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An
International Islamic Conference
by Ibrahim B. Syed,
Ph. D.
One
day I was contacted over the phone by Sheikh Ahmed Tijani Ben Omar of Chicago
inviting me to An International Islamic Conference (also called Islam in the
21st Century) to be held in Chicago, Illinois at the Chicago Hilton and Towers
Hotel, from July 3 to 6, 1997. This Conference was hosted by the Nation of Islam
(NOI) in conjunction with the World Islamic People’s Leadership Conference whose
president is the Libyan Leader Col. Muammar Qaddafi and the vice president is
the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. Later on I received a written invitation
signed by the Honorable Minster Louis Farrakhan, the Leader of the Nation of
Islam.
Minister Farrakhan ( born in the Bronx,
New York, on May 11, 1933) was the Chief organizer of the Million Man March on
Washington, D.C. (October 16, 1995). He found begrudging recognition and
admiration even among his longtime critics. While many thousands said they
attended the March for black people, not for Farrakhan, still Minister
Farrakhan's ability to organize the March, gathering close to one million
peaceful black men, gave him a unique position in the eyes of black America.
Long before the March, Louis Farrakhan had become established as a role model
for tens of thousands of Afro-Americans. His dynamic preaching and his stance
for a drug-free society, moral fidelity, black potential, and for Afro-Americans
to share their material and moral gains with their fellow Afro-Americans-all
positive and commendable individually-served to give him credibility and moral
leverage.
What makes the Nation of Islam click?
What makes young Afro-Americans to
become members of the Nation of Islam? NOI offers positive social programs to
the community. Its members are active in jails and prisons, recruiting men
behind bars and dissuading them from a life of crime. They have a strong
emphasis against drugs, against prostitution and pimping, and against violence
and gang involvement. They urge blacks to set up black-owned and black-operated
businesses, thus working to raise the standard of living in poor neighborhoods.
They also look with disfavor on black reliance on the government welfare system,
which they perceive as often perpetuating the cycle of poverty (Cornerstone,
vol. 26, issue 111 (1997), p. 10-16, 20).
The Nation of Islam has invested in
restaurants and food service industry as one focus for economic growth. The
Nation of Islam owns thousands of acres of Georgia farmland, and has operated
countless restaurants, bakeries, clothing stores, bookstores, hair care shops,
and other enterprises. In 1995, the NOI opened the Salaam Restaurant and Bakery
on the south side of Chicago, at a cost of five million dollars. The delegates
were entertained to dinner at the Salaam Restaurant and Bakery. Their
fundamental ideology is to avoid reliance on government subsidies or white
business partnerships and to "Do For Self."
Perhaps their most successful venture has
been in providing building security at apartments and housing projects across
the nation. Since 1991, the federal government has paid over twenty million
dollars to NOI security teams in cities such as Baltimore, Washington, D.C.,
Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The U.S. News & World Report
acknowledges that in some places, such as Baltimore and Washington, D.C., hiring
of the NOI Security Agency by the Department of Housing and Urban Development
was an unqualified success for the tenants. NOI security guards will also hawk
newspapers or proselytize for Minister Farrakhan while on duty. Still, NOI
security teams, which do not carry guns, are looked on with favor and have been
generally effective at reducing crime and increasing tenant safety. The Nation
of Islam also emphasizes mentoring, taking a younger person under one's wing to
model moral principles. Its members do not (or are not supposed to) use drugs,
drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, or eat pork. They emphasize fidelity to one's
spouse, and have built self-esteem and self-confidence among people badly in
need both.
Black men are attracted to the Nation of
Islam over against the black church because of the preponderance of black men in
the movement. In the average black church, over 60 percent of the congregation
is female whereas for the young black men looking for strong male leadership,
the Nation of Islam is more attractive, with about 80 percent of its followers
being male.
Two other things make the Nation of Islam
attractive: the discipline, and the power they have to externally "clean up" a
neighborhood. In an NOI mosque, members are told very strongly that they
have to abide by the rules of the mosque. Infractions could be dealt with by
public tongue-lashing before the Muslim congregation. A Muslim who has sex out
of wedlock may find himself and his girlfriend hauled before the congregation
and publicly rebuked for disgracing Islam before the world.
In a white, Christian setting, much
lighter "church discipline" has been instant grounds for a lawsuit against the
church and its pastor; whereas in a black Muslim setting, severe public
corrections are looked on with favor as positive discipline.
The NOI "cleaned up" a neighborhood
dominated by the pimps and drug pushers in a two-block region, forcing gang
activity and prostitution to entirely leave. Area residents were thrilled with
the results, which the Christian churches had not able to accomplish in years of
prayer and low-key "witness." The Nation of Islam had a much more aggressive
approach, and was under no obligation to turn the other cheek if attacked for
their deeds. They got credit for the results. This illustrates the vast
difference between Christian and Muslim ethics. Finally, many blacks can relate
to the Nation of Islam for some of the reasons mentioned by Malcolm X in his
Autobiography. Many blacks feel targeted by white society or by law enforcement.
Current U.S. statistics say that by the age of twenty-nine, 30 percent of
American black men will either have been under court supervision or been
sentenced in a criminal case: drugs, theft, rape, violent crime (Ted Gest, "A
Shocking Look at Blacks and Crime," U.S. News & World Report, 16 Oct.
1995, 53-54.). This percentage is far higher than that of white men under
twenty-nine; so many blacks are more receptive to Minister Farrakhan's rhetoric
of a white conspiracy against them.
Topics of the Conference
I
asked Sheikh Ahmed Tijani as to how he came to know about me. He did not answer
me specifically. Later on I came to know a mutual friend recommended my name. I
accepted the invitation to attend and speak in several sessions, such as the two
plenary sessions on “The Oneness of Allah and the Oneness of His Community”, and
two workshops on “Islamic Science and Technology”, “Islamic Health”, and one
workshop on “Modern Methods of Propagation for the New Century” and I was
assigned the job of a Moderator on a session on “Islamic Science, Technology and
Communication Systems for the New Century.” Other interesting and timely
workshops that were conducted were “The Need to Return to Moral Excellence”,
“Islamic Education in the New Century”, “Islamic Family Life. Courtship and
Preparation for Marriage. Strengthening Family and Home Life”, “Islamic Law in
the New Century”, “Islamic Economics and Banking in the New Century”, “Conflict
Resolution Among Muslims”, “The Role of Women in Islam”, “The Place of
Architecture, Art, and Culture in Islam”, “Advancement of Muslims Socially,
Politically, and Economically in Western Society, and in other Countries” and
Plenary Sessions on “Inter-Faith Dialogue.” I accepted the invitation for two
reasons, one to share my humble knowledge and secondly to observe first-hand the
activities of the controversial organization “The Nation of Islam.”
This
International Islamic Conference is one of the best I have ever attended in
North America or anywhere in the world. It was well organized and executed. Many
scholars came from many parts of the world, such as Canada, Mexico, Panama,
Trinidad, Sri Lanka, Great Britain, Philippines, Dagestan (Russia), South
Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, Gambia, Uganda, Senegal, Ghana, Greek Cyprus, Egypt,
Jordon, Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, and of course from many
cities in USA.
The
attenders were kept busy from morning till late in the night. I attended the
Jumuah prayers at the Mosque Maryam, where we also prayed Maghrib and Isha
prayers. The Zuhr and Asr prayers were conducted at the Hilton Inn and Towers. I
saw the Hon. Minister Louis Farrakhan praying with us like an Orthodox Muslim or
mainstream Muslim. The Muslims in the Community of the Nation of Islam both men
and women behaved extremely well and were well dressed. I was impressed with
them, as they are a good role model for other Muslims.
The Nation of Islam identifies itself as
Islamic. Members call God "Allah," they call themselves Muslims, they teach and
worship in mosques, they appeal to the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),
they recite the Muslim creed, and they view the Qur'an as inspired Scripture.
The chief leaders of the NOI (Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, and Minister
Farrakhan) have all made pilgrimages to Mecca, and at the present time NOI
members are instructed to fast during the Muslim month of Ramadan and to consult
the hadith or traditions ascribed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to
determine proper conduct and doctrine. Thus, for broad purposes of
classification, it seems reasonable to place the NOI somewhere within the
Islamic camp.
I did
not witness any controversial thing during my five days of association with
them. The final session ended at the McCormick Place where Col. Muammar Qaddafi,
the Libyan Leader spoke to the participants by satellite T.V. Also this session
was televised all over the Muslim World. The finale of the International
Conference was when Imam Farrakhan spoke to the audience for almost two years
with his remarkable ability to spellbind and charm the audience. At the end of
the session Mr. Jerry Thomas of the Chicago Tribune interviewed me, as others
appeared to be reluctant to the interview. In my interview with reference to the
Nation of Islam, I told what I witnessed . . . . “They were first identified as
black Muslims. That barrier has been removed. They are now just Muslims, like
any other Muslims in the world.”
On
that final day evening, I received a dinner invitation at the home (Palace or
official residence) of the Leader of the Nation of Islam along with all the
foreign delegates and a few American delegates. Imam Farrakhan was a gracious
host and everyone enjoyed the delicious dishes and a sumptuous dinner. That
memorable night was concluded with an individual photo session with the Imam or
the Leader of the Nation of Islam.
The
Controversy
This
Conference generated a lot of controversy. Although invitations were sent to the
Muslim leaders in Chicago and in the U.S. but almost all of them declined, and
hence they did not have the first hand opportunity to observe and clarify their
doubts. Several Muslims made critical remarks on the Honorable Farrakhan. For
one thing he was declared as an “Imam” which means prayer leader or leader of
the community and one of the Visiting scholars put a white turban on the head of
Hon. Farrakhan to symbolize the recognition. I did not hear that he was
proclaimed as the leader of the American Muslims or the whole world Muslim Ummah.
It is a fact that he is the “Imam” or Leader of the Nation of Islam. Hence there
is no need to get upset over this. Some Chicago Muslims such as Mustafa Ali,
Moin “Moon” Khan (the media relations coordinator for the Council of Islamic
Organization in Illinois) and Dr. Amir Ali the Managing Director of the
Institute of Islamic Information and Education (IIIE) have rightly criticized
with regard to the concept of Allah in the Nation of Islam. One of the
participants in the Conference, Syed S. Khundmiri who is the Executive Director
of GeoPolitical Academy, Burbank, California interviewed the Leader of the
Nation of Islam and his exclusive interview was published in the PAKISTAN LINK
of August 1, 1997 pp. 26-27.
When
attention was drawn to a reference in the Final Call (the weekly
published by the Nation of Islam), inside last page, to Item 12 which reads “We
believe that Allah (God) appeared in the person of Master W.D. Fard Muhammad in
July 1930, the long awaited Messiah of the Christians and the Mehdi of the
Muslims.” To this the Minister Farrakhan replied “To us Honorable W.D. Fard
Muhammad was an Arab, born to a Black man and a White woman in 1887 in Makkah.
Honorable Fard Muhammed came to us from Makkah, taught us about Islam. He
informed us about our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who was the last messenger of
Allah on whom the Holy Qur’an was revealed which teaches us the right path of
Allah. The reference of item No. 12 and other references in the (NOI)
literature, are nothing but to say that he was our Savior, our messiah, our
Mehdi (Arabic, the guided one), not the god. He never asked us to keep
his picture. He prayed in the name of Allah and taught us how to pray.”
In
the Conference Minister Farrakhan pointed out that Master Fard Muhammad was “a
man” born on February 26, 1887 in Makkah. He taught Islam to the Hon. Elijah
Muhammad, who in turn taught to Minister Farrakhan. The Hon. Elijah Muhammad
taught about the Qur’an and the magnificent life of the Prophet Muhammad ibn
Abdullah (peace be upon him). Minister Farrakhan said “the Sunnah, the way of
Muhammad ibn Abdullah (peace be upon him) is the only way for the Muslims. Only
his Sunnah, only his way, only his practice will lead us to success in
establishing Islam in America and reviving the spirit of Islam in Muslims
throughout the world.”
A review of the introductory words used
by Minister Farrakhan each Saviour's Day since 1973 reveals a progressive
abandonment of references to Fard as Allah and to Elijah Muhammad as the Last
Messenger of Allah, and (by the 1990s) a shift to introductions acceptable to
orthodox Muslims. (Mattias Gardell, In the Name of Elijah Muhammad: Louis
Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press,
1996), 192, 193).
Unity
and Harmony
Muslims who still have doubts and upset should have a dialogue with the Nation
of Islam. Alhamdulillah, Muslims are doing very well in Inter-Faith dialogues
with Christians and Jews. Why not we have dialogues with the Nation of Islam? I
personally believe we must interact with the Nation of Islam with Hikmah
(wisdom) and Sabr (patience) in the model of our Rasoolallah (SAS). I completely
agree with the sentiments expressed by the popular and well-known Muslim
journalist, Mom “Moon” Khan, that “it is time for healing, a time for moving
ahead, understanding each other and respecting each other. It is not the time of
dividing people and isolating people in a community and putting other
communities ahead of each other.”
The
late Malcolm X (Shaheed Al-Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz) broke away in the early 1960s
with the then teachings of the Nation of Islam and followed the path of
orthodox/main stream/Sunni Islam.
Like
wise Imam W. Deen Muhammad, 7th son of Hon. Elijah and Clara Muhammad renounced
the political leadership of the Nation of Islam on Feb. 26, 1975-22 years ago,
and he and his 2.5 million followers, called themselves the Muslim Community in
the West (and now called the Muslim American Society), became the Sunni Muslims
(followers of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the revelations of the
Qur’an). To break away from the teachings of one’s own father is highly
commendable on the part of Imam W.D. Muhammad.
Muslims of North America will derive immense benefits and rewards by uniting
with the Nation of Islam and by welcoming them as our brothers and sisters in
Islam. It is highly gratifying to know that the Nation of Islam and the Ministry
of Imam Wartih Deen Mohammed have united to advance the cause of Islam and the
Muslims in North America. May Allah (SWT) guide us and show us the right path
and bring us from darkness unto light. Ameen!
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