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September 21, 2004

Islam No Real Friend to Blacks « Social Issues »

Juliette reminds us of the facts of racist attitudes.

Whenever I meet or read about a black American who has adopted Islam and/or an Arabic name, I view him/her with a certain amount of skepticism and pity (yes, even Laker legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, though I admire him to certain extent). As a black American who, through simple patrimony, was born honestly owning an African surname, I can definitely understand the desire of some black Americans to embrace the heritage denied to them and to their ancestors by American slave owners. So why not adopt a West African name? For a black American to adopt an Arabic name is to trade one set of now-symbolic chains for a set of real ones. One type of oppression is dead/dying; the other is still alive and growing. Like a tumor.
Posted by Nathan at 08:57 AM | Comments (4)
Comments

You would think that people who actually have more substantial opinions on this matter.

I find it hilarious that there are so many websites devoted to telling blacks that they are going to the wrong religion.

Sounds like the Christians are getting worried about losing their status.
;)

Posted by: Will Lockhart at October 29, 2004 12:43 AM

fuck islam and fuck farakahn and all those bean pie sellin fools in south central la idiots ...........by the way what's a good west african native religion for me to convert to????????

Posted by: blackie at May 9, 2005 08:50 PM

It seems that you misunderstand the intention behind embracing the religion of Islam and adopting an ISLAMIC name not necessarily an Arabic one. You don't understand that the premise behind true Islam (not what Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam teach) is Tawheed. Tawheed is to acknowledge and submit to the oneness of the Creator. It is to declare that there is nothng like unto Him and to not associate any partners in worship along with Him. This is for all of mankind. Therefore when an African American embraces Islam, it is to rectify his soul and redeem his understanding of his role on earth as a servant of the Creator. So, to adopt a name that embodies the language in which the Noble Quran was revealed in, is only to draw closer to the reality of your Lord and to strive in manifesting what He has decreed lawful and righteous. You are mistaking religion for nationalism. In Islam there are no color lines only humans who have submitted to the will of their Creator as Muslims. Hence, we take on Islamic names to symbolize our spritual awakening not to go from one set of chains to another. Believing that African American nationalism is something worth holding onto is as silly as believing in white superiority over other non-white races. we are all equal in the sight of Allah the Creator. He says in the Quran "Oh mankind We created you from a single pair of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may get to know one another. The most honored among you in the sight of Allah is he who is most righteous." (49:13)

In conclusion, those of us African American Muslim who have found the Truth aren't regressing because of our adopting an entirely new Islamic identity, rather this is from what any rational,, non-biased person would call PROGRESSION.

Posted by: abdullah at May 11, 2005 06:35 PM

Hurricane Katrina - How can you support anyone who beleives the Levee's in New Orleans were intentionally blown up to flood the black neighborhoods. There will always be civil unrest and racism in this country with idots like Farakahn and his heard of sheep.

Posted by: joer at September 20, 2005 12:58 PM
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