All have fallen short of perfection and in the many languages the the word grace and mercy and beneficent translated is the same meaning. Good conduct and kindness is the ultimate for peace,dignity and integrity. No more no less. The humility of knowledge of the reality and actuality is the truth which is the guide to a straight path for peace.

It would seem to me, after having this topic with a few members of his community, that this would not have been his wish. I believe Imam Muhammad saw the need to steer his community away from the cloistered and even xenophobic tendencies that threaten to plague it today. Indeed, many in his own community felt that this attitude was not in the best interest of fostering a new generation of Muslims from the W.D. Community, who may honor his legacy but do not feel the need to be tied down by that very same history.

In many ways, this yoke of history, is very similar to the struggles immigrant Muslims face – forging ahead and charting new ground, inspired by their history, yet charting a course that best suits the current generation, not the old guard. The trick for both will be to change the bathwater without tossing out the baby. The consequences of not doing so will be not simply disastrous, but in fact will be the end of Islam in America.

If I can use the phrase “Islamically dumbing down”, What I intent by it is Muslims from the community of Imam W.D. Muhammad, who discurage other members from studying with non-member or studying classical texts.

Many of the brothers and sisters I know personally considered studying with Arabs or Indian Muslim as leaving and not trusting the Imam. Many believed there was no need for any other knowledge than what was being taught by the Imam.

I remember clearly the nasty things brothers and the sisters called me when I decided to move from the south side of Chicago to the north side.

Hakim

I didn’t see Prof Jackson as inditing Imam Mohammed’s community, but more so hi lighting the failures of Muslims who were orthodox Sunnis from the jump to integrate with them.

Either way, he makes a good point, I am firm believer in the need for dialogue between Asian (east, west, and south) Muslims and those of African decent, I guess the Imam Mohammed-orthodox Sunni blackamerican Muslim distinction further complicates this theme and demonstrates just how diverse the blackmuslim community is (even though it may not seem like that to some).

Finally, I guess I am a bit saddened by the lack of traction that his comments get. Maybe because I took a class with him, but I have heard these ideas before, but I don’t feel like there’s any real deal effort to put this reconciliation into fruition…

and yeah maybe I am complicit in this as well

I simply dis agreed with that notion period and do not think it paints a full nor fair representation of what Imam Mohammed stood for.
I had the sense that some how he didn’t see us as qualified to lead ourselves in this religion as if our experience does not add value to AL-islam in the modern times. We bring great perspectie to this religion without the approval or acceptance of ithers.

I don’t think we need to be excluded from othe rMuslim nationions yet I think it’s important for us to understand that our experience shapes our perspetive of this Deen and allows us to put the Deen in a context that works within our lives again because of our realities.

That’s it for now.

Be well,

-Kenya

My apologies for the delay. Insha’Allah you all had a blessed EID.

Thank you all for bringing different things to my attention. May Allah reward you.

Marc: To clarify,
My response was in reference to Dr Sherman Jackson. My apologies I didn’t actually think about the fact that I was actually posting on a blog that was not necessarily directly connected to the Aurthor of this article, other wise I would have posted differently.
-Thanks

Margari Aziza:
Greetings sister,

Amin, Islam is a beautiful human identity that is universal and belongs to whom ever Allah deems.

I may have been in my human emotion when posting the comment, so I apologize if it was not very clear.

Yes, it’s true that Imam W.D. Mohammed is not in support of Imams proclaiming to follow his leadership and other followers who did not follow the proper ways of Al-Islam as we have been given and taught.

My position is that the Dr Jackson in my oppion not only exposed some of the faults of what he calls W.D. Mohammed’s community but he clearly seperated the community by relating this issue specifically to Imam Mohammeds community aposed to an issue within the African American Muslim communities period.

This is a shared responsibility. Seeing Imam Mohammeds community as seperate from the entire African American Muslim community in my oppinion is a great dis honor to the work of Imam Mohammed. Again how information or knowledge is used is more important than the language it self at times.

Further the doctor stated that African American Muslim scholars have a better relationship with Muslim leaders overseas than Muslims here in America, again relating it back to Imam Mohammeds community.
His veiw may be true on many levels for the entire African American Muslim community, yet I wanted to make the point that this is not an issue soley with Imam Mohammeds community due to Imam Mohammeds early work around establishing international relationships and moving African American Muslims to the broader veiw of Al -Islam prior to the work of the great Imams of Al Islam today in American.

He helped insire that thought.

I just didn’t simply agree with how he used his information and knowledge.

My focus is not to cover the faults of any community, yet in the Qu’Arn is reads that we should cover the faults of our brothers and be a soft as milk towards one another.

Focusing to much on the era’s or faults does not strentgthen the forward movement of a nation. We know our faults and yes we need to celebrate the best of ourselves because we have come a long ways and have a long ways to go.
Yes our Imams should continue to correct themselves as we continue to move forward, yet the community has to assist the Imam in his quest to lead the community.
Allah has inspired many great Islamic leaders in the world including America, this is very true and we should be in the habbit of recognizing te truth and the best of humanity where ever it is.

Certainly there’s understanding that we are responsible for what we know now more than ever. Every great leader undertands the times that we are living in.

Yes it’s true that Al-Islam does not just belong to us as African Americans and that it is a universal way of life that can extend to anyone who Allah wills to subscribe to it. Islam is for the benefit of humanity period.

These are the teaching of Imam W.D. Mohammed inspired by Allah him self so I am not in dis agreement with you on most things i’m simply stating again that I was not in agreement with how the information and Knowledge was used in Dr. Jacksons article.

And because Allah is the only source that knows all intentions, we have a responsibility to communitcate our intentions as clearly as we can.

I’m sure we could both go on and on so I will end here sister.
Again thank you for your response.

As Salaam Alaikum,

Sis Kenya
Minneapolis, MN

Imam has also taught us to be independant thinkers. The reason Knowone suceeded his as his family has stated is because we are qualified to lead ourselves

Islam instructs us to cover the faults of our brothers. Not in the sense that you cover up a serious crime that our brother commits but to not put your brothers business all out in the streets.

To be responsble with the information that you have because the power of words, information and how it’s used can do more harm than the actual language or words it’s self.

Again I apologize for not being clear before because you were not aware that my response was not to the blog posters but to Dr Jackson.

I can not say what the Muslim community that post on this blog thinks because I haven’t built with anyone to come to the conclusion.

What I can say is that I Yes I have great respect to Imam W.D. Mohammed and all that Allah has blessed him to bring to humanity perriod. He has been and always will be significant to my life and to this path of Al-Islam in the time that we live and beyond.

I am open for discussion anytime, yet It appears to me that you are questioning my school of thought or my understanding of this deen as if I am void of something you blieve I need to understand.

That’s not the purpose of my post nor is it my focus. I’m just sharing my thoughts from the article.

However I will say this,

You’re gonna be alright. I don’t think this was meant as a personal attack. And some of the critiques of the community are reflected in the imam’s words:

“On September 6, 2003, The Sacramento Bee reported that ” [Imam W.D.] Mohammed resigned…saying he was frustrated that some of his ministers have not fully embraced the religious teachings of mainstream Islam. Although he had scuttled old racial rhetoric, changed the group’s name and moved his followers into line with traditional, or Sunni, Islam, Mohammed, 69, told the crowd at the annual convention of the American Society of Muslims in Chicago that he wants to take his message to a wider audience.”

Sep 11, 2003
“I have tried over the last 10 to 12 years to encourage them to get more religious education, but I have made no progress,’ he told the Chicago Tribune. ‘American Society of Muslim leaders don’t support me, but the followers do.’

I too am a little lost on who you have a problem with and some things in your writing aren’t entirely clear. But what I understand, you are arguing that Muslims should cover up the shortcomings of the W.D. community and celebrate its accomplishments. What private forum will we have? If that is the case, then why air dirty laundry about the cleavages between immigrants and Black Americans? Which leads me to my next contention. I a gather that you interpret the desire of some Muslims to build bridges with immigrant Muslims and maintain linkages with Muslims abroad as seeking their approval. Am I correct? It is rather simplistic. I think most commentators on this blog disapprove of pandering to immigrants, but rather seek open dialog and exchange. As the Qur’an verse says, we are created from tribes and nations so that we may know each other.

You seem to present W.D. community not only as if it is completely coherent and unified, but as almost like a monolith. It was dismantled and the quality of leadership in each community varies from place to place. Yes, there may be some erudite imams, but you also have in a number of local communities people putting more weight on personal charisma and oratory ability, rather than on understanding of Islam and ability to interpret Islamic texts and practices to meet the modern challenges of American Muslims. I’ve prayed in the mosque behind imams with limited knowledge of the Qur’an, really butchering it. Now, as a sister in the back, I would feel way out of place from having to shout out some corrections. Now, unless there was some rapid transformation in leadership in the last 5 years, these interviews with W.D. Muhammad, conversations with numerous individuals who have worked with the community, as well as my own personal observations over the past 15 years confirm that we need better trained imams who insert some fresh blood in the community.

We all have our own realities and experiences, and maybe from your experience the trajectory of the W.D. community is going in the right direction. Me, on the other hand, think its time for self reflection. This is not just our Deen, but this is a universal religion. We have to train the next generation of leaders so we can speak on our own affairs authoritatively. Equipped with both Western and Islamic education will empower us to take the mic back. . But nativism is just not going to cut it. We have to engage both with our fellow Americans and the broader Muslim world.

Salaams and Eid Mubarik. Could you, for the sake of the long discourse in these comments, clarify who you meant by brother

Salaam Brotha,

I don’t generally post things but my spirit was hurt as I read your words. I knew this would happen once our beloved Imam passed.

Without a first name/proper name the s/he’s get lost as to who you’re referring to.

Thanks,

I don’t generally post things but my spirit was hurt as I read your words. I knew this would happen once our beloved Imam passed.

It appears that you deem this as the absolute true, I’m pretty certain Imam would dis-agree with how you have choosen to put this inforation out publically.

There are not secrets in AL-Islam, yet Allah instructs us to hide our faults.

You referr to Imam as if you were not cut from the same cloth.

Maybe it’s your deemed scholary wisdom.

I’m sure you are well versed in this Religion as you should be.

although what you stated is a reality for many people within the African American Muslim community it is equally the same for other Muslim nations across the world.

If this religion is about speaking Arabic, wearing traditional Muslim clothes, having relationships with Muslims over seas and gaining their acceptance and approval, making Salat, learning the Qu’Arn and the rest of the Islamic rituals then brotha we havn’t inherited much at all and in fact we are still very lost.

The rituals are very important but not more important than being upright.

Allah has blessed Imam Mohammed with un doubted wisdom that not even the Pope of Rome can deny, so how can we?

Imam has never been comfortable with dictatorship? he helped set his people free, has produced great leaders within his community with national and international relationships, has increased his peoples status by leading us to become Bilalians, provided monitary success for his people, established a farm, businesses, housing, professional networks and now in the process of bulding a library and more.

Many of us speak Arabic and almost clearer than those who’s native language it is.
Most importantly Imam has taught us to lead ourselves, to identify with ourselves because we have just as much qualifications as anyone else tolead in this religion.

We are not challenged by those who deem us incompetent or Muslims in training.

Imam has taught us that Islam is our nature given to us by Allah not some ethnic group who deems themselves the best of knowers in this religion.

If we are supposed to look to the Muslim world overseas for guidance then we don’t hae much to look forward to with all of the Kaos happening right now and has been for decades.

My intent is not to be disrespectful, yet to be clear that we have made significant progress here in America establishing Al-Islam.

There were Muslims here before the Honarable Elijah began teaching some of it’s concepts, yet they were in hiding.

We established the first Masjids (Then Temples), we created the Islamic infastructure here as youknow and we will continue to lead ourselves as Allah see’s fit. This has to be recognized in the best of light whenever you mention Islam here in this country. This is how you were inroduced into Islam and if you were not, this movement made it more a reality for you to be Muslim here.

Allah says he raises a leader from amongst yourself. That tells me that my people are qualified to lead ourself because Allah has qualified us, not some shake who can’t seem to keep his own back yard clean.

The best thing that we can do is build on the most positive of our success here in this time that we are living in.
No we can not ignor our issues but somethings need to stay in house and addressed at home, not in the public and the perspective must be very clear and balanced if you are going to put it out there.

After reading your message, it appeared that Muslims from Imam’s community do not want to engage the larger Muslim world and are not Islamically educated about the rituals of this Religion.

That’s a great insult to Imam and I pray that Allah has mercy on your soul.

I’m sorry brotha, I am very hurt right now by your statements.

Because Islam is Logical I will be fine but I felt very compelled to write this. I do not intend to be disrespectful to you, nor to teach you anything that you do not already know, seeing that you are the scholar that you are.

As Salaam Alaikum,

Sister Kenya
Minneapolis, MN

Dear sister seeking,
I get lost in acronyms. What exactly is IMM? Is that Inner city Muslim mosques, I’ve been trying to guess for awhile. Maybe I just missed it earlier. As for how I’m doing? I’ve been good alhumdulillah. I’m happy to be back home. Busier than ever, but I think that’s a good thing. I’m going to give you a call as soon as I catch my breath over here.

SS: Salaam brother Kyle, just wanted to let you know I enjoyed every word of what you wrote including what I highlighted above. Only a people who are mentally unstable will allow others to deficate on them and abuse civil rights.

Salaam

@ Marc Manely

Salaam Alaikum brother! I’m glad to see you back blogging. I appreciate and “savor” the theological, spiritual, political, and social perspective you share on the blogsphere–especially your attention to eliminating the ego, and focusing on reforming ones-self. Thank you for making this article available to the rest of us.

@ Margari
Salaam Alaikum sister! How are you these days? I wanted to but my big behind in to respond to the question you asked some one in this discussion. I was taught that we should use “Allah s.w.t.” or one of Allah’s names. If we do use “God” it would be better to use “G-d” as God can become:

Gods’
goddess
god

I personally didn’t see your question as preachy or negative at all–let’s face it we all understand and implement Islam differently!

Allah s.w.t. knows best! : )

Concerning the article:

Dr. Sherman Jackson nailed it on the head! May Allah swt bless him too! : )

My only concern is the MANA part of this: The middle class BAM Muslims I’ve met IRL and OL don’t want to financially or politically support any group that has leadership serving the IMM community? It will be interesting to see how this all plays out…

It is a shame that all that those Muslims of disparate orientations and various political aspirations keep missing the point…even with their grandiose claims of the level of their “Islamic (i.e orientalist)” education and their schismatic “community” activities.

THE POINT IS TO WORSHIP ALLAAH ALONE WITH SINCERITY BY SUBMITTING TO ALL OF HIS COMMANDMENTS AND TO OBEY OUR PROPHET, MUHAMMAD THE SON OF ABDULLAAH AL-HAASHIMEE, IN ALL THAT ALLAAH REVEALED TO HIM…THERE WILL BE NO UNITY UPON ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE ONLY OUR LORD, ALLAAH, UNIFIES THE HEARTS OF HIS SERVANTS, AND THEN ONLY THOSE HE IS PLEASED WITH AND THOSE WHOM UPON HE SHOWERS HIS MERCY .

Any other method of “unification” is pure folly and is doomed to failure…as to which history has attested.

Allaah guide us all to that which He loves and is pleased with.

May Allah Bless Imam W.D. Mohammed and grant him Paradise.His character was of tremendous accolades.He didn’t leave us leaderless in-
stead he made us all leaders.Those of us that were devout followers learned the Qu’ran and
Sunna and hadith with right interpretation.I am
here to tell you we as an ummah has an should
not miss a beat.When someone passes on will you lose heart and turn away? No. we must not allow ourselves to fall victim to racism by category and separatism. We must continue to
help each other remember the “Keys To The Language” taught to us by Imam W.D. Mohammed.
Where would we be without it? Huh? can the blind lead the blind? Allah has made us The Light of the world. Qu’ran and Sunna is what we all agree on there is no confusion.

Your Bro. in Islam
Taquiyy Malik

I believe you will find the community of Muslims educated by the recognized Mujjedid( The Honorable Imam WD Mohammed rm) of our history sure footed,clear thinking, right down to the modern times.If they were blessed to think outside the limits of white supremacy and Arab nationalism and come to an authentic Al Islam certainly an appeal as Dr, Jackson has made will be appreciated by the intelligentsia of that community. The Imam WD taught us that Al Islam is not for sometimes but for always. The same Quran that produced Imam WD can and will produce minds greater than his in the future. The keys belong to Allah.