Having just come off attending the 2nd Annual MANA Conference here in Philadelphia, it came as a pleasant surprise that the Manrilla Blog has been put in the running for Best Design in the 2008 Brass Crescent Awards, a joint project of altmuslim.com. The awards are meant to honor blogs that represent the best in Muslim blogging, with yours truly up for, “…[a] blog that has the most aesthetically pleasing site design, appealing to the eye, evoking Islamic themes, and/or facilitating debate and discussion.” My thanks to those who felt this blog worthy of nomination. Feel free to cast your vote here.

And to God goes all the praise and thanks,

47th & Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia – Obama celebration

Recently, as perhaps some of you have seen, I have been shifting the focus on this blog – refining its focus to concentrate more specifically on the religious phenomenon of Islam in America. A great deal of my writings pertain to the process of the indiginization of Islam in America. This post may depart from that slightly, though if I think you read closely enough, you will see its correlation.

No – this is not a post on how the 44th President of the United States is a secret Muslim. Barack Hussein Obama is not a Muslim. While his family may have roots in the historical Muslim world, he himself is not a Muslim. And that’s ok. As former general Colin Powell pointed out to us in his interview at Meet The Press, it should not matter that he is or isn’t Muslim.

And while it has been clearly established that President Obama is not a Muslim, this election, truly historic for America and her citizens, has presented the possibility as real. What I mean here is that for two hundred-plus of years, the United States of America has been dominated by one type of political figure: the white Christian Male. And as I stated above, the Christian part has not changed, but the white part most certainly has.

One of my greatest hopes from this election wasn’t that President Obama was going to solve the economic, environmental and other crisises that were are having. No one man can do all that. But that his election would bring about a much need psychological change to this country and perhaps even the world. To be sure, the type of change I speak of is subtle. But for the four hundred-plus years that Blackamericans have been in this country, we have never seen, let alone in recent generations, truly envisioned the possibility of a black man being the president of this country. President Obama has broken that barrier. He has illustrated that however unlikely, and however difficult, you can achieve great results. After all, these are some of the very ideals that America likes to champion around the world. And while it will take some time for the cynic in me to take his guard down, I will not attempt to hide the sense of vindication I felt when Mr. Obama won this evening.

So my little message is short and simple – to my Muslim brothers here in America, we have just watched a predominantly white audience vote in a black male with a Muslim name to the highest office of the land – mind you, just seven years since 9/11 as well [not to mention that Islamophobia is still raging strong and was even used as a tactic against his campaign]. The time has come for Muslims to truly recognize the blessings that Allah has offered us here. We have been placed within reach of obtaining great goals; for us and our children’s generation. But as always, the clock is ticking. I pray we can capitalize on this great boon we’ve been handed.

And a special note to my Blackamerican brothers and sisters in Islam. Tonight we saw the hopes and dreams of many Americans, white, black, Latino, Jewish and otherwise, all cast for one man. We must recognize that we are in the position to have the greatest effect in indigenizing Islam here in America. As we saw, unprovoked, on nation TV, general Powell came out in defense of Muslims in America. We truly must reflect and make the most of the opportunities. For we have witnessed tonight that change can and will come. The only question that remains is will we reap its benfit or curse our inability to act.

And God knows best.