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15 March 2013
By El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan
Assalaamu Alaikum (Greetings of Peace):
Muslims are instructed in The Noble Qur'an to, "Stand
firmly for justice, as witnesses to ALLAH, even if it
is against yourselves, your parents, or your kin; or
whether it is against rich or poor, for ALLAH can best
protect both..."
With this in mind, the first part of this introspective
self-criticism (on
the struggle for the Muslim soul in America) will
touch upon one of the regrettable shortcomings (human
frailties) of my own tribe the African American
Muslim bloc.
On a recent visit to a large Islamic center in Falls
Church, Virginia, Professor
Tarek Ramadan, toward the end of his presentation
- while making a point on the power of our diversity
in America as Muslims (a
diversity rich in both experience and perspective
which is being under-utilized) - raised the
question to a large audience comprised overwhelmingly
of Muslims with varied roots in other parts of the
world where
are the African Americans?
I immediately saw the irony in that question as I, an
African American Muslim and human rights advocate, well
known to this community, stood on the side
listening to these words, while feeling a profound
sense of disappointment (and a touch of anger) because
the executive director of this center once again (this
wasn't the first time) blocked support from coming
to the campaign of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui.
This was the night that MLFA and NCPCF were
present as "guests" of Dar Al-Hijrah, with Tarek
Ramadan serving as the headliner of their fundraising
event. I had simply requested permission to have a
table in the lobby with the books, CDs, and handout
information on the case of Aafia Siddiqui (who I
knew would
be referenced in the program); but the executive
director who
brings shame, in my opinion, to what it means to be
Palestinian in America
said NO!
The other "leaders" of this center i.e., the imam
(who at one point declared in his speech that if
a church asked for our support, we would give them our
support!), the "outreach director" of the center,
and even one of the board members were powerless to
do a damn thing about such an insult being committed
against a well-known African-American Muslim! (Not to
mention the injustice being done to our sister.)
More recently, at one of the two Muslim-sponsored
presidential inaugurals in Washington, DC, I crossed
paths with the Muslim brother of mine who serves as
the African-American
face of
Dar Al-Hijrah. Over the years he has also become a
prominent face in Washington area interfaith politics; the
go to man for
fundraisers, or when some of our well-to-do immigrant
brothers want to show the face of Muslim diversity and
have an African American voice to represent their interests.
(He's often introduced as the imam of Dar Al-Hijrah;
but he isn't the
imam.)
Once again at the inaugural (it
wasn't the first time) I asked this brother to
start raising his prominent DC area voice in support,and
defense, of his long suffering sister-in-Islam (Aafia
Siddiqui); but once again I received a non-committal
response
and this is what brings me to the reason for Part
One of
this introspective critique.
We are now in that very special place in the American
calendar between the Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. day
of [selective]remembrance
and "Black
History Month." Insha'Allah,
I want to use this fertile junction in the collective
American psyche to hopefully prick the conscience of
my African American Muslim brethren (esp. Muslim
"leaders").
Back in the day, when the other Amerikkka
was at its ugliest, most of the African Americans who
gained celebrity (and the material success that came
along with it) were those who served a desired interest.
Those who could sing (or play their
horns), those who could dance,
and those who could make the white establishment laugh
in short, entertainers
who knew their place!
There were also a few black faces in a number of
government agencies who could be pointed to, when ever
needed, as evidence that "Negroes" (and America, by
extension) was making "progress" on the race question.
Sometimes these "Negroes" would be sent overseas by
the State Department, to emerging black African
nations, to put a pretty face on, and help to
soft-pedal, America's neo-colonial intrigues.
Whenever a prominent
African American leader defied that mold such as Paul
Robeson, arguably the most well-known and
accomplished African American of his time they were
severely punished, and used as an example of what can
happen "if
you get out of your place nigger."
What is little known by the ever growing multitudes
who lift up his name each year in blind, reactive
tribute, is that at the time of
Dr. Martin Luther King's
death (martyrdom) on April 4, 1968, he was arguably
the most hated man in America! And the scorn that was
directed towards him also came from the so-called liberal establishment!
Don't take my word it. Do your own research. Google
the archives of the major newspapers around the
country from 1967, after Dr. King delivered his
historic speech at Riverside Church in New York City,
in which he publicly came out against America's war in
Vietnam ("A
Time to Break the Silence") and see for
yourself.
Not only did the establishment (which included most of
the "white liberal" establishment) excoriate Dr. King
for him forgetting his place ("civil rights" in
America), many of his own formerly close compadres in
the "civil rights movement" after advising him on
the error of his ways to
no avail
distanced themselves from him! They instinctively knew
that if he continued on that path he would be a marked
man. Out of fear and a corrupting self-interest, many
of his former friends in
the movement felt the need for a parting of the ways.
The same thing happened to Malcolm
(El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) earlier! The
final year of our brother's life was one filled with
bone breaking challenge and tumultuous change! Malcolm
was evolving (intellectually and
spiritually) at a rapid pace. His perspective had
become global, and his VOICE had also become global.
Not only was he articulating the hopes, dreams and
determination of his own people in America he had
come to symbolize the hopes, dreams, and determination
of oppressed peoples overseas (especially on the
strategically important and minerally
rich African
continent). Malcolm also became their voice on the
global stage!
As Malcolm grew as an independent thinker and more
consciously committed Muslim in that final year of his
life, on a frenetic pace to atone for past mistakes he
had made, it became clear that he too was a marked
man. As would happen with Dr. King a couple of years
later, some of Malcolm's supposedly closest brothers
in the struggle distanced themselves from him (while
others out-rightly betrayed him) once they saw the
handwriting on the wall.
These inconvenient
truths represent
history as it is. And one of the important lessons
imparted by history is life
is cyclical
names and faces change, but the pattern of human
behavior remains the same. (What was is
what is
and knowing this helps us project what is yet to
come.)
I often feel that I am walking in the same path as Robeson,
Malcolm, Martin (and
the other men and women throughout history like them).
When people who I used to feel close to, no longer
return my calls; when leaders of prominence are
uncomfortable being in the same space with me; when I
am excluded despite the importance of the work that
I have come to represent frommost the
main stages in the public square (even in my own
Muslim community), I try not to take it personal, because
my teachers have preceded me, and I know what it's
about FEAR and SELF-INTEREST!
The main purpose of this reminder is
to appeal to my prominent
African American Muslim brethren, who DO have
access to some of these major platforms (in and
outside of the Muslim-American community), to not
allow your voices to be constrained as a result of
that same corrupting fear and
paralyzing self-interest!
You come from a people who have a very unique history
and sociological experience in America, and on top of
that you have
ISLAM! The
perspective that emanates from this convergence is one
that needs to be heard in this challenging time. Don't
allowsome of
our sick immigrant brethren, many of whom (not
all) have a problem with dark skin except
when it can be used to serve their interests
keep you quiet on
the major issues of the day!
(And I want to emphasize the point that not
all of our immigrant brothers and sisters are like
this, but far too many of them are!)
I conclude on this point. In my humble opinion, two of
the major issues of the day are: (a) the
loss of innocent lives taking place in the Muslim
world on a daily basis, as a result of the American-orchestrated so-called
"war on terrorism" (and
on this note it
has come to my attention, and
this is truly appalling if true, that on Dr.
King's day, while celebrations were taking place
in Washington, DC, and around the nation, there
was another
drone strike in
Yemen!); (b) and the mass incarceration of Muslims
in America - primarily
young Muslim males between the ages of 18-35 -
resulting from this detestable war on the home front
(the latest political manifestation of "The New Jim
Crow")!
While there are MANY CASES that deserve our communal
attention and support, the case that most represents
the brutal gravity of America's oppressive
misadventures in the name of "national security" is
the case of Dr.
Aafia Siddiqui a
committed Muslim woman cut
off from the outside world on a military base in Fort
Worth, Texas! (85 year old Ramsey
Clark, a
former US attorney general, recently opined that
this was the worst case of injustice he has ever seen
in all of his years of practice!)
This case represents a direct and major challenge for
ALL Muslim leaders of America! To African American
leaders, with significant access to the public square,
the question becomes Are
we willing to meet the challenges of our time? Or are
we content to pay it safe, and satiate ourselves from
the (material) crumbs that fall off the master's
table?'
Time will tell!
P.S. For those willing to STAND UP and assume their
rightful place at the table, the national three month
drive for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui has begun. It will
culminate in two demonstrations in March 2013 the
first in New York City, and the second in Fort Worth,
Texas. We
need your voice in this effort!
And for those who have the ear of our two Muslim
congressmen (who
also happen to be African-American)
we can use their voices also! |
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