I thank you for being so generous as to offer such an articulate pronouncement on this very important subject. If anyone has a problem with you calling it like you see it, let me know and I will handle your light work.lol This is a very important issue and I hope we have a chance to talk more about it.

It is an unfortunate fact that elitism/racism has found its way into Al-Islam. As a result we have yet to present Islam to the world as Allah intended. I would exhort my brothers and sisters to be a part of the solution and not the problem. If you are one of the fortunate ones, who operate without a trace of racial, social, or economic prejudice in your heart, I would exhort you to be a unifying force in the Ummah.

It is common for those of us who realize the presence of elitism in Islam, to regard anyone’s decision to adopt Arab oriented clothing as irrational. I would caution this kind of criticism because; no one knows the intentions of another. If someone dresses in a way that The Prophet is described to have dressed (however antiquated) out of love for Him, are we prepared to reject that? Indeed, our success in this life and the next depends heavily on our ability to follow His example in every conceivable way. (Useful advances in technology aside)

On the other hand, many of us have placed an inordinate amount of importance on what we wear at the expense of how we behave. There are clearly enough pitfalls on both sides to keep us fragmented until Yaum Mid Deen! (The Day of Account)

Let’s get our priorities straight Muslims! Look at the times we live in and the trails that confront our communities. We can not afford to waste our time conjuring up reasons to disagree amongst ourselves. Let us unite on the most beautiful, logical, and powerful common ground for us all! (La Illaha Il Allah Muhammadur Rasulluah) Let us live and die calling to that and nothing else.

This is very interesting and eye opening Brother Abdur-Rahman

I know this comment was meant for some one else but I would like to point out some things that may help you, and your group move forward:

1- Seek to understand before being understood. Dismissing people’s legitimate concerns about creed, and the degree of authority that creed operates in their understanding and practice of Islam is going to push sincere, genuine, resourceful, and loving people away. Classifying all people who are sincerely concerned about the creed as being nutters, extremists, uncle toms’, and idiot’s is just immoral and ineffective.

2- The slave mentality you speak about may come from experiences prior to converting to Islam. I’ll use my own experience and family as an example:

I mentioned the religious diversity in my family. A segment of my family left the “black church” for precisely the reasons you and others are speaking about, as they saw the “black church” go the other extreme and you had grown men justifying their pathologies and dysfunctions based on “racism”.

Also, in my immediate family, our parents and caregivers had a very different perspective on dealing with racism: ignore it. We would actually get in trouble for trying to discuss racial issues.

I’m saying all this to say, some of us, may not really have seen, the slave mentality you are talking about, becuase of our upbringing and being taught to assimilate.

Because black people aren’t a monolithic group of people it’s obvious the issue of race, and culture will be dealt with differently.

3- I have seen many black American brothers who preach how much they love black people but aren’t married to black women. Yes, I know, the heart loves who it loves, but our leadership is very hypocritical, and we are not dumb, we see it. The excuse of seeking Arabic proficiency, and a Muslim lineage isn’t working anymore.

Why should black American Muslims trust each other when the immigrant Muslims we complain about, we are not much better than them?

What are we going to bring to the table that is going to be any different?

How are we going to deal with our own diversity brother Muhammad? Look at the blogsphere? Look at the lack of adab when people disagree? You say you don’t drink cool aide right? How are we going to deal with our own diversity?

Salaam

P.S. – I was really excited about what you are all doing, but after the last episode on the blog, I feel a bit discouraged. I’d love for my daughter to have the opportunity to grow up around other black American Muslims who will promote her self-esteem.

I hope that one day we can all learn to respect the worth and dignity of everyone.

TO: Br. Abdur Rahman Muhammad

Yeah, I’m sure you’re not to happy to hear from me again, but, your work has touched a nerve, and I have some questions. I am ONLY asking Br. Abdur Rahman, becuase he is the only blogger I’ve seen, respond to people with “compassion”, and respect- instead of being “mean spirited” and “elitist”.

To the point:

I’m not sure if you recall, my last post on here, but I explained to you and others that I was a very religious person, prior to converting to Islam, and that I was both a Protestant and a Catholic.

Both sides of my family largely consist of African Methodist Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, and Apostolic Pentecostals. Seeing, that you are a well educated man, and a well read man, my questions are:

1) Do you know anything about the history of the AME (African Methodist Episcopal Church )? http://www.ame-church.com/

2) If so, would you say that the black American Muslim community is going through a similar struggle and should perhaps follow some of the ideas of the AME community?

3) Or do you see the NOI or other groups as having already done this and failed?

As usual brother, your on point. The thing about it is, this material would be a “no-brainer” except for the fact that there are powerful vested interests in this country and overseas that really don’t want us to wake up and shake off this slavish mentality. Again, some people just want to be slaves while others see themselves as the master. What I have been trying to say, and will continue to say, is that the “jig is up”. The “nationalist” boogy man doesn’t scare us anymore (it never did scare me), and the days of Blackamerican Muslims being pawns in international intrigues they really don’t understand is OVER! We have our own interests and our own relationship with America, and we are going to sort it out without any interference from big immigrant money, money that hasn’t been coming our way no way!