How many times have you heard within your family, something along the lines of ‘he’s really good looking and fair’ or ‘she’s so fair’ with their eyes lit up? How many times have you heard something like ‘it’s all good but he’s quite dark’ with a tinge of sympathy or ‘I hate getting tanned!’ In a tone that’s a little bit uncomfortable? This is colourism. Colourism is a form of heavy discrimination within the same race, it’s internal, it’s a ‘within your own people’ problem… and boy, don’t we all know about it. I still struggle to believe that in 2022, it is STILL an issue, still, a thing that’s got to be spoken about and still an innate disease stirring in and amongst us.
When the British ruled India, discrimination based on skin colour was most visible. The white British foreigners were symbols of power, authority and wealth and thus, light skin served as a signal of high status across the country. Those individuals with a lighter skin colour enjoyed more privileges from the British, were considered to have a more affluent status and gained preference in education and employment and darker-skinned individuals were socially and economically disadvantaged, and this disease continued…
This dangerous phenomenon of colourism passed on, to the extent that huge, ‘forward-thinking’ corporate brands such as L’Oreal have had no qualms in putting up gigantic billboards across the busy roads of India advertising their skin-lightening products with famous celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra (who, ironically, likes to push herself as a humanitarian) being the face of such companies. So, is it really any wonder that the power of colourism has crept into our South Asian psyche so silently and so dangerously, that today in 21st century Britain, we are still so wrapped up about the colour shade of our own people.
In a Hadeeth, it is narrated: ‘We passed by Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) in Rabadha. Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) said, “I had a quarrel with one of my brethren whose mother was of foreign descent, so I vilified him as ‘you son of a black mother’. He went to complain about me to the Prophet ﷺ. When the Prophet ﷺ met me (one day), he said, ‘Abu Dharr, you are someone who still displays Jahiliyyah (ignorance).’ Now, this Hadeeth might be focused on racism rather than colourism but the concept is the same. Discriminating and belittling because of the colour of the skin was deemed as ‘someone who still displays ignorance’ by our Prophet ﷺ. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ was a forward-thinking man, he was progressive in his ideologies and so for him, this was incredibly backwards. He remarked to Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) that he ‘still’ displayed signs of ignorance so imagine if our Prophet ﷺ was to see that 1400 years later, we, the South Asian community, STILL have deeply entrenched traits of colourism within us. We still have marks of ignorance. We still haven’t progressed. We still think fair skin = excellence and dark skin = inferiority.
If we zoom in, we can observe that colourism has played a dark and ugly role in the field of matrimony. I use past tense, but a huge part of me says that should be corrected to the present tense and that colourism still rears its ugly head in marriages. It beggars disbelief when a mother refuses to accept a girl for her son because she’s ‘a bit on the dark side’. When asked for a potential spouse, ‘fair’ is a requirement. Yes, ‘fair’. They are flagrantly and unashamedly stating that a person with darker skin shade is not good enough for their family.
Colourism is heavily embedded throughout South Asian culture. The lack of melanin in your skin isn’t just used as a marking point of attractiveness, but the colour of your skin is frequently used to determine your self-worth. And this toxic rhetoric spills out of the household, out of our communities, and feeds into racism beyond our culture. If we don’t like dark-skinned Asians, we definitely don’t like the Black community – it’s an uncomfortable truth, isn’t it?
I’d like to think the tide is slowly turning. The international brand Unilever recently announced it would no longer use the word ‘fair’ in the name of its popular (in South Asian countries) skin-lightening cream Fair & Lovely. Johnson & Johnson has discontinued two skin care products that promote “fairness”. While, most recently, L’Oreal has stopped using the words “fair”, “fairness”, “light” and “lightening” on its products. So we have some progress. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Colourism is so deeply embedded in our communities from the top down and unfortunately, we still have a lot of work to do. We actively need to hold conversations around it to stamp it out properly. It’s a mindset that needs to be changed and reformulated. We have to be more alert to the micro aggressions that have become a part of our daily dialect, especially amongst the older generations (‘she’s so dark’ ‘you need to scrub your tan off’, ‘I wish I was fairer’…) and be brave enough to challenge them.
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
Many people believe in superstitions so much that they alter their plans or behaviour in order to avoid what they call, “bad luck”. I witnessed this myself, first hand, as I was growing up. My grandmother was very superstitious. Her kitchen floor was always covered in salt because when she cooked she would add a pinch to the pot and throw some over her shoulder for “good luck”. She would actually cross the street and walk an extra block just to avoid the path of a black cat or go out of her way to get around an open ladder so that she would not have to pass under it. My grandmother did all of this for the sake of good fortune and the avoidance of danger.
Similar superstitions existed during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The pagan Arabs were especially steeped in superstitions related to birds. They believed seeing certain birds at certain times were good omens and seeing them at other times were bad omens. The pagan Arabs lived and often died as a result of their superstitious beliefs not because the superstitions had any power but rather due to their own ignorance.
Belief in superstitions is considered to be a grave act of shirk, or ascribing partners to Allah, which is the one and only sin that Allah Almighty will not forgive. Nothing in this world, whether it is living or inanimate, has any power save through Allah’s grace. Even by looking at the example of birds this is evident:
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
“Do they not see the birds held (flying) in the midst of the sky? None holds them but Allah (none gave them the ability to fly but Allah). Verily, in this are clear Ayaat (proofs and signs) for people who believe (in the Oneness of Allah)” (16:79)
This verse clearly shows that Allah is in command of the birds as well as all of Creation. Allah decides where birds fly or roost. The flight of birds is not dependent upon where good luck or bad luck resides.
Superstitions are a trick of the devil to lead humans further and further away from Allah so that on the Day of Judgment he will have some company in hell. The one who believes in superstitions truly has followed the devil and is no longer on the path, which leads to Allah. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was once asked about superstitious beliefs and this is what Muhammad ﷺ said:
“The best of it is fa’l (belief in good omens) and it should not prevent a Muslim from going ahead (with his plans).
Ignoring superstitions will not harm us in the very least. In fact, by not engaging in shirk we are more likely to please Allah which might actually save us from what we feared in the first place. On the other hand, the one who obeys the devil and their superstitions is more likely to fall right into the disaster they were so keen to avoid! Poetic justice perhaps? However, even if we avoid the belief in superstitions completely bad things may still happen to us. That does not mean the superstitions were correct rather it is in the timing of Allah’s Decree. All things that happen to us, good and bad, come at a time appointed by Allah as a means to test who is the best in faith.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
“No calamity befalls on the Earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees, before we bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah.” (57:22)
By not allowing superstitions to guide your life and decisions, you can slam the door right in the devil’s face. Place all of your trust in Allah Almighty who is the Only One deserving of it.
Black Cats
It is permissible to have cats and breed them on condition that you fulfil their rights, even if they are black in colour. But it is better not to get black cats because Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah (Allah have mercy upon him) mentioned that the jinn may take possession of a black cat, like the case of a black dog, as he said, “The black dog is the devil of the dogs and the jinn take his image much, as well as the image of a black cat because the black colour gathers the satanic forces and it and black has the strength of heat.”
This is possible. Jinns do have the ability to take the form of a creature or serpent. Rasulullah ﷺ is reported to have said:
“A group of Jinn residing in Madinah have accepted Islam, so if any of you see any of these creatures (snakes/scorpions etc.) then he should warn it (to leave) thrice. If it still appears then kill it, for verily it is a Shaytan. “(Sahih Muslim: 2236)
Hafiz Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) states:
“Jinn can come in the form of black dogs. Similarly they can also come in the form of black cats” (Majmu ‘ul Fatawa, vol. 19 pg. 52)
However this does not mean that every black cat is a jinn. All that this means is that it is possible for a jinn to appear in the form of a black cat.
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no ‘adwa (transmission of infectious disease without the permission of Allah) and no tiyarah (superstitious belief in bird omens), but I like optimism.” They said, “What is optimism?” He said, “A good word.” Narrated by al-Bukhari (5776) and Muslim (2224).
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Tiyarah (superstitious belief in omens) is shirk.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1614)
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The word tiyarah is derived from the word tatayyur, which refers to superstition about something that is seen or heard; or it was said that it refers to superstition about anything ,whether it is something that is seen or heard, or a time or place. This is more comprehensive as it includes things that are not seen or heard, such as superstition about certain times.
The basic meaning of tatayyur is pessimism but reference is made to birds (tayr) because most of the superstitions held by the Arabs have to do with birds, so it was connected to them. But the general definition is superstition based on something that is seen, heard or known.
The Arabs used to regard certain birds, times and persons as unlucky, and this is shirk as the Prophet ﷺ said.
If a person opens the door to superstition, the world will become a hard place for him and he will imagine that everything is a bad omen. There are even some people who, if they get up in the morning and go out and meet a man who only has one eye, they will regard it as a bad omen and say: Today is a bad day, so such a person will close his shop and not sell or buy anything – Allah forbid. Some of them regarded Wednesday as unlucky and said that it was a day of bad omens and bad luck, and some of them regarded the month of Shawal as unlucky, especially for weddings. The case of ‘Aa’ishah proves that this superstition is wrong, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) married her in Shawwal and consummated the marriage with her in Shawal, so she used to say: “And who among you was more beloved to him than me?” Narrated by Muslim. The answer is: No one.
What matters is that no one should pay any attention to superstition, because it will spoil his life. What we should do is follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who liked optimism, as was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. We should be optimistic, not pessimistic, like some people who try something time after time, then they become pessimistic and think that they will never succeed in it, so they give it up. This is wrong, because if you think that something is good, you should not give it up at the first attempt; try again and again until Allah makes it easy for you.
Superstition is only mentioned in the Qur’an as something followed by the enemies of the Messengers, which indicates that the one who follows it and believes in it is as ignorant as those people, to the extent that he believes in these notions.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Allah does not mention superstition except on the part of the enemies of the Messengers, as they said to their Messengers (interpretation of the meaning):
“ ‘For us, we see an evil omen from you; if you cease not, we will surely stone you, and a painful torment will touch you from us.’
They (Messengers) said: ‘Your evil omens be with you! (Do you call it ‘evil omen’) because you are admonished? Nay, but you are a people Musrifoon (transgressing all bounds by committing all kinds of great sins, and by disobeying Allaah)’” [Yaseen 36:18, 19]
And Allah tells us about the people of Pharaoh (interpretation of the meaning):
“But whenever good came to them, they said: ‘Ours is this.’ And if evil afflicted them, they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Moosa (Moses) and those with him. Be informed! Verily, their evil omens are with Allah” [al-A’raaf 7:131]
Miftaah Daar al-Sa’adah (3/231, 232)
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said of the people of the Jahiliyyah:
Most of them believed in bird omens and relied in that, and they usually came true for them, because the shaytan was making it appear attractive to them, and some traces of that are still present among many Muslims.
Fath al-Bari (10/213).
In order to deal with this pessimism which the shaytan instils by whispers and makes attractive to people:
1 – Put your trust fully and properly in Allah.
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Tiyarah (superstitious belief in omens) is shirk, and any one of us may think he sees an evil omen but Allah will dispel it by means of trust in Him (tawakkul).” Abu Dawood (3910)
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade tiyarah and said “There is no tiyarah.” That is because during the Jahiliyyah they believed in superstitious omens, and he forbade them to do that and told them to put their trust in Allah, because nothing happens except by His decree and no one has any knowledge of the unseen but Him.
Al-Tamheed (24/195).
2 – Go ahead with what you want to do, and do not delay it or change your mind.
3 – Pray to Allah to free you from this trap of the shaytan, and ask Him for that which is good, and seek refuge with Him from evil.
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever lets tiyarah (superstition) stop him from doing something has committed an act of shirk.” They said, “What is the kafarah (expiation) for that?” He said, “To say: Allahumma la khayra illaa khayruka wa laa tayra illaa tayruka wa laa ilaaha ghayruka (O Allah, there is no good except Your good, no birds except Yours, and there is no god beside You).” Narrated by Ahmad (7045)
Types of superstitious belief in bad omens, ancient and modern:
Certain beliefs about days or months, such as Safar and Shawwaal.
Certain belief about birds, such as crows and owls.
Certain beliefs about animals, such as snakes, black cats and monkeys, or their movements, such as the passing of gazelles.
Certain beliefs about types of people, such as a one-eyed man or a hunchback.
Certain beliefs about numbers, such as 13 among the Christians, 7 among the Bedouin and 10 among the Rafidis; in the latter case because they dislike the asharah mubashsharah (the ten Sahabah who were given the certain promise of Paradise) with the exception of Ali (Allah be pleased with him). Hence they will say nine plus one instead of ten.
Certain sounds, such as the voice of a crow or the sound of an ambulance or fire truck.
Frightening or disturbing dreams.
Colours, such as the colour of blood, or yellow.
When the eyelashes of the left eye tremble involuntarily, they say, something bad is going to happen to us.
Calling a child by the name of a living person, such as the father or mother and so on.
Witnessing an accident or a fire in the morning.
Seeing one’s wife’s mother in the morning.
When the right hand or right foot itches.
Stepping over a child
Cutting one’s nails at night
Sweeping the house at night
Refusing to do laundry on Mondays
Opening the scissors and closing them without a reason causes family problems
Twitching of the eyes
Hazazah for the child who has hiccups. They collect any amount of money, whatever it is, from seven people whose name has to be Muhammad, and they take it to a blacksmith to make what they call hazazah, which they then place on the child’s clothes to take away the hiccups.
After giving birth, when the woman is still in the state of nifas or postpartum bleeding, no other woman should enter upon her who has her monthly period, because that will prevent her from having children.
It is not permitted for the Muslim who believes in Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion, Muhammad ﷺ as a Prophet and Messenger, and in the divine decree, both good and bad, to think that any being, entity or quality can have a specific effect in bringing good or warding off harm, as there is no evidence in shareeah to that effect. This is part of the legacy of jahiliyyah (ignorance) which has been cancelled out by Islam and is regarded as being shirk which negates perfect Tawheed, because it is insinuating thoughts (waswaas) and scare tactics from the Shaytan.
It is like the attitude of the people of Pharaoh, about whom Allah said (interpretation of the meaning): But whenever good came to them, they said, ours is this. And if evil afflicted them, they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Moosa ﷺ and those with him [al-Araaf 7:131]. If some disaster or drought befell them, they blamed it on evil omens which they associated with Moosa ﷺ and the believers with him, but Allah refuted this and said (interpretation of the meaning): Verily, their evil omens are with Allah [al-Araaf 7:131].
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
This poem was written to highlight the ongoing racism and prejudice in America, after the killing of George Floyd. We are all brothers and sisters in humanity, we should all feel the pain of Black people in America and across the globe. The Holy Qur’an teaches us:
“…if any one slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.” [Al-Qur’an 5:32]
Such is the value of a single human life, that the Qur’an equates the taking of even one human life unjustly, with killing all of humanity. Thus, the Qur’an prohibits homicide in clear terms.
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
The Jinn, in general, are a creation of Allah (ﷻ), and their origin is mentioned in several verses of the Quran.
Allah (ﷻ) says:
❝And the Jinn he created from a smokeless flame of fire.❞
[Ar-Rahman: 15]
❝And the Jinn We created before from scorching fire.❞
[Al-Hijr: 27]
❝A Jinn Aashiq❞ is a Jinn that is settled in the body and exploits the victim in a lewd and offensive manner.
This is a form of oppression which should be eliminated by using methods of Ruqyah prescribed in the Islamic Shari’ah.
Jinn Aashiq cases are usually complex and tangled.
However, even though this subject isn’t something new, many people have a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions in regards to it.
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (ﺭﺣﻤﻪﺍﻟﻠﻪ) said;
❝The possession of man by Jinn can be out of sexual desire, evil notions or love just as can happen with humans. This is fahsha (immoral) and forbidden conduct, that is if the two agreed on the act. However, if the Jinn is acting on this out of his own will, it is oppression.❞
The one who’s committing this act must be informed of their actions and they will be judged according to Allah and His Messenger’s laws which were sent for man and jinn.
Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah RH said taking pleasure of something or someone is to get what they want from the person as they wish or desire.
This falls under all types of pleasure.
But no oppression will go unpunished either in this world or the next as Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:
❝And mention (O Muhammad), the Day when He will gather them and say, ❝O company of Jinn! You have (misled) many of mankind.❞
And their allies among mankind will say, ❝Our Lord! Some of us made use of others, and we have (now) reached our term which You appointed for us.❞
He will say; ❝The Fire is your residence wherein you will abide eternally, except for what Allah wills. Indeed, Your Lord is Wise and Knowing.❞
There are many different types of JINN AASHIQ in terms of character, look, strength etc.
There are some who possess a person and feel the emotions as us humans feel towards someone such as love, care and the need to protect towards the victim they possess.
Some, on the other hand, show a more sinister type of emotions such as possessiveness, and ❝enjoy❞ the body as though they own it by causing pain and many complex physical and psychological problems.
Either way, Jinn Aashiq can cause the victim immense difficulties and complications in their lives, relationships, and their physical and mental well-being.
People could be afflicted with these types of Jinns for various reasons.
Bismi Allah- wal HumduLillah was Salah was Salam ala Rasoolillah
Today, I would like to speak about an issue, something which has affected me for years. It changed my life and I was oblivious to it for years. I feel brothers and sisters need to speak out about the issue, so it can help others who are suffering silently. More importantly, it is mentioned in Qur’an and Hadith but I see the Ulama, the scholars of Haqq are also silent and turning a blind eye to it. So I am going to start with the scholars who I am angry and upset at, never have I heard one talk in my Masjid, not on Jum’uah and not in Ramadhan on the topic… Black magic. I ask why? And I have the right to ask, do I not? This is no longer just a Bengali issue! I am Deobandi, Hanafi, Gujarati, studied in Madrasah as well. Is it because your wives and daughters are not affected? Because YOU haven’t experienced it in your family? Some scholars are in total disbelief, “it’s just in your head”, “mental illness!”, “Everyone has problems in life”. We don’t disagree, mental health issues exist AND SO DOES BLACK MAGIC! IS Diabetes just in the head? Is Cancer just in the head? Other people have problems, marriage or job related, this does not mean Black Magic doesn’t exist. I’m sorry they’re insufficient proofs. Nobody said all problems in life are caused by Black Magic, but those of you who completely write off Black Magic are wrong as well. You no longer need to go to Pakistan or India to find Magicians and Witches, it’s all happening here in the UK. In our backyards. . .
Those who suffer from Black Magic and Jinn possession are living two totally different lives… yes! They have split personalities. One minute they are normal and the next minute they are going ballistic! People just assume they are bad-mannered or have a disorder. Many sisters like myself are labelled bad wives and sometimes bad mothers. I won’t even go into how mothers-in-law treat us, with no sympathy and understanding DESPITE KNOWING. People assume if you are not sectioned into a mental institute or not actively trying to commit physical self-harm, then you are “okay”.
The psychological trauma we go through, the grief, the depression, anxiety, phobias, Waswasah, and doubts… on your partner your family and close ones! Not forgetting the doubts we have about Allah and Iman! But all of this is brushed to the side, which just escalates for matters for us.
We want to seek guidance from Ulama, but they say nothing except, “it’s all in your head!” La Hawla Wa Laa Quwwata Illa Billah…
“Did the Prophet SAW not suffer from Black Magic himself?”
Or was it just in His head SAW? …for six months He SAW was affected and He SAW never knew, He SAW found out later.
The Qur’an says we must seek help and assistance from people of knowledge. But they just make matters worse! I fear Allah whilst writing this, I am ashamed. But Wallahi alAzeem! These scholars need to refer back to their books. Nobody goes through everything in life, every illness, every pain, every suffering. So we can’t keep saying, because we haven’t experienced it we don’t believe in it. It breaks my heart to know this disease is spreading quicker and faster. More and more houses and families are being broken by Black Magic. But the world just stands and watches and shows us statistics of divorce rates.
Are you unaware the most popular type of Black Magic is separating the husband and wife… read Surah baqarah: “From them (Harut and Marut) they learned how they might divide a man and his wife.” (2:102)
Aside from that, the suicidal feelings, the self-harm, and nightmares we have on a daily basis. This is why I believe that Black Magic is far worse than cancer, diabetes, or TB! People, please understand what I’m saying! With these illnesses, you may lose your health, your teeth, lose weight, or other parts of your body and it becomes ‘apparent.’ Our suffering is all internal and we are ashamed to tell anyone. Why? Generally, people are judgmental as it is. “He can’t get married!” “She can’t have children!” What would they say if they knew we were possessed or a victim of Black Magic?!
Have you noticed how if we don’t display very obvious physical signs of illness or at least obvious signs of mental illness then, people assume- it’s not that bad?
This really pained me at my worst times 🙁 I sincerely felt like I had to explain myself constantly that no, just because it’s not so obvious, it is STILL extremely distressing, painful, and debilitating.
“Also? With the above mentioned diseases you don’t lose your Iman easily and fall into Shirk! We are constantly in a cloudy battle with Shaytan’s army, jinn and waswasah – nothing is clear to us. We want to end our lives or end our Iman. Nobody understands us… our reward is with Allah SWT! He tests whom he loves (alHadith).”
I hope this is a reassuring message to all my friends who are suffering silently, Allah is with you. He is al-Hafeez, the best protector.
Please take this seriously, evil eye exists, black magic exists and Jinn possession exists. Please keep up your Azkaar and daily protection.
NB: I would like to clarify one question which many sisters ask me, brothers may also be confused about it too…
QUESTION: We pray Manzil (dua book) regularly, we pray Hizbul Azam weekly, and our morning and evening Duas daily. Can we still be affected by Black Magic or Evil Eye?
ANSWER: All of the above are brilliant for general protection and we MUST do all of them and much more! But one can still be affected by Jinn or Black Magic or Evil Eye. The simple explanation for this is, the Prophet Alayhis Salam was also affected by Sihr. Who is more punctual on Azkar and Dua than Him Alayhi Salam? But he was still affected. Some people further ask, what is the benefit of reading all these Duas then? The benefit is the harm of Sihr/Jadoo will not be as great. I have always read Manzil- Alhumdu Lillah! When I was told about Sihr on me, it was said it only affected me 70%. Because of the protection, I was doing. So please do read the Wazeefahs you are doing, carry on. But once you have been affected by Jinn or Sihr you will need specific treatment, please contact a Shaykh.
I will leave links here for you all for Dua books:
Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. Malcolm was the fourth of eight children born to Louise, a homemaker, and Earl Little, a preacher who was also an active member of the local chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and avid supporter of black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Due to Earl Little’s civil rights activism, the family faced frequent harassment from white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan and one of its splinter factions, the Black Legion. In fact, Malcolm X had his first encounter with racism before he was even born.
“When my mother was pregnant with me, she told me later, ‘a party of hooded Ku Klux Klan riders galloped up to our home,'” Malcolm later remembered. “Brandishing their shotguns and rifles, they shouted for my father to come out.” The harassment continued; when Malcolm X was four years old, local Klan members smashed all of the family’s windows, causing Earl Little to decide to move the family from Omaha to East Lansing, Michigan.
However, the racism the family encountered in East Lansing proved even greater than in Omaha. Shortly after the Littles moved in, in 1929, a racist mob set their house on fire, and the town’s all-white emergency responders refused to do anything. “The white police and firemen came and stood around watching as the house burned to the ground,” Malcolm X later remembered.
Two years later, in 1931, things got much, much worse. Earl Little’s dead body was discovered laid out on the municipal streetcar tracks. Although Malcolm X’s father was very likely murdered by white supremacists, from whom he had received frequent death threats, the police officially ruled his death a suicide, thereby voiding the large life insurance policy he had purchased in order to provide for his family in the event of his death. Malcolm X’s mother never recovered from the shock and grief of her husband’s death. In 1937, she was committed to a mental institution and Malcolm X left home to live with family friends.
Troubled YouthMalcolm X attended West Junior High School, where he was the school’s only black student. He excelled academically and was well liked by his classmates, who elected him class president. However, he later said that he felt that his classmates treated him more like the class pet than a human being. The turning point in Malcolm X’s childhood came in 1939, when his English teacher asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up and he answered that he wanted to be a lawyer. His teacher responded, “One of life’s first needs is for us to be realistic … you need to think of something you can be … why don’t you plan on carpentry?” Having thus been told in no uncertain terms that there was no point in a black child pursuing education, Malcolm X dropped out of school the following year, at the age of 15.After quitting school, Malcolm X moved to Boston to live with his older half-sister, Ella, about whom he later recalled, “She was the first really proud black woman I had ever seen in my life. She was plainly proud of her very dark skin. This was unheard of among Negroes in those days.” Ella landed Malcolm a job shining shoes at the Roseland Ballroom. However, out on his own on the streets of Boston, Malcolm X became acquainted with the city’s criminal underground, soon turning to selling drugs. He got another job as kitchen help on the Yankee Clipper train between New York and Boston and fell further into a life of drugs and crime. Sporting flamboyant pinstriped zoot suits, he frequented nightclubs and dance halls and turned more fully to crime to finance his lavish lifestyle. This phase of Malcolm X’s life came to a screeching halt in 1946, when he was arrested on charges of larceny and sentenced to ten years in jail.To pass the time during his incarceration, Malcolm X read constantly, devouring books from the prison library in an attempt make up for the years of education he had missed by dropping out of high school. Also while in prison, he was visited by several siblings who had joined to the Nation of Islam, a small sect of black Muslims who embraced the ideology of black nationalism—the idea that in order to secure freedom, justice and equality, black Americans needed to establish their own state entirely separate from white Americans. Malcolm X converted to the Nation of Islam while in prison, and upon his release in 1952 he abandoned his surname “Little,” which he considered a relic of slavery, in favor of the surname “X”—a tribute to the unknown name of his African ancestors.
Nation of Islam
Now a free man, Malcolm X traveled to Detroit, Michigan, where he worked with the leader of the Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad, to expand the movement’s following among black Americans nationwide. Malcolm X became the minister of Temple No. 7 in Harlem and Temple No. 11 in Boston, while also founding new temples in Harford and Philadelphia. In 1960, he established a national newspaper, Muhammad Speaks, in order to further promote the message of the Nation of Islam.
Articulate, passionate and a naturally gifted and inspirational orator, Malcolm X exhorted blacks to cast off the shackles of racism “by any means necessary,” including violence. “You don’t have a peaceful revolution,” he said. “You don’t have a turn-the-cheek revolution. There’s no such thing as a nonviolent revolution.” Such militant proposals—a violent revolution to establish an independent black nation—won Malcolm X large numbers of followers as well as many fierce critics. Due primarily to the efforts of Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam grew from a mere 400 members at the time he was released from prison in 1952, to 40,000 members by 1960.
By the early 1960s, Malcolm X had emerged as a leading voice of a radicalized wing of the Civil Rights Movement, presenting an alternative to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a racially integrated society achieved by peaceful means. Dr. King was highly critical of what he viewed as Malcolm X’s destructive demagoguery. “I feel that Malcolm has done himself and our people a great disservice,” King once said.
Break with Elijah MuhammadPhilosophical differences with King were one thing; a rupture with Elijah Muhammad proved much more traumatic. In 1963, Malcolm X became deeply disillusioned when he learned that his hero and mentor had violated many of his own teachings, most flagrantly by carrying on many extramarital affairs; Muhammad had, in fact, fathered several children out of wedlock. Malcolm’s feelings of betrayal, combined with Muhammad’s anger over Malcolm’s insensitive comments regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, led Malcolm X to leave the Nation of Islam in 1964.That same year, Malcolm X embarked on an extended trip through North Africa and the Middle East. The journey proved to be both a political and spiritual turning point in his life. He learned to place the American Civil Rights Movement within the context of a global anti-colonial struggle, embracing socialism and pan-Africanism. Malcolm X also made the Hajj, the traditional Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during which he converted to traditional Islam and again changed his name, this time to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.After his epiphany at Mecca, Malcolm X returned to the United States less angry and more optimistic about the prospects for peaceful resolution to America’s race problems. “The true brotherhood I had seen had influenced me to recognize that anger can blind human vision,” he said. “America is the first country … that can actually have a bloodless revolution.” Tragically, just as Malcolm X appeared to be embarking on an ideological transformation with the potential to dramatically alter the course of the Civil Rights Movement, he was assassinated. Death and LegacyOn the evening of February 21, 1965, at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan, where Malcolm X was about to deliver a speech, three gunmen rushed the stage and shot him 15 times at point blank range. Malcolm X was pronounced dead on arrival at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital shortly thereafter. He was 39 years old. The three men convicted of the assassination of Malcolm X were all members of the Nation of Islam: Talmadge Hayer, Norman 3X Butler and Thomas 15X Johnson.In the immediate aftermath of Malcolm X’s death, commentators largely ignored his recent spiritual and political transformation and criticized him as a violent rabble-rouser. However, Malcolm X’s legacy as a civil rights hero was cemented by the posthumous publication in 1965 of The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley. At once a harrowing chronicle of American racism, an unsparing self-criticism and an inspiring spiritual journey, the book, transcribed by the acclaimed author of Roots, instantly recast Malcolm X as one of the great political and spiritual leaders of modern times. Named byTIME magazine one of 10 “required reading” non-fiction books of all-time,The Autobiography of Malcolm X has truly enshrined Malcolm X as a hero to subsequent generations of radicals and activists.Perhaps Malcolm X’s greatest contribution to society was underscoring the value of a truly free populace by demonstrating the great lengths to which human beings will go to secure their freedom. “Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression,” he stated. “Because power, real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action.”
Personal Life
In 1958, Malcolm X married Betty Sanders, a fellow member of the Nation of Islam. The couple had six children together, all daughters: Attallah (b. 1958), Qubilah (b. 1960), Ilyasah (b. 1963), Gamilah (b. 1964) and twins Malaak and Malikah (b. 1965). Sanders later became known as Betty Shabazz, and she became a prominent civil rights and human rights activist in her own right in the aftermath of her husband’s death.
In May 2013, Malcolm X’s grandson, Malcolm Shabazz—son of the civil rights leader’s second daughter with wife Betty Shabazz, Qubilah Shabazz—was beaten to death in Mexico City, near the Plaza Garibaldi. He was 28 years old. According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, police believe Malcolm Shabazz’s death was the result of a “robbery gone wrong.”
QUOTES:“Power in defense of freedom is greater than power in behalf of tyranny and oppression because power, real power, comes from our conviction which produces action, uncompromising action.”“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”“America is the first country … that can actually have a bloodless revolution.”“You don’t have a peaceful revolution. You don’t have a turn-the-cheek revolution. There’s no such thing as a nonviolent revolution.”“You don’t have a peaceful revolution. You don’t have a turn-the-cheek revolution. There’s no such thing as a nonviolent revolution.”“If you are not willing to pay the price for freedom, you don’t deserve freedom.”“While we did not always see eye to eye on methods to solve the race problem, I always had a deep affection for Malcolm and felt that he had the great ability to put his finger on the existence and root of the problem.”
Mankind was one nation, believing in Tawheed, then they differed. Some of them believed and some disbelieved. So Allah sent the Prophets AS with glad tidings and warnings, so whoever believes will enter Paradise and whoever disbelieves will enter Hell. The conflict is still going on between belief and disbelief, truth and falsehood, and will continue until Allah inherits the earth and everyone on it.
Islam is the religion for all of mankind, and Allah has commanded us to convey it to all people. This can only be achieved if we are strong, and strength is based on faith and unity. Hence Allah has commanded all the believers to adhere to His religion and to be united, and not to be divided. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah (i.e. this Qur’an), and be not divided among yourselves
[Aal ‘Imran 3:103]
Division, differences and disputes are the cause of the ummah’s defeat, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength departs, and be patient. Surely, Allah is with those who are As-Saabiroon (the patient)”
[al-Anfaal 8:46]
Unity and coming together are among the basic principles of Islam, and there are many aspects of unity in Islam, such as One Lord, one Book, one Prophet, one religion, one qiblah, one ummah.
In order to achieve the unity of the ummah, Islam urges us to adhere to the jama’ah (the group which follows the Qur’an and Sunnah). The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explained that the hand of Allah is with the jama’ah, and that whoever deviates from that will be in Hell. Allah has enjoined coming together for all acts of worship in order to achieve this unity. Allah addresses the Ummah as one group in all rulings to indicate that they are one ummah, like one body. There is no difference between them; the commands and prohibitions are addressed to all.
Dearest brothers and sisters of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him), when we look around the globe today we see the Ummah has become selfish. We don’t see anyone caring for the Ummah, looking out for others and showing empathy towards those who are needy and the suffering. We see an Ummah suffering form individualism, everyone cares about ‘his own’. His own family, his own house, his own children, his own job, his own life and his own future.
The Ummah is devoid of men and women who stand up for the Ummah, who cry for the Ummah. Or even brothers and sisters who PRAY for the Ummah – Allahul Musta’aan.
I absolutely loathe selfishness and self-centred, self-absorbed, self-conceited individuals. If everyone is going to just care for themselves, who will stand up for the oppressed? Who will speak up for those who have been wronged? Who will stop injustice? Who will free the innocent prisoners? Who will protect the orphans and the widows? Who will be there for the lonely ones and the elderly? If you and I refuse to help them and ignore their cries, then I swear by Allah on His Majestic throne – nobody will help them! Nobody! Simply because we were too bothered and busy about earning the next dollar! We were too engrossed in keeping ourselves in shape. Wealth made us negligent. Materialism deceived us in thinking the world is forever.
If the above is true, then may I ask, what difference is there between us and animals? Animals just eat and rest and sleep, so do we. So do those who disbelieve in Allah.
“Let them (disbelievers) eat and enjoy themselves and be diverted by [false] hope, for they are going to know.” (15:3)
This story may only be an anecdote, but it reflects a very powerful lesson:
In a forest, there lived three bulls: a red bull, a black bull and a white bull. Among them lived a lion. The lion never felt he was king of the forest. He felt outnumbered by three bulls, which he was.
One day, the lion said to the red bull and the black bull: “That white bull is so large and white and can be spotted easily in through the trees of our forest. My colour is similar to yours. Let me eat the white bull, and the three of us will blend in well together. Then we will be safe in the forest.”
The red bull and the black bull said: “Go ahead, eat him.”
So the lion ate the white bull.
A few days later, the lion said to the red bull: “You and I look alike, your colour and mine are similar. What do you say I eat the black bull, and the forest will be ours.”
The red bull replied: “Go ahead, eat him.”
And so the lion ate the black bull.
A few days later the lion said to the red bull: “Today I think I will eat you.”
The red bull said: “Let me call my friends to rescue me!”
The lion replied: “Go ahead, call them.”
But the red bull cried out instead in dismay: “I know was eaten the day the white bull was eaten.”
Now reflect upon this Hadith:
Thawban – radiallahu ‘anhu – the freed slave of the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. He related that the Messenger of Allah said: “The nations are about to call each other and set upon you, just as diners set upon food.” It was said: “Will it be because of our small number that day?” He said: “Rather, on that day you will be many, but you will be like foam, like the foam on the river. And Allah will remove the fear of you from the hearts of your enemies and will throw wahn (weakness) into your hearts.” Someone said: “O Messenger of Allah! What is wahn?” He said: “Love of the world and the hatred for death.”
Sahih: Related by Abu Dawud (no. 4297), Ibn ‘Asakirin in Tarikh Dimashq(2/97/8) and others.
This hadith explains the first form of weakness, which has befallen the ‘Ummah in all corners of the world, as being a result of inclination to this world, love of it, and being preoccupied with it, whilst turning away from the Hereafter, being distant from it and hatred of death. Hatred of death is a sign of loving this world, since the one who loves this world, hates death. Since, with death, comes the meeting with Allah – the Most Perfect.
Some Benefits of this Hadith
From the hadith, we can conclude the following:-
That the disbelievers attentively observe the Muslim ‘Ummah and study their condition, when they see a weakness they strike at it and if they see a barrier, they destroy it. When they see that the ‘Ummah cannot defend itself, they do not show mercy, since they are the enemies of Allah. So they hate the Muslims because they (the Muslims) call to the worship and obedience of Allah.
The Muslim lands possess many riches, being sources of goods and blessings. This is why the enemies of Allah desire these lands and try to conquer them.
The ‘Ummah has reached a level where it cannot defend its honour, riches nor wealth from its conquering enemies.
The disbelievers have divided the conquered lands of the Muslims between themselves, just like diners when gathered around their dish – what do they do? Each of them takes their portion until he is full; and he will not be content with that which is in his plate, except with that which fills. The Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam, warned us about this fact – the cutting up of the Muslim lands, for he said: “You will form different armies, an army in Greater Syria (ash-Sham), an army in ‘Iraq and an army in Yemen.” I asked: “Which one shall I be with O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “I advise you with the (army) of ash-Sham and whoever refuses then let him join Yemen and beware. For indeed Allah – the Mighty and Majestic – has guaranteed ash-Sham and its people for me.”Sahih: Related by Ahmad (5/33), Abu Dawud (1/388).
That the disbelievers do not fear the Muslims. At the time of the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam when the disbelievers heard that the Prophet was preparing to engage them in battle, they would become fearful and turn on their heels. This is what happened at the battle of Tabuk. At this battle, the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam travelled a months journey to fight the Romans, when they heard of the Messenger of Allah’s, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, approach they fled. So the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “I have been given five (things) which no one else before me has been given. I have been aided with fear – a distance of one month’s traveling… “ Related by al-Bukhari (1/436) and Muslim (5/3-4) from Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah radiallahu ‘anhu. Allah the – the Highest – states: “Soon We shall cast terror into the hearts of the disbelievers, for that, they made shirk, for which He had sent no authority.” [Al-Qur’an 3:151]
Indeed, fear is a weapon, which Allah implants in the hearts of His enemies. This is why the strength of the Muslims, is not in their great numbers – weapons or wealth – but it is in their ‘aqidah (belief) and they’re adhering to it. For today there are plenty of Muslims, but they are like foam, like the foam carried by the waves. And their riches are many but cannot be for them. Rather, it has become the possession of their enemies. For example, The Muslims today approximate over one billion and they grow in number every day. However, at the same time they are the weakest of nations in every country they are in, being persecuted – why?
Because they have become like foam, like the foam on the waves. Also, the lands of the Muslims possess many riches and minerals, but where does it all end up? With the disbelievers in Europe or America, or it goes to the Jews of Palestine. The Muslim oil constitutes approximately one-third of the world’s reserves, but the Muslims are the poorest of people – why?
Because they do not possess anything from their Din (religion), except a name. So they call to it, but all their riches now belong to their enemies.
O Lord of the Worlds, O Ever-living One, O Self-Existing One!
O Allah! Unite the Muslims.
O Allah! Save us from disunity.
O Allah! Make us brothers like the Ansaar RA and the Muhajireen RA.
O Allah! Protect us from Racism and Nationalism.
O Allah! Save us from differences.
O Allah! Help us to be One.
O Allah! Grant us sympathy and empathy for the Ummah.
O Allah! Save us from selfishness.
Ameen Ya Rabbal-Alameen.
Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s Forgiveness, Mercy and Pleasure).
1 Muharram 1437
Ya Rabb! Place the reward of this article in the scales of my Late Father RH, in his mizaan of Hasanaat. I believe he was a man who stood up for the Ummah, he wasn’t a selfish man. He believed in Unity and empathy. He taught me dignity and self respect. I learned from him not to ‘go with the flow’, rather be a force against the tide – no matter what the pressure, no matter what the odds are. And never fear the criticism of the critics. Most importantly, he taught me how to place all reliance on Allah. Because, if Allah can’t help you, nobody can! Two years after his demise, his legacy remains in sha Allah…
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful
I want to begin by directly asking you a few questions. The first question I want to ask is if you saw an old lady crossing the road that needed help, would you choose to help her or would you leave her be? Secondly what do you think of a person who shouts at a baby for not being able to run?
Of course these questions may seem really weird for the moment but hang on in there and let me try to explain my point. Many people have a mentality that if I am committing a lot of sin, what is the point of me praying namaaz (5 daily prayers) or following any other of Allah’s commands for that matter. Well let’s look at the first question I posed at the start. If you answered yes then why should you do this? Isn’t helping an old lady a command of Allah?
Now I know some will say that this is the human thing to do. Well to follow Allah and His commands is also the human thing to do and if you want evidence then look deep in your heart to see if your heart is satisfied with your current life. Most people go to sleep unhappy every day or dissatisfied with their life. The obvious answer is that we are missing complete submission to Allah in our life. Isn’t it time to change and leave our old lives behind? Is it not time to turn back to Allah?
Some people, including myself when I was younger believe that Islam is only meant to be practised by a Hafiz or Alim. If this is you then let me ask you, will you be holding someone’s hand and taking them in your grave with you? If I want success in this world and the Hereafter I need to make changes in my life now. Neither me nor you know when the grave is going to swallow us up so shouldn’t we be making changes in our life now before it is too late?
I recently heard a very good point. We seem to be diverting ourselves to learn about the day of Qiyamah and we certainly should be, but isn’t there a bigger day coming for all us of very soon. Qiyamah will only come once all the major and minor signs told to us by the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) have come to pass. However our death is imminent. It can strike at any time and there are no signs of death. When Allah recalls us, we have to go.
As for the second question presented at the start, many people in our society frown upon those that try to follow Islam but stumble here and there. It is in the nature of a person that he or she will commit sins however some people feel they are of a high enough status and position to criticise and try to bring these people down.
Allah says “And remind for verily a reminder benefits the believer.” (Al-Qur’an: Adh-Dhariyat: 55)
The Qur’an tells us to do the complete opposite to what we are accustomed to. We should be reminding each other with love and affection otherwise we push those away who are trying to discover the truth of Islam. No matter how old you are or how exalted we are in the eyes of the people, we all make mistakes. Even the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) used to ask for forgiveness from Allah (God) even though all the prophets were infallible. The whole point of mankind being created was because we do make mistakes but we then repent and ask for forgiveness from people.
Allah is not like mankind. Allah is Ar-Raheem (The Most Merciful). There is none like Him. If I was to upset any human it would leave a crack in the relationship just like cracks in the wall but Allah completely removes the sin like it didn’t even take place. Allah’s mercy is such that he puts a veil over all of our sins. This in itself is a big blessing. Just imagine everybody was to know all the bad you and I have done! How disgraced would we feel? One pious person mentioned that you know you have reached piety if you can walk around the market place with your desires on a silver platter. That is certainly something to think about!
Lastly I just want to mention about wisdom. It’s very important that when we talk to anybody about Islam we think before we speak. Some people do get very heated with debates of Twitter, Facebook etc. A discussion is absolutely fine and that is encouraged but social networking sites aren’t the place. Certainly it is better to discuss in person where the truth and be found and we merely aren’t keyboard warriors.
As Muslims we should be trying to encourage each other as much as possible and this is the way forward. Give your friend a pat on the back. Tell them that they have done something good today and most importantly, SMILE!
Jazakumullah Khayran Yasin Ibn Suleman Desai
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