The Enslavement of the Black American Muslim

The Enslaement of the Black American Muslim

Filed under: American Muslims, Fatwas and American Muslims, Islam in America, Muslim Thought, Muslim converts, Trials of the End of Days , Add new tag, Black American Muslms, Slavery, Moral Blackmail, African American Muslims

CAN MUSLIMS IN AMERICA PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC RALLIES

By Imam Al-Hajj Talib ‘Abdur-Rashid

            The above question has been posed to me by a young Muslim seeking guidance regarding Islamically legitimate means for resisting evils and injustices. He showed me a question posed by a Muslim to two scholars from amongst those of our faith, which read “Are demonstrations considered to be a means from the legitimate means of  Da’wah?” The esteemed scholars answered the questions posed to them (May Allah reward them), and from that answer the questioner sought refuge in Allah from “evil ideologies and destructive manners”, characterized  rallies under “destructive manners”, and identified those who call for Muslim participation in demonstrations as those ignorant of “Islamic principles”.   

The response of the questioned scholars contained the following statements:

Filed under: American Muslims, Fatwas and American Muslims, Muslim Thought, Social Justice , activision, Add new tag, Imam Talib Rashid, Islam

African American Muslim Emancipation

It’s not permissible in Islam for any Muslim to surrender his or her ability to reason and to critically examine information. “Have they never learned to think for them­selves? Allah has not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without [an inner] truth and a term set [by Him]: Allah and yet, behold, there are many people who stubbornly deny the truth that they are destined to meet their Sustainer!”<!–[if !supportFootnotes]–>[1]<!–[endif]–> Without reasoning and critical discernment, the distinction between truth and falsehood is impaired. One of the reasons intoxicants are prohibited is that it clouds the reasoning faculty. “All drinks that intoxicate are unlawful (to drink)<!–[if !supportFootnotes]–>[2]<!–[endif]–>.“ All people are required to reason except for the insane, the child, and the sleeping or unconscious which is why there is no accounting upon them in such states. “There are three whose actions are not recorded: a lunatic whose mind is deranged till he is restored to consciousness, a sleeper till he awakes, and a boy till he reaches puberty”

Abandoning reason is one of the central causes of African American Muslim dysfunction and stagnation. African American Muslims have a unique spiritual and evolutionary trajectory that naturally resists assimilation of a carbon copy just add water version of Islam.

Filed under: American Muslims, Black American Muslims, Fatwas and American Muslims, History, Muslim Thought, Muslim converts , African Ameican Muslims, American Muslims, Salafi

The Islamic Ruling Regarding Baby Showers in America

The United States, like other countries is a culturally dynamic environment. Understanding how to apply Islamic law and maintain the required limits of Islamic protocol (adab) require a thorough understanding of the shariah and the culture, as well as the inclusion and consultation of indigenous American Muslim intelligentsia when rendering legal edicts. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya alluded to this issue very succinctly; when commenting of the necessity of understanding people’s cultural practices, he said: “This is a major foundation that every mufti (legist) or ruler needs; he must be both well-versed (in peoples traditions) as well as matters of command and prohibition and then apply them both simultaneously. Otherwise he will do more harm than good. If he is not intimately aware of an issue in which people have particular understanding, a transgressor will appear to him as the transgressed and the truth will appear to him as falsehood and vice versa.”

Ibn Qayyim went on to say: “Because of his ignorance of the people, their traditions, their conditions and their habits, he will not be able to distinguish (between truth and falsehood), Thus, it is imperative that (the scholar) understands the machinations of the people, their deceptions, their cultural traditions and their habits because fatwa (religious rulings) change with the changing of time, place culture and condition, and all of this is part of the religion of Allah.”- Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (D. 751 A.H.) quoted from: “Ii’laan al-Muwaqqi’een an Rabbil aalameen” vol. 4, p. 157

Filed under: Fatwas and American Muslims, Muslim Thought, Muslim converts , American Muslim Culture, Baby Showers, Fatwa

American Muslim Culture Confusion

Culture as defined by Webster, is the customary beliefs, social norms, and material traits of a racial, religious or social group. It it also defined as the characteristics features of everyday existence (as diversions or way of life) shared by people in a place or time. Islamic scholarly inquest regarding the merits or harms of American culture, what’s haram, what’s halal is legitimate. However, when assessment of our culture by Muslim scholars or average Muslims is based upon disdain for America or because of our countries political or military relationship with the Muslim world , or because most Americans are not Muslim, or ‘kuffaar’ infidels, the query becomes illegitimate, and the conclusion is tainted. .

You can’t issue rulings about American culture and customs and exempt all other cultures from scrutiny. Judging permissibility or prohibition of anyone’s culture or aspects of it based strictly upon the belief, race, geography or nationality of the people has no valid sharia basis. You can’t label clothing as the ‘kaafir clothes’. Clothing either conforms to Islamic moral standards or it doesn’t. You can’t haram clothing and customs because it’s western or they do it in America or because Americans do it or because rappers do it. Unless, according to Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalaani, the clothing bears religious significance or distinction. Many people wear crosses because of custom not devotion. However, a Muslim cannot wear a cross because other the religious distinction or representation.

Filed under: Black American Muslims, Fatwas and American Muslims , American Muslim, Black American Muslims, Culture, Islam