Elderly Advice For A Soon to be Elder During Ramadhan
Ramadhan, Ahadith ( the sayings and conduct of Prophet Muhammad Ibn Abdullah), Muslims, the Muslim Ummah, racism In the Ummah, racism in the world, the Arab Muslim world, the Salafi Movement, the Arab world, Asian Muslims, the Muslim Ummah around the Black community, Black Muslims, Master Fard Muhammad (the founder of the Nation of Islam), the Honorable Elijah Muhammad ( the co-founder of the Nation of Islam), Imam Warith Deen Mohammed, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam, COINTELPRO (the FBI's racist counterintelligence program created to secretly kill Black leaders and destroy Black organizations in the 1950s, 60s, and the early 70s), and Black people. This conversation came about from my Nation of Islam t-shirt. They noticed that I was wearing a Nation of Islam t-shirt showing love for the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, and the late Minister Abdul Rahman ( Minister Abdul Rahman was the Southern regional Minister under the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. Minister Rahman Muhammad is credited with bringing boxing world Champion Muhammad Ali to the Nation of Islam in the 1960s. He recently returned to Allah about two weeks ago). They said to me that my shirt was very interesting. I said to myself let me embrace a serious jihad (war) over Al-Islam and the Nation of Islam. The area that I live in, which is the Newark, NJ area of the Northeastern region of the United States, has a high concentration of Muslims of every culture and every Madhhab ( an Arabic word for Islamic school of thought). Muslims in this area will argue with you all day and night about Al-Islam. In my humble opinion, this is so unproductive. I pray to Allah (SWT) that we Muslims would put more energy into building schools, hospitals, businesses, liberating oppressed people, supporting Muslim women, feeding the homeless, helping the poor and the needy. But folks, that is another story for another time. Let me get back to my story. The elders gave me some elderly advice during Ramadhan. My elders taught me a lesson from my t-shirt on the importance of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam to the Muslim Ummah.
They taught me why we must be supportive and respectful to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. I was very surprised by their advice. Although they know I came to Al-Islam through the Nation of Islam, and that I am already respectful and supportive of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, I was taken back by this advice to support brother Farrakhan and the. Nation of Islam. The elders said to me never be like some of us elders that continue to be disrespectful to the Honorable Minister Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam when I reach full elderhood in this Ummah. (I am in my fifties now). I said what do you mean family. I said to them that will never happen to me. They lovingly laughed at my statement. I said to them why are you all laughing. They said to me that some of us said that back in the day during the time of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. But after the Honorable Elijah Muhammad departed, we became disunited as Muslims. They said that eventually some of them became bitter towards the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. I said to the elders you are right. I have met some very bitter elders. And that bitterness has spilled into the contemporary Muslim Ummah, particularly the Ummah around the Black community.
Clearly, I told them that I see the divisions now. For example, some Muslims consistently organize separate Eid Al Fitr ( an Arabic phrase that means Muslim festival marking the end of the fast of Ramadhan) events instead of a united Eid Al Fitr celebration in the Newark area.
This fitna (an Arab word for division) is so deep in the Ummah in our area that some Muslims, particularly Black Muslims, do not attend certain Masaajid (Mosques) because they do not follow a sheikh or a ulamaa (scholar) in the Arab Muslim world or in the non-Black Muslim world.
I said to them I know Muslim Imams and leaders in this area that were once members of the Nation of Islam under the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Some of these bitter elders have been Imams, teachers of Arabiya (an Arabic word for Arabic), teachers on the Holy Qu'ran, teachers of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ( s'a.s), Islamic scholars, builders of Masaajid (mosques), and teachers of Al-Islam in this Ummah in Jersey. I said to the elders that their fitna has been bequeathed over to some young Muslims to the point that some Muslims, particularly Black Muslims, do not see some Muslim brothers and sisters as Muslim brothers and sisters. The worse thing now is that some Muslims, particularly Black Muslims, do not see themselves authentically Muslim unless an Arab, or a Pakistani, or a Southern Asian, or white person, or some non-Black Muslim, label them authentically Muslim.
I said to them how did this all happen to Muslims, particularly many Black Muslims whose history has been directly tied to the Nation of Islam. I said to them was it COINTELPRO. The elders said to me COINTELPRO is part of the fitna. They said that anything that is Black and strong will be targeted for destruction by the power structure. But they said that is only part of the problem. The elders said brother be clear, a large part of the problem is internal differences with us Muslims, particularly Black Muslims. I said to them, this is sad. I said to the elders, the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad did so much for Al-Islam and oppressed Black people.
I said to the elders, correct me if I wrong, but the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the co-founder of the Nation of Islam, in 1959, was the very first Black Muslim in America to make Hajj (an Arabic word for pilgrimage) to Makkah, Saudi Arabia since before the enslavement of Black people in America by racist white slave owners. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad was the first Muslim to connect the Muslim world, and the world, to the Black liberation struggle in America. But most importantly, he made America and the world respect Al-Islam.
I need to pause for a minute. There are some folks reading this commentary that have no idea the struggle it took to establish Al-Islam in America. They do not know, or want to accept, that by the permission of Allah (SWT), Al-Islam came into existence in America through oppressed Black people. The following is a little history on how Al-islam and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad Ibn Abdullah came to America.
White American slave owners and the system of racism completely separated Black people from their African names, language, cultures, and religions. But when it came to enslaved Black Muslims from Africa, powerful racist White people in America took special care to make sure that the light of Al-Islam would be forever extinguished from the hearts, minds, and the lips of enslaved Black Muslins for generations. Like they did to enslaved non-Islamic Black people, racist White people made it illegal for us to speak in Arabiya (an Arabic word for Arabic), read the Holy Qu'ran and the Ahadith, follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (s.'a.s), and practice Al-Islam for hundreds of years in America. But this all came to end when Master Fard Muhammad came to North America on July 4, 1930 from Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to free Black people from racism and Black self-hatred by placing Al-Islam back in the hearts, minds, and lips of oppressed Black people trapped in racial oppression in America. He called this organization the Lost-Found Nation of Islam in the West. Master Fard Muhammad teachings raised up the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad in Detroit, Michigan. By 1933, Master Fard Muhammad left America, but in his place, he left the Nation of Islam under the Honorable Elijah Muhammad's leadership. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad went to work to liberate Black people from racism using Al-Islam. From 1933 to 1975, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad built a massive movement that became the largest Islamic movement in America. He placed Muslims, particularly, Black Muslims, as the leaders of Al-Islam in America. Now there were other Islamic groups in existence, such as the Moorish Science Temple, and smaller Sunni Islamic movements. But none of them were as popular and successful as the Nation of Islam.
Now back to my conversation with Muslim elders. I said to the elders out of the Nation of Islam movement under Master Fard Muhammad and the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad came many great Muslims, such as sister Clara Muhammad, Malcolm X, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, sister Khadijah Farrakhan, Dr. Khalid Abdul Muhammad, Clarence 13x-founder of the 5% Nation of Islam, Muhammad Ali, Imam Wahhaj Suraj, Carl Sharif, Fredrica Bey, Imam Ali Muslim, Yusef Shaw, Ahmed Burhani, Imam Dawud Adeeb, Bilal Philips, and many other Muslim brothers and sisters. But most importantly, out of his loins, came the great Imam Warith Deen Mohammed. (Imam Warith Deen was once named Wallace Muhammad. In 1975, after the Honorable Elijah Muhammad departed from the Nation of Islam, the Muhammad family elected Imam Warith Deen Mohammed as the next leader of the Nation of Islam. In three years, Imam Mohammed directed the Nation of Islam into Sunni Al-Islam. His leadership led to one of the foundations for Al-Islam in America. Under Imam Mohammed, Muslims traveled overseas to study Al-Islam in Medina and Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to brought it back to the Black community. Unfortunately, some of these Muslims became consumed with just the religious aspect of Al-Islam and not in Black liberation. Some of these Muslims left Imam Mohammed's leadership. These overseas trained Muslims accused Imam Mohammed of not being authentically Muslim. They went on to establish their own more extremist Islamic movements in America and in Jersey based upon the extremist leadership in Saudi Arabia in 1980s and 1990s. In 1978, out of this atmosphere, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan made the decision to leave the Nation of Islam after the dismantling of the Nation of Islam. He left the leadership of Imam Mohammed to rebuild the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam as a vehicle for liberation for a whole new generation of Muslims and oppressed Black people in America). I said to the elders again why are some of these elders so angry with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. They told me that there are many levels to their bitterness.
They said that some of the elders had internal organizational differences within the Nation of Islam. Then they told me that some of the elders had differences with the Nation of Islam leadership. Then they said that some of their differences stem from theological issues with the teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. I said to them that what they are saying is really deep. I said to them that maybe this is why some Muslims have mixed emotions and straight hatred towards the Honorable Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. They said to me you are right brother.
They told me that although many of them came to Al-Islam, and to the Muslim Ummah, through the Nation of Islam, they said to me that some of the elders intentionally shelve the Black liberation teachings of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad and Nation of Islam. They said to me that they forgot the good things the Honorable Elijah Muhammad brought to them before they came to Al-Islam. The elders said to me that we must embrace the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the members of the Nation of Islam as our Muslim brothers and sisters because they are doing great work as Muslims giving dawah (an Arabic for inviting people to the faith of Al-Islam), fighting free oppressed people, promoting Black pride, working on economic independence, establishing liberation schools, and organizing to help free the Black community from racism and Black self-hatred. Most importantly, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Nation of Islam are teaching Black people the knowledge of self-the Blackman's and the Blackwoman's true Black History. They said that brother Farrakhan and Nation of Islam belongs to the Muslim Ummah. I said to them that I already see Brother Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam as my Muslim brothers and sisters. I also said to them that they, brother Farrakhan and Nation of Islam, belong to our Ummah.
They told me that is good. Alhamdulillah (an Arabic phrase that says praise be to Allah)!!! They said to me keep up the good work you do for the Muslim community and for oppressed Black people. I told them that it is hard work keeping unity in the Muslim Ummah and fighting for the liberation of oppressed Black people. The infighting sometimes kills my spirit and my patience. But I said to the elders that I must struggle onward so that the future generation will have a better example of Muslims, particularly Black Muslims, for our future children and the Black community. Ma'shallah (an Arabic phrase for It is the will of Allah)!!!
As Salaamu Alaykum wa Rahmantuallahi wa Barakaatahu (an Arabic phrase that means May Allah's Peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you)!!!
Jazak Allahu khair (an Arabic phrase that means May Allah reward you with goodness)!!!
Bashir Muhammad Akinyele -Muslim -Muslim Activist -Community Activist -Educator -Co-Founder of the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition (NAVC) -Co-Host and Co-Producer of the All Politics Are Local radio show-the Number #1 Political Hip Hop Radio Show in America
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