a religion, you adopt a culture. If you convert to Judaism you will be introduced to Semitic culture. You may begin to eat kosher foods. Dress according to Semitic custom. This is the order of things. So when an African becomes a Muslim she is introduced to Arabic culture. Now perhaps the ways of Arabic people suits you well. But does it wear better on your body and soul than the ways of your own people? Are we saying that we are proud to be black as long as we do not have to dress, pray or speak like black people? There are black people scrambling to learn Arabic so that they can recite the Quron, yet they have no interest in learning the languages spoken by our people before we arrived here on slave ships. We will carry the cross of Jesus before we commit our lives to the Orisa, Loa or Abosum. Why is that?

I want to make it absolutely clear; this article is not to be used as a representative of all indigenous devotees. There are still some devotees that shy away from the discussion of cultural subjugation in order to per serve the often misused "right to individuality". This is clearly rooted in the western/european culture and being products of western culture ourselves we are sometimes unaware when we are pushing foreign values on ourselves. Choosing not to address the choices of others in favor of individuality is not African and not elevated. If in addressing truth, we sometimes step on the toes of others, then may it be so. Truth is not always palpable to everyone.

Even still this my statement and declaration on the state of African people worldwide. We are lost and we are following the directives, culture and spiritual knowledge (or lack of) of others and losing our own legacy as we go. In this way we are unconsciously saying that our Ancestors have nothing to offer, nothing worth respecting. This is untrue.

And before I miss the opportunity, I believe it is important to state that clean living is possible through African spirituality. We do not need to look outside our cultures to find paths to sobriety, fidelity or otherwise. We come from a race of hard workers, spiritual masters, governmental wizards and cultural architects. Everything that we admire about Islam can be accomplished within an African context. In fact, a lot of spiritual communities are doing it. When we choose to practice the ways of others we are declaring war on ourselves. We are forcing our own culture in extinction. We are showing others around us that we are ashamed and without roots. We are begging to be exploited. Is this not true? What would you think if the Jews decided to become the followers of the racist "Aryan Nation"? You would say that they had gone mad. Yet, black remain the only people on the entire planet that know nothing of their own language, religions, dress, ethics and sciences. And a lot of these black people are turning to others to give them direction. Something to think about, eh?

If nothing else, by putting these words to light, it will force some of us to stop saying that we are "proud to be black" until we are indeed ready to carry ourselves as true black people. Not the cultural slaves of any other people.

Practicing Islam contradicts African Values? (PDF)

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