Tag: racism

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Current Affairs articles Marriage

Let’s Talk About Colourism

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)

1 Dhul Hijjah 1443

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Poems

Where are you from?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

indiaI am not Surti nor Bharuchi,

I am not Indian nor Pakistani,
I am just a simple Muslim trying to live fairly,
Trying to promote justice, love and equality.
They call us backwards and say our children are low class,
Because I am not from their gOm and proud not to be part of their snobby upper class.
It hurts when they say ‘we are better than you,’
I’ve smelt their narcissism their pride and the way they cuss too.
Wasn’t that also said by Shaytan?
Remember, it doesn’t matter if you are a Patel or if you are a Khan!
You hold your noses high, nearly reaching the sky,
Through your pride, you can lie, but you can also wave Jannah goodbye.
You claim that our kids are chavs and like riff-raff,
Don’t forget we are all slaves made from clay, maybe you find that a bit naff?
You hold your children like trophies ?,
At the same time indoctrinating in them racist stories.
“Surtis are stingy” and “Pakistanis are ignorant?”
There’s no point arguing when you people are soo defiant.
You live your life spreading all this hate,
Even though you know it’s wrong and it’s not up for debate!
My eyes are open wide,
The truth is bitter, it’s something you can’t hide.
Truly educated men can never be racist,
Education is to drive what is within,
Are we not all the same under the skin?
I have a heart ❤ and yes, I do care,
But the world is just soo racist and soo unfair.
It is rare to find people who are true and modest,
I’ll pay you if you find me someone who is clean hearted and honest.
Soften your hearts before your children marry,
You never know how your son in law could be from “the enemy.”
You claim you are better because your schools are “outstanding”,
You think too much of yourselves with your labelling and branding.
We can’t criticise you because you just think we’re all jealous,
I sometimes think maybe you’re all a bit overzealous?
These schools are not god and won’t guarantee you paradise,
Take heed and listen to my precious advice.
Else due to your arrogance in Hell, you will pay the heavy price,
Even you know that won’t be very nice.
This poem was written to highlight and illustrate how some of us look down on others, because of their background. How some people think highly of themselves because of the schools their children attend. How some people cannot accept criticism against their own people or own villagers. How arrogant and racist certain Gujaratis are.
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
Categories
Current Affairs articles

A few days in Spain (Part II)

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Slaves

Generally, after a few years a slave would be freed, especially if he was a Muslim. The slaves saw how the Muslims treated them and it was far better than the Christians.

There was a rule in Spain, a non-Muslim could not keep a Muslim as a slave.

Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) had a slave, he dressed just like Abu Dharr and ate the same food. Someone asked him why he did this. He narrated a Hadith:

Salam ibn ‘Amr reported from one of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Your slaves are your brothers, so treat him well. Ask for their help in what is too much for you and help them in what is too much for them.” (alAdab alMufrad)

When Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed to Bilal (Allah be pleased with him) with, “You son of a black woman!” and Bilal (Allah be pleased with him) got insulted, he went to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

He told the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) “O Messenger of Allah, this is what Abu Dharr has said to me.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called Abu Dharr and said, “O Abu Dharr you are a man who still has the traits of ignorance in him! I am equally the son of a black woman, as I am the son of a white woman.” (This is because He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was breastfed by a black woman).

In another narration, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “You are a man who calls to Jahiliyyah, whoever calls to the call of Jahiliyyah, he will be in the fire of Jahannam!” And the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) asked, “What if he prays and fasts?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Even if he prays and he fasts.”

Hatim Tai (Allah be pleased with them) had a son Adiy ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with them), Adiy was a prince. He once went to Medinah, he was walking in the streets of Medinah when an African girl came and said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “My master is harsh on me.” The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) answered, “Do not worry, I will speak to him.” He then smiled and said, “Hold my hand and take me anywhere.”

Adiy (Allah be pleased with them) says, “When I saw this I knew the man (the Prophet) was not a prince, as you could not walk with a prince like this. But, I also knew he was not an ordinary man.”

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Inside Cordoba Mosque – The largest in Spain  (now a Cathedral)

Cordoba

Cordoba fell to the Muslims in 711 A.D. The Muslims marched north, finally reaching Cordoba. Magheeth Rumi exploiting a weak defence managed to enter Cordoba and conquer it. Tariq (Allah have mercy on him) conquered many cities, until the Christians flocked to him. Finally, his men became tired of fighting. Then he began to send small armies to different places, each army had only 700 men. Tariq (Allah be pleased with him) penetrated deep into Spain until men were exhausted of fighting. Then he returned to Cordoba and settled there. Musa (Allah have mercy on him) had instructed Tariq (Allah have mercy on him) to only fight with Roderick. He was annoyed with Tariq’s disregard for his command. Musa left with a large of 18,000 in 712 to Spain. It is reported that Tariq (Allah have mercy on him) was imprisoned for disobeying direct commands. He was later released and reinstated. The Muslims showed a tolerance never experienced before. The majority of the population embraced Islam. They took all of Andalus, besides the Northwest area, from where the Christians regrouped. The leader of this group was, Pelayo. Musa made roads into France, he wanted to take the entire Europe and finally reaching Damascus through Constantinople, but he was called back to Damascus before fulfilling his dreams.

Musa ibn Nusayr (Allah be pleased with them) stayed in Spain for three years. He was now 75 years old. The Caliph – Waleed ibn Abdul Malik (Allah have mercy on him) called him back to Baghdad. The actual reason we are unaware of, but possible reasons

  1. He was powerful and had conquered the whole of North Africa, so Waleed thought he is getting to much authority.
  2. Waleed became insecure, about himself and his relationship with Musa.

So, Tariq ibn Ziyad (Allah have mercy on him) and Musa ibn Nusayr (Allah have mercy on him) went to Waleed (Allah have mercy on him). By the time they reached the Caliph, he was dying. Whenever Musa (Allah have mercy on him) conquered a land, he would send the treasures and booty to the Caliph. On his journey back from Spain he brought all the treasures back but someone advised him not to give the treasures. Musa said he wanted to bring them back. This led to slight tension between Musa (Allah have mercy on him) and Sulayman ibn Abdul Malik, who was the brother of Waleed (Allah have mercy on him), as Sulayman wanted the wealth from Spain. Musa meets the Caliph and shortly afterwards, the Caliph dies in 94h.

When Sulayman took over the throne he despised Musa (Allah have mercy on him), so he tortured him. A 75 years old man was made to stand in the heat of the blazing sun, he already had asthma. Umar ibn AbdulAziz (Allah have mercy on him) was an Umayyid, he was around at that time. He says, “No day was worse for me than seeing the old man, an old mujahid, indebted on the Ummah, the conqueror of North Africa being tortured like this.”

Umar (Allah have mercy on him) went to the caliph and said, “I do not pledge allegiance to a king who tortures old men like this!”

Sulayman uplifted the torture, but paced heavy fines on Musa (Allah have mercy on him).

Some scholars say, they were both at peace with each other later. Others write, they went Hajj together.

He died either of poverty or illness.

Imam Shafi’ee (Allah have mercy on him) said, “Some people die and their evils remains on. Others die and their goodness remains on.”

We all remember the Khayr Musa ibn Nusayr (Allah have mercy on him) left behind. Just like When Hussayn (Allah be pleased with him) was martyred, Yazid was rejoicing. But, in the eyes of Allah Hussayn (Allah be pleased with him) was accepted. Also, Hamza (Allah be pleased with him) – the uncle of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had his liver chewed and his body mutilated. But, later was known as ‘Asadullah’, The Lion of Allah.

Ibn Mulhim (Allah have mercy on him) says, “It was amazing that Musa (Allah have mercy on him) even went to Waleed (Allah have mercy on him) when he was called. Because he already had Spain and parts of France under his rule.” This shows the sincerity of Musa (Allah have mercy on him). The same happened with Khalid ibn Waleed (Allah be pleased with him), the last four years of his life he did not fight. This was because Umar (Allah be pleased with him) demoted him. The last year of his life, was called the ‘Year of Women’, as he could not fight.

But the story of Musa (Allah have mercy on him) did not end there, they assassinated his son Abdul Aziz (Allah have mercy on him). He was reading Surah Waqiah at the time. All out of spite and hatred. And Abdullah, the other son was also martyred! Inna Lillah…

The head of Abdul Aziz (Allah have mercy on him) was bought to Musa (Allah have mercy on him) whilst he was alive. Sulayman asked Musa (Allah have mercy on him), “Do you know who he is?” Musa said, “This was a pious man who conquered Portugal and the Ummah is indebted to him.”

The reason for killing AbduAziz (Allah have mercy on him) was, he married Roderick’s wife to create ties between the Christians and Muslims. Sulayman thought he would be a sell-out.

Sulayman died in 99h.

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“Dominance is only for Allah!” Written on many of the palaces.

Over the next 40 years Spain had 21 or 22 governors, there was absolute mayhem. Muslims had a lot of loss, they were demoralised and lost motivation. There was 100 tonnes i.e. 100 opinions about everything. It was like what happened in Uhud, 50 archers and Saeed ibn Jubayr (Allah be pleased with them).

For this, we say, that the more the Dunya opens up before the people, and they end up concerning themselves with it, they will lose as much of the Akhira as they have gained from the Dunya. The Prophet (peace ad blessings be upon him) said: “By Allah, I am not afraid of your poverty,” meaning I am not afraid of poverty for you, for the Dunya will open up before you, “but I am afraid that you will lead a life of luxury as past nations did, whereupon you will compete with each other for it, as they competed for it, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them.” [Bukhari & Muslim].

The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) spoke the truth. This is what has destroyed the people today. What has destroyed the people today, is their competing with one another for the Dunya, and them being as if they were only created for it, and not it created for them. So they have preoccupied themselves with what was created for them over what they were created for. This is backwardness. We ask Allah for protection.

Amongst the famous rulers were:

Samh ibn Khawlani (Allah have mercy on him), the fourth viceroy. He was the viceroy in the time of Umar ibn AbdulAziz (Allah have mercy on him). He was martyred at the siege of Toulouse in 721 A.D. In 1030/721 a man called Bulai, with some renegade Christian took to the mountains to start a guerrilla against the Muslims. Anbasa, moved quite deep along the Rhone River. In 725 A.D. Anbasa was ambushed and killed.

The most successful and tragic expedition as that of Abdul Rehman Ghafiqi (Allah have mercy upon him). Eudes tried to stop but to no avail and called up Charles, who was later known as Martell (Hammer). The Battle of Poiters (Battle of Tours) is regarded as one of the most defining battles in the history of the West. The Muslim army was considerably smaller, Muslims were all infantry and Christians all cavalry. The battle began and raged doe an entire week from 25th to 31st October 732 A.D.

The most disturbing aspect of the history of Spain is the amount of internal strife amongst the Muslims. Arabs against Arabs, Berbers against Arabs, new Muslims against the ruling elite. There are three types of Arabs:

Al-Ba’idah – They existed but no longer do e.g. the people of ‘Aad and Thamud.

Al-Aaribah – The original Arabs i.e. The Yemenis aka Kelbites.

Al-Musta’ribah – Those who became Arabs later. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was from this category, as Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) travelled to Makkah, Hajar (Allah be pleased with her) did not even speak Arabic. They were also known as Qaisites.

Two later rulers who ignited the wars of racism in Spain were Hudhayfah (728-730) and Haitham (729-730).

Then the Berbers revolted, this led from the inequities between the Arabs and the Berbers. The Berbers were looked down on before Islam, could now equal the Arabs on all fronts. The next to cause great mischief was a man called Shomal (the grandson of Shimr, the man who beheaded Hussain RA at Karbala).

The two armies met at the bank of the Guadelate in 745 A.D. Ibn Khattar’s army was routed.

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Abdul Rahman (The Hawk of Quraysh/Falcon of Andalus)

The largest opposition to the Umayyads was the Abbasids; their leader at the time was Abbas, the grandson of Abbas (Allah be pleased with him). Abdul Rahman (Allah have mercy on him) had to flee to save his life. He finally reached the Berber tribe of his mother, Nazfa, situated in Naqur, four years after fleeing. The time was right for Abdul Rahman to make his appearance. Andalus was in a state of chaos due to the internal feuding. He wrote a letter to the Syrians and Ummayads living in Andalus. This iletter was taken by Badr in June 754. Abdul Rahman (Allah have mercy on him) had to wait an entire year in suspense for the response. On August 14th 755 A.D. he arrived in Spain and had mass defection in his favour. He took Seville peacefully. With his victory at Cordoba on 15th May 756, he sealed his name in history. He defeated Yusuf and Shomal. He was crowned the ‘Ameer of the Muslims.’ Mansur often praised his foe and it was him who give him the title, “The Falcon of the Quraysh.”

Abdul Rahman (Allah have mercy on him) did not like to wage war unless there was no other option, hence he would always start with the option of peace. Others were children who were bought from Europe, but they were brought up in Islam and were fundamental to the army and state. He was always ready to help his subjects.

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Inside Cordoba Mosque

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The gateway to Cordoba [al-Qil’ul Hurriya]
 

Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure).

15 Sha’ban 1437

 

 

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Personalities

The Black Prince of Islam – X

http://www.biography.com/people/malcolm-x-9396195#synopsis

Early Life

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 Youth
Malcolm 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 Muhammad
Philosophical 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 Legacy
On 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.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK80Z11dXO8&feature=youtu.be
Categories
Current Affairs articles

From the Depth of my Heart. . .

Praise be to Allah.

unite

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.”unity-pic

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:-

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. The ‘Ummah has reached a level where it cannot defend its honour, riches nor wealth from its conquering enemies.
  4. 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).
  5. 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…

Categories
Dhulm/Oppression

In Plain English…

I seek refuge in Allah from the outcast Satan,

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

IMG-20140219-WA0020

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves.” [Surah Ale Imran: 103]

“There was no Racism between the Companions of the Prophet (SAW), for they all believed in the principle that the most honourable amongst them was the one with the most Taqwa.” [Shaykh Saleem Dhorat Saheb, IDA, Leicester.]

From the title, you may already have figured out the contents of this article are going to be pretty hard-hitting, straightforward, straight to the point, somewhat bitter and a bit of a rollercoaster ride for those of us who are not accustomed to listening to the truth.

Out of the many problems we see in society, Racism is one that is still prevalent in our societies.

However, Racism is an issue that is still one that is not something that we see commonly discussed; not in the Mosques, not on the pulpits, nor do we often hear talks and lectures on this topic, why is this the case?

Is it because we feel hypocritical talking about it?

Is it because we don’t think we can eradicate Racism from our communities, that the problem has gone too far?

Is it because we are proud of being Racists?

Or is it simply, we just don’t find anything wrong with Racism, because we have normalised it within our homes, within our towns, within our cities, it has become so main scale in everyday society now?

Whatever the reason is, it is not a justified one!

“Let people stop boasting about their ancestors. One is only a pious believer or a miserable sinner. All men are sons of Adam, and Adam came from dust” (1)

[Prophet Muhammad Sall’Allahu ‘Alayhi Wasallam]

Racism should be a key area of concern within our communities if we truly believe in the principles of justice, fairness and equality.

After having lived in a small town in the North West of England, (Blackburn), for the last 30 years, I have seen and heard enough comments and remarks made in this small community, to muster up the courage In Sha Allah, and write this as a response to ‘all that goes on’ behind closed doors.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) dealt with these issues of Racism 1400 years ago. When Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed to Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) with, “You son of a black woman!” and Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) got insulted, he went to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

He told the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) “O Messenger of Allah, … this is what Abu Dharr has said to me.”　

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called Abu Dharr and said, “O Abu Dharr you are a man who still has the traits of ignorance in him! I am equally the son of a black woman, as I am the son of a white woman.” (This is because He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was breastfed by a black woman).

In another narration, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “You are a man who calls to Jahiliyyah, whoever calls to the call of Jahiliyyah, he will be in the fire of Jahannam!” And the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) asked, “What if he prays and fasts?” He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Even if he prays and he fasts.”

This was simply because Racism was prevalent amongst the Arabs before Islam, but after Islam, it was successfully eradicated.

Some of us are impressed and inspired and even enthralled by the colour of people’s skin, this demonstrates just how shallow, we as Muslims have become.

Look around the world and you will see how, in particular countries, there are two individuals of equal education, two employees doing the same job, but one is paid more than the other!

Why?

Simply because one is white and one is of a darker complexion!

This is our state, we are mesmerised by the colour of a person’s pigmentation.

Now let’s look at how deeply these traits are entrenched within us…

We don’t need any interference from the US or anyone else to destroy us or disunite us – we do too good a job of it ourselves! If we delve deeper in to the history of how many states across  the globe ‘achieved’ so-called ‘independence’ as a separate entity in itself as a ‘new’ country, just look at any one of these countries, be this the abolishing of the state formerly known as ‘Hindustan’, the regions within the Yugoslav area, or even as recently as a few years ago when Sudan was split in to two, North Sudan and South Sudan. The reason why these countries separated and new border lines were created was simply because of the inherent preference of tribalism and ancestral pride, over the call of ‘La Ilaha Illa Allah!’

Isn’t this what we see everywhere in the Ummah, around the globe, in the UK and right here in Blackburn? All we see is people defending their ‘own’ – how often do we hear the following statements on our very own streets?

“My country is the best!”

“My tribe is the most honoured!”

“My family has more prestige and honour than yours!”

We see Arabs who think that they are more superior than non-Arabs, Indians thinking that they are better than Pakistanis, and Somalis thinking that they are higher than Sudanese people.

IT NEVER FINISHES!

“All mankind is from Adam and Eve – an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black, nor does a black have any superiority over white except by piety and good action.” This was stated in the Prophet’s SAW last sermon on the Ninth Day of Dhul-Hijjah, 10 A.H. in the ‘Uranah valley of Mount Arafat in Makkah. He SAW further added:

Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. Remember one day you will meet Allah and answer for your deeds. So, beware: do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone. (2)

Closer to home, all we hear is:

“I’m a Bharuchi!”

“I’m a Surti!”

“I’m a Raja!”

“I’m a Chaudhary!”

And calls of “We are better than you!”

“Our Masjid is better than yours!”

“Our Madrasah is bigger than yours!”

What a pitiful state we find ourselves in, how low have we stooped since the golden days of our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when individuals were brothers by faith, not by tribalism, pigmentation, wealth or status.

Brothers and Sisters, by Allah!

When we are lowered into our graves, Allah is not going to ask us, if we were a Surti or a Bharuchi, rather Allah will ask us if we divided the Ummah with our words. You will be asked, “Who is your Lord?” “Which is your religion?” “Who is your Prophet?” You will NOT be asked, “Which country are you from?”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah upon him ) said, “He is not from amongst us, who fights for Nationalism.”

How many times do we see sisters failing to get married, because although they may have found a suitable brother to marry, he wasn’t from the same country as she was, or from the same village as their family in India, they remain unmarried? We would apparently rather deprive our daughters of a good life, of a happy life, simply because our pride gets the better of us? How selfish and proud have we become? How blinded by nationalism and tribalism have we become?

I say to my Bharuchi brothers and sisters, as well as Surti brothers and sisters – you only have ONE bridge that separates you in Gujarat. Why are your hearts divided? You hate each other as though you are enemies! And now for my Indian Muslims and my Pakistani Muslims, you are only separated by ONE border, but the Kalimah unites you – remain united.

On a positive note, it is nice to see inter-racial marriages, Indians marrying Pakistanis, Bharuchis marrying Surtis and Bengalis marrying Pakistanis. I believe this was the practice in Ancient Arabia to defuse friction between clans. But, having said that, we still find some parents very staunch – Allah purify our hearts. Ameen.

“If there comes to you one whose religious commitment and attitude pleases you, then marry [your female relative who is under your care] to him, for if you do not do that, there will be tribulation on earth and much corruption.” (3)

We must remember that every race and nation has its good qualities and bad qualities.

What follows is something I wasn’t going to include in this post, but just to open our minds a little, so that we can look ‘beyond our noses’ – below is my opinion on the khayr and goodness in some races:

Arabs –

Generally, as an Asian myself, I find that as Asians we look down on Arabs because of their outer appearance (dhahir) doesn’t look ‘Islamic’. Although the Hadith clearly states that Allah looks at the heart, not the outer look (albeit identity is important in my opinion), Arabs are at the top of the list when it comes to generosity and hospitality. Which nation can we say supersedes us all in certainty and yaqeen? In firmness and conviction?

Bengalis –

I have always found Bengalis to be the most humble and open-hearted of people. We don’t have as many in Blackburn but sadly, it seems that they are looked down upon wherever they are situated.

Gujaratis –

As a Gujarati myself, I find that it is difficult to deal with your own ethnic group impartially. It is difficult to deal with your own whilst being fair. I believe that Gujaratis are known for their Islamic productivity – they are well advanced and are usually ahead of everyone else when it comes to building Islamic schools and Madrasahs. Gujaratis educate their sons and daughters thoroughly in terms of the deen, and produce Hafidh and Alim(ahs) in abundance – although, at times, this sometimes leads to their haughtiness.

Pakistanis –

Who else can we find that fight for causes of justice and stand up for the Ummah more than Pakistani men and women?

Who else can we find with pure hearts, sincerity and honesty more than Pakistanis?

Who else can we find with more Gheerah/Ghayrat (protective jealousy) than Pakistanis?

Unfortunately, Pakistanis are judged by the actions of a few ignorant ones and thus they are deemed to be one and the same.

The respected and honourable Malcolm X (Allah have mercy on him) a Muslim Human rights activist once said. “That it would probably do America well to study the religion of Islam and perhaps it could drive some of the Racism from this society as it has driven Racism from the Muslim society”.

Charles. R. Swindoll said: “Prejudice is a learned trait. You are not born prejudiced, you are taught it.”

How far have we drifted from this? From the equality that Islam has delivered to us.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Two matters are signs of disbelief on the part of those who indulge in them: Defaming and speaking evil of a person’s lineage, and wailing over the dead.” [Muslim].

Let us take a look at our Masajid, places that are meant to be places of worship and places for devotion and acquiring the Love of Allah, in Islam we call them the ‘Houses of Allah’. But how many of these Masajid do we know that have constitutions that are built on Racism! I am no great scholar, but just as Alcohol is Haram, Fornication is Haram, Murder is Haram, similarly, Racism is also Haram.

Let alone the same country, if you are not from ‘our village’ in India you cannot be a member of our Masjid. And it doesn’t end there, we don’t allow Non-Indians to become members of our Masajid, so we charge their children extra fees in the Madrasah.

How is that even remotely fair, when an Indian child and Pakistani child receive the same level of education?

Why the discrimination?

Simply because his father is from Pakistan?

To be judged on ethnicity? Something we cannot choose, something that Allah has chosen for us!

Shame on such Masajid and shame on such racist committees. I have always wanted to ask one question to such people,

“Why do you take Lillah (charity) money off Pakistanis and Bengalis to use in the Masjid?”

The position I hold is if they can’t be members, then equally refuse their Lillah donations. But no we won’t do that, we quickly and greedily take their money! Other Masajid, on the other hand, will not even give Ghusl (ritual bath for the deceased) if the deceased is a Pakistani. La Hawla Wa La Quwwata Illa Billah!

I won’t stop there, in the United Kingdom we have certain graveyards where only people from a certain province/state in India can be buried there. One wonders how do such committee members sleep at night, and more importantly, once they sleep in their graves how will they answer to Allah on the Day of Judgement?

I remember in high school my Science teacher once said, “I don’t know if there is a God but he sure did make a mistake creating everyone different colours!” At that time I was highly offended and did not have an answer, later in life, however, I did Alhumdu Lillah. So this is for him and all those who fail to understand why Allah made everyone from different tribes and nations:

“O mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most honoured of you in God’s sight is the greatest of you in piety. God is All-Knowing, All-Aware. (3)

Do we not recall how the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were of different skin colours, different cultures, varying races yet they loved each other more than blood brothers.

Bilal Ibn Rabah, Wahshy Ibn Harb, Sumayyah bint al-Khayyat, Usama Ibn Zayd (Allah be pleased with them) were all from Ethiopia or surrounding areas.

Salman Abu Abdullah and Fayruz al-Daylami (Allah be pleased with them) were from Persia.

Suhaib Ibn Sinaan (Allah be pleased with him) was from the provinces of Rome, Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) was from Gifar, Al-Najashi was an Abyssinian King who converted to Islam, Maryah (Allah be pleased with her) the Copt was the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Nabi Musa ﷺ, Dawood ﷺ, Sulayman ﷺ, Yahyaﷺ and Isaﷺwere Hebrew (Bani Israa’il). Peace be upon them all.
Muhammad ﷺ , his caliphs and most of his companions were Arab.
Salahuddin (Allah have mercy on him) and Ibn Taymiyyah (Allah have mercy on him) (mother’s side) were Kurdish.
Imam Abu Hanifah (Allah have mercy on him), Imam Bukhari (Allah have mercy on him) Imam Tirmidhi (Allah have mercy on him) and Imam Muslim bin Hajjaj (Allah have mercy on him) were Persians (Faris).
Muhammad al-Fatih (Allah have mercy on him), Selim and Suleyman (Allah have mercy on him) were Turks.
The Mughal Empire’s rulers were Mongol (central Asian) and the great muhaddithin of South Asia were Indians (Allah have mercy on them).
Tariq bin Ziyad (Allah have mercy on him) was a Berber, Ibn Hazm (Allah have mercy on him) was Andalusian, the Mamluks (Allah have mercy on him) were Turkic and Circassians and the list goes on and on…
In all of this is a constant reminder that nationalism, racism and tribalism are simply inconsistent with Islamic teaching and its history.
“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” The Holy Qur’an, Surah al-Hujuraat (The rooms), Ayah 13.

 

The differences in language, colour and race were not considered as levels of quality or degrees of superiority but rather as an expression of diversity and richness in Humanity.

We loudly and proudly attribute ourselves to Islam and its teachings, but we fail to practise upon what Islam really says. We narrate stories to our children in Madrasah of how Bilal Ibn Rabah  (Allah be pleased with him) suffered in the streets of Makkah and how his rank was elevated to that of the Mu’addhin (caller to prayer) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), despite formerly being a slave and despite being from Ethiopia. We have numerous Masajid named after Bilal (Allah be pleased with him), absolutely beautiful Masajid costing over a million pounds, ‘MASJID BILAL’, but if Bilal (Allah be pleased with him) was alive today, would he even be allowed to become a member of your Masjid? We all know that his descendants are refused.

I personally have had my own experience, where I have walked into a Masjid and been made to feel unwelcome. Simply because I do not share the same village in India. For the record, I am neither a Surti nor a Bharuchi, nor does it matter. Neither should I feel the need to state what I am. My belief is that we should judge people by their words and actions, not stereotype people and look at the village they are from or where their ancestors descend from. I humbly request some of these racist, xenophobic, ethnocentric and nationalistic brothers and sisters to remove the pride and the prejudice from their hearts. Islam is not JUST about Salah and Sawm, it is also about the purity of the heart. A biased and racist person can never have a clean heart. Imam Ibnul Qayyim (Allah illuminate his grave) used to say, “If you want to get a taste of a person’s heart look at his tongue.”

Finally, I would like to end something which might seem slightly off topic, but I feel that it is related to the issue of ‘Unity’.

As we see the Ummah divided from every angle, in every shape and form, it is quite evident that it is not just race and nationality that divides us. We see different sects of the Muslim Ummah fighting and bickering over Fiqhi and sometimes hair-splitting issues; the mind boggles… I wish to elaborate more on this in a future blog In Sha Allah, but for the benefit of  readers I will start with a quote that dates back to 1920, Shaykhul Hind Mawlana Mahmoodul Hassan (Allah sanctify his secret) was only 69, not only was he one of the most distinguished scholars of his time, he had also spent a lifetime in political struggle. His audience was a gathering of Ulama, eager to hear the lessons of a lifetime of study, struggle and reflection. His conclusion: “Our problems are caused by two factors; abandoning the Qur’an and our infighting.” He spent the few remaining days of his life addressing these causes. (4)

The reasons Shaykhul Hind (Allah sanctify his secret) are as valid today as they were then. They are also related; the second being caused by the first. The Qur’an had declared us as one Ummah and had warned us against infighting. We have ignored those teachings and the billion-strong Ummah has turned into an Ummah fragmented into a billion segments.

Some people blame the four madhabs for the disunity. but if we look at each of the four Imams and their biographies we will see, not once did they promote this sort of sectarianism. Fiqh is fiqh, it is not Aqeedah/Beliefs.

As Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jama’ah our roots and fundamentals are the same,

One Allah, One Prophet, One Qur’an and one Qiblah, why are we not ONE Ummah?

Jannah has room for everyone! We seriously need to be careful before we declare people ‘Kafir’. It doesn’t matter if you are a Barelwi, Deobandi, Mawdoodi or a Salafi – Jannah certainly has room for us all, why do we choose to narrow the mercy of Allah? Why do we choose to divide on Fiqhi issues? Don’t get me wrong – debates and discussions are a good thing, when done sincerely, not merely for argument’s sake. The problem rather occurs when we overstate these differences. There was a difference of opinions in Fiqh amongst the companions, the Successors and great Mujtahideen. They disagreed but did they not turn these into fights. They disagreed but they maintained respect and love for each other.

The Brotherhood remained intact.

They had tolerance for the other view.

As I follow the Deobandi school of thought, I talk to my own first – because I believe that is the Qur’anic principle “Rectify your own first.” It is easy to get defensive and blame others, and I know amongst us Deobandis we have many people who harbour hatred, hate mongers and those that divide and cause disunity intentionally. Many claim that their organisation is doing the task that is the most important, and the work which is the only work of the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them). A simple answer to those dear brothers, Jannah has eight doors, not one! People were created for different purposes, some preach, some teach and some are busy writing books, Allah accept one and all.

I end with a quote from Brother Malcolm X (Allah have mercy on him), “Our people have made the mistake of confusing the methods with the objectives. As long as we agree on objectives, we should never fall out with each other just because we believe in different methods, or tactics, or strategy.”

Ismail Ibn Nazir Satia (One who is in dire need of Allah’s Forgiveness, Mercy and Pleasure).

20 Rabeeul Thanee 1436

An article written on the completion of reading the biography of Malcolm X RH. I believe he was a man of courage and strength, a man who stood up for his people. Such men are rare to be found, we have a LOT of males, but very few men. One of his famous quotes, “To come right down to it, if I take the kind of things in which I believe, then add to that the kind of temperament that I have, plus 100% dedication that I have to whatever I believe in, these are ingredients which make it just impossible for me to die of old age – I know these societies have often killed the people who have helped to change those societies. And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the Racist cancer that is malignant in America – then all credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine.”

Malik al-Shabbaz (Allah illuminate his grave)

References:

(1) – (Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi)

(2) – (Bukhari, Muslim)

(3) – (Tirmidhi)

 (4) – (Hujurat:13)

 (5) – (Adapted from a talk in 1963 by Mufti Muhammad Shafi, the late Grand Mufti of Pakistan which was published in the booklet ‘Wahdat e Ummat’)

Categories
Personalities

THE PILGRIMAGE TO MAKKAH – Malcolm X RH

When he was in Makkah, Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz RH wrote a letter to his loyal assistants in Harlem… from his heart:

“Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this ancient Holy Land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other Prophets of the Holy Scriptures. For the past week, I have been utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see displayed all around me by people of all colors.

IMG_9154“I have been blessed to visit the Holy City of Mecca, I have made my seven circuits around the Ka’ba, led by a young Mutawaf named Muhammad, I drank water from the well of the Zam Zam. I ran seven times back and forth between the hills of Mt. Al-Safa and Al Marwah. I have prayed in the ancient city of Mina, and I have prayed on Mt. Arafat.” “There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MqeSPF48tg

“America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered white – but the white attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.” “You may be shocked by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to rearrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions. This was not too difficult for me. Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which is necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of intelligent search for truth.” “During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept on the same rug – while praying to the same God – with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the deeds of the white Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan and Ghana.”

“We were truly all the same (brothers) – because their belief in one God had removed the white from their minds, the white from their behavior, and the white from their attitude.”

“I could see from this, that perhaps if white Americans could accept the Oneness of God, then perhaps, too, they could accept in reality the Oneness of Man – and cease to measure, and hinder, and harm others in terms of their ‘differences’ in colour.” “With racism plaguing America like incurable cancer, the so-called ‘Christian’ white American heart should be more receptive to a proven solution to such a destructive problem. Perhaps it could be in time to save America from imminent disaster – the same destruction brought upon Germany by racism that eventually destroyed the Germans themselves.” “Each hour here in the Holy Land enables me to have greater spiritual insights into what is happening in America between black and white.”

“The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities – he is only reacting to four hundred years of the conscious racism of the American whites. But as racism leads America up the suicide path, I do believe, from the experiences that I have had with them, that the whites of the younger generation, in the colleges and universities, will see the handwriting on the walls and many of them will turn to the spiritual path of truth – the only way left to America to ward off the disaster that racism inevitably must lead to.” “Never have I been so highly honored. Never have I been made to feel more humble and unworthy. Who would believe the blessings that have been heaped upon an American Negro? A few nights ago, a man who would be called in America a white man, a United Nations diplomat, an ambassador, a companion of kings, gave me his hotel suite, his bed. Never would I have even thought of dreaming that I would ever be a recipient of such honors – honors that in America would be bestowed upon a King – not a Negro.”

“All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds.”

Sincerely, Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X)

(From the AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X with assistance from Alex Haley, the author of ROOTS)

Malcolm X saw and experienced many positive things. Generosity and openheartedness were qualities which were impressed on him by the welcome which he received in many places. He saw brotherhood and the brotherhood of different races and this led him to disclaim racism and to say: “I am not a racist… In the past I permitted myself to be used… to make sweeping indictments of all white people, the entire white race, and these generalizations have caused injuries to some whites who perhaps did not deserve to be hurt. Because of the spiritual enlightenment which I was blessed to receive as the result of my recent pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca, I no longer subscribe to sweeping indictments of any one race. I am now striving to live the life of a true Sunni Muslim. I must repeat that I am not a racist nor do I subscribe to the tenets of racism. I can state in all sincerity that I wish nothing but freedom, justice and equality, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people.”

(The preceding material was excerpted from The Autobiography of Malcolm X quoted in an article written by the Institute for Islamic Education.

Screenshot_2014-03-05-17-36-31 Screenshot_2014-03-05-17-36-56 7e1911e93d02a5040808599a25d10ffe IMG-20131108-WA0017 IMG-20141013-WA0018 Screenshot_2014-03-05-17-32-16