Black History Month: African Americans and Islam

Black History Month: African Americans and Islam

One would think that by the way Islam is made to appear foreign to the “American” way of life that Muslims are new to American society. It amazes me that there is such a candid discourse of how anti-American Islam is and of the potential for a clash of civilizations when there are Muslims who have been living in this country and practicing their religion for over 30 years and not just immigrant Muslims from other countries but indigenous African American Muslims. They’ve been working along side their fellow citizens, paying their taxes, sending their children to school and worrying about the same things that we all worry about, and yet they seem to go unacknowledged.

Having practiced Islam for 10 years, I’m unable to include myself among that generation of Muslims, although I have been inspired and encouraged by their stories, some of them famous and some of them not so famous; many of them having grown up during the era of Jim Crow, having survived the tumultuous changes of the 1960’s and 70’s, and now having witnessed the dawning of a new century are addressing new challenges and realizing the fulfillment of new promises.

During this month when we reflect on the contributions of our African American ancestors to American society and to the betterment of the human family I honor the Muslims that have come before me with gratitude to Allah Ta’aala for the great things, large and small, that He has allowed them to accomplish on our behalf.

Articles:

Mainstream Islam in the African-American Experience
http://www.masnet.org/history.asp?id=1572

Islam in America: From African Slaves to Malcolm X
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/twenty/tkeyinfo/islam.htm


Reading:

Islam in the United States of America
by Sulayman Nyang
http://www.amazon.com/Islam-United-States-America-Sulayman/dp/1871031699/ref=pd_sim_b_img_5

The Autobiography of Malcolm X
by Malcolm X
http://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Malcolm-X/dp/0345379756

African American Islam
by Aminah McCloud
http://www.amazon.com/African-American-Islam-Aminah-McCloud/dp/0415907861

Islam, Black Nationalism and Slavery: A Detailed History
by Adib Rashad (Author), Sulayman S. Nyang (Introduction)
http://www.amazon.com/Islam-Black-Nationalism-Slavery-Detailed/dp/0962785482/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203711989&sr=1-8

Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in the Americas
by Sylviane Diouf
http://www.amazon.com/Servants-Allah-African-Enslaved-Americas/dp/0814719058/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

African Muslims in Antebellum America: Transatlantic Stories and Spiritual Struggles
by Allan D. Austin http://www.amazon.com/African-Muslims-Antebellum-America-Transatlantic/dp/0415912709/ref=pd_sim_b_title_12