Category: Blog

I recently attended several conferences of Muslim leaders and it was interesting to see the diversity of opinions and how they reflected where we’re at. I say “where we’re at” as a loose term because it’s not a place that we’re going to as a static position – we’re constantly in flux. But, never the less, it was curious to hear some different opinions. Continue reading “The Changing Mood of Islam In America”

I’ve been out of town for a few days on a shoot and have had some travel time to continue reading Professor Jackson’s book, Islam & The Blackamerican. It really is proving to be a most engaging read. I’ve reached the point in the book where Professor Jackson begins to talk about the transition from Islam as Black Religion to loosing its validity do to a number of influences. Some of those include the break-off of Warith-deen Muhammad from his father’s group, the Nation of Islam. The rise of sunni-Blackamerican Muslims and how they challenged the validity of not only the Nation, as it was viewed as straight heretical, but also Warith-deen’s off-shoot movement, since by it coming out of the Nation, it had a stigma attached to it. Continue reading “Islam & The Blackamerican – More Notes”

What to do about the Salafi problem? They are most certainly an issue. They have caused and are causing considerable damage to the Blackamerican Muslim community. Now, I am not saying that they are kufar. Let’s get that straight. I am saying that their methodologies are not appropriate for the cultural climate in which they are trying to operate. As a matter of fact, they don’t seem to take culture into consideration at all. But as long as American Muslim imams and shuyukh can be “refuted” or seen to have no authority and or knowledge, they pose a difficulty for us. And many of us who have been “turned” by the Salaf, were done so not knowing any other alternative. So we’re gonna have to fight back against this tide. Begin to push and push and push until we can get a foot hold and some have some breathing space of which we can then begin to dismantle their concepts or at the very least, have a dialog. Wa Allahu ya’lamu ahsan (and Allah knows best).