The Legacy of Black Muslims Throughout History

The Legacy of Black Muslims Throughout History

Opening Supplications and Prayers

Praise be to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help, and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils within ourselves and from the wickedness of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, there is none to misguide, and whomever He misguides, there is no guide for him.

O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims.

O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.

O you who have believed, fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice. He will [then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment.

To proceed: The most truthful speech is the Book of Allah, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and the worst of affairs are the newly invented matters, and every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire.

Praise Allah. We send peace and blessings upon our beloved messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

The Best of Deeds: Belief in Allah

Once the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was sitting with his companions and this was something that was often asked of the beloved messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, and that is like, what's the best thing I can do? You find this question quite often in the engagement of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the Sahaba: أَيُّ الْأَعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ "Which deed is the best, O Messenger of Allah?" And if we can scoot forward inshallah brothers.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, he said in this important instance: أَيُّ الْأَعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ الْإِيمَانُ بِاللَّهِ "Which deed is the best? He said: Belief in Allah." The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to believe, to believe in Allah.

The Importance of Maintaining and Strengthening Faith

Belief is so important that not only are we commanded to achieve it as believers, as someone who is trying to find faith, but even after belief we are encouraged to look after it. That's why Surah Al-Fatiha, even though we're already Muslims and we're already guided, alhamdulillah, by the grace of Allah, we still say: اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ "Guide us to the straight path" (Quran 1:6).

Ar-Razi said, you know you say اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ "guide us" even though you're already a believer, meaning ثَبِّتْنِي عَلَى الْحَقِّ "keep me strong, don't let me waver."

We know that Sayyidah Umm Salama, may Allah be pleased with her, she said that the supplication that I heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, make the most was: اللَّهُمَّ مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ "O Allah, the Turner of hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion."

In fact, subhanAllah, in the Quran we find something unique and I heard this from one of our professors, Dr. Abdullatif Faramawi, may Allah have mercy on him. He's a great mufassir in Egypt, where Allah says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا "O you who believe, believe" (Quran 4:136). Allah describes us as believers, inshaAllah, but then He commands us to believe.

So he asks us, what do you think that means? You say, oh you who are eating, eat. I'm already eating, why do I need to eat again? يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا - you who have belief, believe. And he said what it means is like, to refresh your faith and to review your faith and to be introspective about your relationship with Allah.

That's why the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him he said: إِنَّ مَثَلَ الْإِيمَانِ فِي جَوْفِ أَحَدِكُمْ "The example of faith in your hearts are like new clothes that fade over time." فَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ تَعَالَىٰ أَنْ يُجَدِّدَ لَكُمْ إِيمَانَكُمْ "So you should constantly ask Allah to refresh and revive your faith."

Revisiting Our Understanding of Faith

One of the ways that we can do that is to revisit how we framed the concept of faith in our lives. Perhaps we've had bad experiences related to faith, perhaps through irresponsible leadership or someone who is maybe overburdening and they're asking us to adhere to faith, or in our own trials and tribulations or shortcomings.

But mashaAllah, in the chapter called Ibrahim, we find something really beautiful about how we should see faith. And when people look at faith in this way, they will not see faith as something which is limiting or something which restricts them, but they will see that the idea of faith in Islam is really about tying ourselves to God and becoming the best we can be.

The Parable of the Good Tree

That's why Allah says: أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا "Have you not seen how Allah sets forth an example?" (Quran 14:25). In the 25th verse of Surah Ibrahim, Prophet Abraham. Allah says, and it's a rhetorical question, have you not seen how Allah sets forth مَثَلًا - the word mathala is translated as a parable, but packed in that word is something very powerful that's lost in translation. Because we call an actor mumathil, like Adil Imam in Egypt, one of the most famous mumathil, he's a famous actor.

But subhanAllah, the reason that the Arabs would call a parable mathala is this is something عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تُمَثِّلَهُ - like this is something that when you learn it and I learned it and we've understood it, then it becomes a blueprint by which we should act on. So that's why it's called mathala. So it's something that I am exposed to and I learn, but

the intent is to employ it in my life, just like an actor employs a script. Here we're employing the commands and guidance of Allah.

كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً - Allah says that He sets forth a nice example to be followed and that is كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً a good word" كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ "which is like a healthy robust tree" أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ "its foundations are firm, its roots are firm and its branches are infinite and they shoot into the heavens" (Quran 14:24).

Ibn Abbas's Interpretation of the Good Tree

Some of the early commentators of the Quran took this verse to help us frame how we see faith and our potential. That is, for example, Sayyidina Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: كَلِمَةً طَيِّبَةً لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ "The good word is the word of faith: there is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." كَشَجَرَةٍ طَيِّبَةٍ is like this tree and he said the tree is the believer. أَصْلُهَا ثَابِتٌ - the knowledge of the believer and the emotional psychological state of the believer are like the roots of the tree.

So the chest and the intellect are in concert based on that good word. I'm rooting myself intellectually and spiritually in لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ. So that implies learning. Believers should constantly be in a state of learning.

The Importance of Lifelong Learning

One of the unfortunate post-colonial hangovers that still impacts our community is that religious learning is just for children. But children don't lead the world. So we'll send the awlad to learn and we'll stay home and chill, whereas mashaAllah, Sayyidina Uthman ibn Affan, he memorized the Quran when he was 36.

Once when I lived in Egypt, I came to California, there was this old uncle, mashaAllah, Chacha Saab, and he came to me and he said to me, "You know, Suhaib, beta, I know I'm 86 years old, but do you think I can go to Al-Azhar now?" I was like, subhanAllah, what are you saying? He's like, "Yeah, like I have a passion to learn deen." I was like, mashaAllah, go for it. So he went to Egypt, alhamdulillah. He learned Arabic. He was 86 years old.

So this idea that like knowledge, religious knowledge is regulated to children and not something that we're responsible for - Allah says: فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ "Know that there is no god but Allah" (Quran 47:19). You have to know. قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ "Say are those who know equal to those who don't know?" (Quran 39:9) لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِي أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ "If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze" (Quran 67:10).

Knowledge is crucial. قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ "Musa said: I seek refuge with Allah from being among the ignorant" (Quran 2:67).

Then allowing that knowledge to settle in my chest, something that's dug deep so it digs into myself - that takes time. Knowledge takes time and experience. Hikmah comes with nuance. So my usul is stabilizing and after that

I'm able to calibrate this faith.

Different Branches, Same Root

And unfortunately our community, at times religious leadership tries to look at this from a very myopic vantage point. "The ideal Muslim" - like there's a book I saw it, "The Ideal Muslim." I read it, I was like, man, I pray five times a day, I'm right on that. Okay, that one I need some work. I'm good on that one. But I don't feel like the ideal - like this isn't me, man. This is the author. We tend to project and live vicariously through other people. That's a sign of selfishness and religious immaturity.

But when Allah says وَفَرْعُهَا فِي السَّمَاءِ "the branches that come from this tree," Ibn Abbas said أَعْمَالُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ "the deeds of the believers" - different ways that the believers are going to calibrate their faith. Whether it's through being a lawyer, whether it's being involved in finance, whether it's through the arts, whether it's through music, whether it's whatever - fashion, an influencer, whether it's an imam or a sheikh or a student, whether it's an activist. All of our branches are different, but the root of those branches is the same: لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ

That's why Sidi Ahmed Zarruq said: اخْتِلَافُ الْمَسَالِكِ لَا يَجْلِبُ اخْتِلَافَ الْمَقَاصِدِ "The difference of paths doesn't necessarily mean a difference of objectives." وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ الْمُنتَهَىٰ "And that to your Lord is the final return" (Quran 53:42). Our end is Allah.

So that's why the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is able to build a robust community because he's able to appreciate people's talents and allow them to contribute in ways that are meaningful to them. So I would never want anyone in this room to be bullied or intimidated in the name of religion from achieving the best you, if it's for Allah.

The Tree Bears Fruit in Every Season

The last is the next verse says: تُؤْتِي أُكُلَهَا كُلَّ حِينٍ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهَا "It gives its fruit at all times by the permission of its Lord" (Quran 14:25) - always giving fruit, man, 24/7, 365. And that implies that we have to go through tests and trials, different seasons. No one can follow the Prophet without being tested, and as the Prophet said, no one can love Allah without being tested.

So that means this tree has to go through different stages and places, but still - maybe sometimes the fruit isn't abundant, maybe sometimes it's not really right, maybe sometimes it's, you know, needs a little work, it's not as organic as it should be, it's mixed with some sin.

And that's why the Prophet said that the example of the believer is like a date tree. Ibn Hajar said because the date tree gives dates all the time, and that every part of the date tree can be used. Its bark is for our roofs, its leaves were for the sajjada, and we eat its tamar, whether it's balah or rutab, whether it's not ripe or ripe, you'll find people like that kind of date. So he said that's the believer, that wherever they are, they're able to bring some fruit to the situation, mashaAllah.

But those seasons are a little different than winter, spring, summer and fall. Prophetic seasons means to struggle with your family like Adam, to be ridiculed like Nuh, to be lonely like Yusuf - that's where prophecy lies. To be lied about like Sayyidah Maryam, to be opposed and speak to power like Sayyidina Musa - if we just go forward, that's where prophecy lies. To be rejected like Sayyidina Isa, to be thrown out like Sayyidina Muhammad, peace be upon them all - those are the seasons of prophecy. They're not easy.

So ask Allah to make us strong. And when we know that those seasons are just temporary, they're a part of Allah's creation, they're like salt on the qada of our life. The meat of the qada is Allah. That's why Allah said to Sayyidina Musa: إِنَّ الرِّضَا فِي رِضَاءِ بِقَضَاءِ "Satisfaction is in being pleased with the decree." If you wanna know if I'm happy with you, ask me if you're happy with me. So ask Allah.

Transition to Second Khutbah

Praise be to Allah, I do not seek any substitute for Him, praise that reaches the hope of His pleasure, then blessings upon the best of creation, and upon our masters, his family and companions of excellence, and blessings upon our master Muhammad, mercy to the worlds, and the leader of the pious, and upon his pure family and his righteous companions.

Honoring the Legacy of Black Muslims

Every single Muslim in this country and especially those of us who don't identify with an African origin - every single American Muslim rests on the shoulders of the death and martyrdom of Malcolm. So it behooves us during this month to take some time with our wife or our husbands, with our children, and reflect and study on the great historical figures that have blessed the Ummah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from Africa and from the Black American Muslim community.

If you have an opportunity, maybe you can go visit the grave of Malcolm up in the Bronx. Maybe you can visit Masjid Al-Taqwa in Brooklyn, State Street Masjid founded in 1939, Imam Aji in Harlem. Some of the older communities, the beautiful East African community now which lines the boroughs of New York City.

The Great Companions from Africa

But let's just talk about some of the major players who impacted our Islam right now who came from Africa, mashaAllah.

Sumayyah bint al-Khayyat

The first is the first martyr of Islam who was a woman, a woman of color: Sumayyah bint al-Khayyat. Sumayyah bint al-Khayyat was from Africa. She is the mother of Ammar ibn Yasir. She was murdered by Abu Jahl. She is a woman who our historians say was Ifriqiya, she was from Africa. Her son, Ammar, of course also then by default also a great companion of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was of African origin.

Umm Ayman al-Baraka

Umm Ayman al-Baraka - one of the best friends of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. The mother of Usama ibn Zayd, who married Zayd ibn Harithah. Who the Prophet visited her so much that even after his death, Abu Bakr and Umar, Sayyidina Ali and others would continue to visit her out of ihtiram to the sunnah of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and because of her great maqam.

She is the woman who when they came to her, they said, "Why are you sad? Don't you know that what Allah has given the messenger is better?" She said, "I'm not crying because the messenger has passed away. I'm crying because the Quran has stopped."

Historical Scholars and Leaders

Throughout our history: Dhul-Nun al-Misri, one of the founders of Tasawwuf. He was from Nubia. He died in 859 Hijri. Regardless of your orientation, Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad al-Husayni, the ninth imam in the Shia tradition - his mother Sabika was from Nubia. He was a black man.

Throughout our history: Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali - he wasn't black, but his original name was Zalim ibn Amir. He said, "Man, what kind of name is Zalim?" Because the word black in Arabic means master - Sayyid, Sawda, Aswad. So he said, "I'm gonna change my name to Abu al-Aswad because Aswad is beautiful." A very different type of understanding of what it means to be a mature member of the community of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Celebrating All Cultures in Islam

And we should do this with, mashaAllah, all of our cultures and all of our people, because we are a beautiful ummah. But if we don't know about each other, we can't honestly say that we're beautiful.

My own teacher, Sheikh Abu Mustafa Ndiaye from Senegal, who then had converted, grabbed me and he said, "Are you gonna be the stupid white boy convert?" I was like, "What?" He's like, "I'll see you on Tuesday with a notebook." And he made me study with kids. He said, "You study with kids to be humble, because you white Americans got some problems." I didn't take it like critical race theory and destroy the Sheikh. I was like, "Yeah, okay, Sheikh."

And he had me memorize Quran. And I asked him, "How did you memorize the Quran in 14 qira'at?" He said, "My sister, ahfazatni - my sister from the Murabitun taught me."

More Examples of African Muslim Scholars

Abdullah ibn Yasin, the founder of the Murabitun movement in Morocco, is someone from Africa. Ibn Manzur, the greatest writer of the greatest dictionary in the Arabic language, Lisan al-Arab - he was from Nubia.

A Call to Learn and Celebrate

The point I'm trying to make, mashaAllah, is that this shouldn't make anyone feel guilty. We should be inspired

to learn our history. And we should be inspired to celebrate black history, not just for one month, but we acknowledge this month. And we