Princes From Among the Slaves

By Imam Naeem Abdullah

Published by

Nur uz-Zamaan Institute P.O. Box 32370 Philadelphia, PA 19146 communityupdates@nuruzzamaaninstitute.org

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise without permission from the publisher.

ISBN: Imam Naeem Abdullah My Personal Book of Supplications By: Imam Naeem Abdullah

Book Cover Design by: Umm Saeed

Please direct all comments, questions and corrections to the Publisher.

Princes from Among the Slaves

By Imam Na'eem Abdullah All praises are due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad and upon his family and companions be peace. As to what follows: This is a paper that I have named Princes from Among the Slaves. I was asked by our beloved brother Qasim Rashad of the United Muslim Masjid (UMM) to write an article which would benefit the believers during this month of February known and celebrated as 'black history month' in the United States. During this month, the media bombards the masses with tidbits of information which highlight the contribution of African-Americans to the society. I personally believe the information to be beneficial - but shallow. With this in mind, I wanted to contribute something with a little more depth. I also wanted this contribution to be informative and motivational for all of those who may read it. Some have been misled into believing that it is not permissible for a Muslim to be concerned with ones culture and history especially when it concerns African-American Muslims. This line of thinking doesn't have a basis in the Shari'ah (Islamic Law). In fact, when the Qur'an and the example of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, are examined in their proper context one not only finds proof of its permissibility but of its obligation! Allah Says,

O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female and made you into

nations and tribes, so that you may know. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is the one with the most Taqwa.1 Verily, Allah is All Knowing, All Aware.2 This word taaarafuu is a 6th form reflexive verb which, in this ayah, has no object. Therefore, all of the commentators (mufassirun) of the Quran say that Allah is telling us that we must [1] know ourselves and [2] then other peoples. This ayah is proof that knowledge of yourself is not asabiyyah (racism or tribalism) but, to the contrary, this knowledge is mandatory. In his tafseer, Ibn Kathir quotes the following hadith in his commentary of this verse. It was related by Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said,

(( ))
Learn from your own ancestry and heritage so that you may be connected with your own blood relations.3 The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used the word 'ta'allamuu' which is a fil amr (an imperative verb or a command) indicating that it is a religious obligation to learn ones ancestry. Many Muslims have been tricked into thinking that Islam is colorblind and that any concentration or discussion of race or ethnicity is divisive, anti-productive and is tantamount to alasabeeyah (racism & tribalism). To those Muslims I submit the following two statements the first one from the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

Ubaadah ibn Katheer reported from a woman from among them called Faseelah who said: I heard my father say: I asked the Messenger of Allah, O Messenger of Allah, is it al-Asabeeyah (racism & tribalism) that a man love his own people? He said` No! But alasabeeyah is that a man helps his people in zulm (oppression and wrong-doing).4 As far as the second statement, Shaykh Muhammad Shareef narrated to us on many occasions a powerful quote from Waziri Junayd of Sokoto, may Allah be merciful to him, who said that, Knowledge is universal and eternal but it has a social and cultural stamp. It also has a purpose and a commitment to a particular world-view. It therefore cannot be neutral. What you have before you is actually an excerpt from a book that I've written several years ago. It is being re-released under the title "The Unbroken Chain: Africa's Connection to Islam from the Prophet up to the Present." I've decided to call this section of the book "Princes from among the Slaves" because it mentions Amir or Prince Abdur Rahman whose life is the subject of a well-known book and subsequent documentary named "Prince Among Slaves." This essay not only discusses Amir Abdur-Rahman but also Bilali Muhammad who was

enslaved on Sapelo Island, Georgia and Umar ibn Saeed who was enslaved in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The reader should know that nothing in this essay is original. There are several intellectuals and scholars who have been specializing in this important information for years. The first shaykh who I would like to mention is Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick. He played a critical role in my early education of Islam. Through his video-taped classes and lectures I was able to effectively combine the study of the various Islamic sciences with the knowledge of history which I believe many people lack today. For instance, how can one claim to have a thorough knowledge of the sunnah and know nothing about the seerah? What makes his research unique is the fact that he has personally visited most (if not all) of the places that he speaks and writes about. He has authored a book called Deeper Roots which is a must read. He also has numerous other publications and multimedia presentations which we recommend. It is our belief at Nur uz Zamaan Institute, that the Islamic community in the west took a loss when he relocated to South Africa. The next shaykh who must be mentioned is Dr Sulayman Nyang who is a professor at Howard University. There are very few discussions about the early Muslims presence in America where he is not consulted Shaykh Muhammad Shareef is an encyclopedia of, not only African-American Muslim History but also African Islamic History. He was blessed by Allah to be able to digitize numerous Arabic manuscripts authored by African scholars. A significant number of these manuscripts are authored by the scholars and leaders of the Sokoto Caliphate. This is the Emirate established by Shaykh Uthman Dan Fodio and the scholars around him. He has translated many of these works himself. He was also blessed to join the community of Shaykh Uthman Dan Fodio through Sultan al-Hajj Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad atTahiru. The collaboration between Shaykh Muhammad and the Sultan led to the formation of the Sankore Institute of IslamicAfrican Studies (SIIAS). Through the SIIAS, many of these seminal works were introduced to an English-speaking

audience. For many, it was their first exposure to IslamicAfrican scholarship; who many thought was non-existent. We also consulted several books, two of which deserve special mention. The first text is Allen D. Austin's African Muslims in Antebellum America: Transatlantic Stories and Spiritual Struggles. The first sentence of his preface states "This book is a radical condensation of my African Muslims in Antebellum America: A Sourcebook (New York: Garland, 1984), an illustrated collection of the majority of then-available documents accompanied by introductions extensive notes." We recommend reading both books. There are few, if any, books that I've read on the subject that don't mention these books. All of the illustrations used here were taken from this book. The second book is, Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in the Americas by Sylviane A. Diouf. This book is extremely relevant because as Manning Marable states on the back cover "Servants of Allah documents the significance of Islam in the development of black societies in the Americas. The connection between West Africa and the Americas was grounded in a religious and cultural continuity that many scholars have previously ignored. Servants of Allah makes an important contribution to a critically important dimension of black scholarship." It is our hope and prayer that whoever reads this will consult the primary sources - especially the scholars and texts which we mentioned above - and benefit by them. Success is with Allah! Dr. Y. N. Kly reiterates a question posed to El Hajj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X) that is relevant to establish a point. Does anyone know where the enslaved Africans came from in Africa? Yes. The African states as defined today are not the same as they were during the pre-colonial era. There were pre-colonial empires, not nation states. Thus both German and French anthropologists have

determined that the vast majority of Africans sent to the U.S. came from areas that were once included in the Ghana, Mali and Songhay empires of Africa.5 It is well-known by historians that these three empires have been Muslim polities since the 11th century (Christian era). What has not been acknowledged as of yet, by the mainstream, is the fact that African-American Muslims are part of a continuous and unbroken chain of Islam; beginning with Prophet Muhammad's, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, contact with the Africans. The link between the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the African Muslims of the past and the African-American Muslims of today are the Muslim slaves who were kidnapped and brought to this land. We will mention only three biographies to illustrate the point. Abdur Rahmaan was born around 1762 in the famous scholarly city of Timbo. His father Ibrahima Yoro Pate Sori of the Jallo clan, was made king of Teembo (Timbo) in Futa Jallon (present day Guinea) when Abdur Rahmaan was about 5 or 6 years old. It was from that time until his capture that he remained in that region. His father was constantly at war. By 1776 -1778, "Sori managed to consolidate his then victorious armies and power and to create not only the strongest nation of its time in that area but a safe haven for some of the most influential Islamic scholars in West Africa. With a basis in trade and agriculture, including capturing, utilizing, and selling slaves, this political and economic empire was closely related to the Atlantic trade in Africans."6 Abdur Rahmaan was put at the head of an army of more or less recent converts and they were immediately successful. In this particular battle they could not capture the enemys soldiers, however, they retired after inflicting what punishment they could. On the way home the prince and his cavalry troop were captured by the regrouped enemy called by Abdur Rahmaan, the Houbous or Hebos, probably non-Muslims or lukewarm Muslims but not yet identified beyond question. The captives

were taken to the very distant Gambia River, where Abdur Rahmaan was not able to find fellow Muslims to ransom him as was often done.7 They were aware that he was a king or prince by his dress. He was kept there one week. When his father got word of his capture, he raised an army and came after him. When the army came they moved Abdur Rahmaan into the wilderness. After his father Sori came and burnt the country they moved him to the Mandingo country, on the Gambia. He was then sold along with 50 others to a waiting British ship. He rode the Gambia River for a week; suffered the 3,000-mile, 6-week sail across the Atlantic to Dominica in the Caribbean; and then had to undergo another 2,200 miles and 6 more weeks passage across the Caribbean to the Mississippi River. There he remained shipbound for another week before landing in Spanish New Orleans. After a months stay there, he was finally carried 200 miles upriver, and in another thirty days he had arrived at what was to be his home away from home, Natchez, Mississippi. He was purchased by Thomas Foster who named him Prince because of his still proud ways and attempt to tell of his African position through a Mandingo translator. He attempted to escape, at least once, but was unsuccessful. He later married Isabella, an American-born, and darkskinned, Baptist in 1794 or 1795. By 1807, Abdur Rahmaan was relieved of some of his field duties. One day he was selling vegetables his family had grown in Natchez town when he was seen by and reintroduced to the only white man ever to have resided in Timbo before or during his fathers rule there in the early 1780s. John Coates Cox had wandered away from a ship on the coast of Africa, had grown terribly ill, and had eventually ended up in Timbo. After being restored to health and given a guarded escort to the Gambia River by Abdur Rahmaans father, he came to America and eventually immigrated to the Mississippi territory. Cox and Abdur Rahmaan recognized each other. Thereafter, Cox attempted to purchase the freedom of Abdur Rahmaan but his attempts were unsuccessful. However, these attempts did give

some needed publicity to his situation. On February 22, 1826, he was freed by Foster, his master, on the condition that he would be sent out of the country. He was also successful in raising the $200 needed to purchase his wifes freedom.8 What made his task more difficult, even after securing his wifes freedom, was the fact the he now was the father of 5 sons and 4 daughters. And he did not want to leave them in bondage. In his travels to raise the needed money to secure the freedom of his children and grandchildren he met and influenced many people including David Walker, who would soon fire the 1st meaningful shot in the war against American slavery with his bold AppealTo the Colored Citizens of the World. It must be understood that at this stage Abdur Rahmaan enlisted a lot of help in his effort to free himself and his family. He had the help of a local newspaper editor, the Secretary of State Henry Clay (a colonizationist and slaveholder) and the American Colonization Society. It was understood that these people would work for his freedom on the condition that he would go back to Africa and spread Christianity among his people and the rest of the continent. To this end he was asked many times to attest to his Christianity. Thus, he was asked to write the Lords Prayer in Arabic. When the Arabic is actually read one realizes that this is not the Lords Prayer but the 1st chapter of the Quran entitled The Faatihah or The Opening.

Finally, on February 7, 1829, after having raised $3,500 Abdur Rahmaan and Isabella left on the 1st boat available to them, The Harriet, which carried 152 other emigrants including Joseph J. Roberts, the future 1st president of Liberia. After about 37 days he was back in Africa. He died that same year on July 6th. Eight of his descendants arrived in Liberia in December 1830.9 Another slave worth mentioning is Bilali Muhammad, also from Timbo, Futa Jallon and may have been a relative of Prince Abdur Rahmaan. He was captured, enslaved and later sold to a man named Thomas Spalding sometime around 1802. When Spalding purchased him in the Bahamas Bilali brought with him a then unknown number of sons and 7 daughters. There were over 450 slaves and over 80 of them were Muslims on Georgias Sapelo Island. He was in charge of all of the slaves and the Amir of the Muslims on the Island. It is well known that he was a practicing Muslim. He regularly wore a fez and a long coat, he prayed facing the East on his carefully preserved prayer rug, he always observed Muslim fasts and feast-day celebrations and he had at least 2 wives.10

11

During the Anglo-American War of 1812, he told his owner that he would not defect to the British who had promised freedom to the slaves if they joined their ranks and could answer for every Negro of the true faith, but not for the Christian dogs you own. Spalding provided 80 muskets to Bilalis men to defend the Island property while his master was elsewhere. Not a single man defected to the British.11 During the terrible hurricane in September 1824, Bilali saved hundreds of slaves by directing them into a masjid that he built on the same model of the masjids in West Africa, like the Sankore Masjid. Some scholars describe all of those structures as cotton and sugarhouses made of an African material called tabby (sand, lime and oyster shells). However, Shaykh Muhammad Shareef clearly illustrates that one of those houses was a masjid because of the style of the minaret. Bilali Muhammad wrote portions of the Risaalah of Abu Muhammad Abdullah ibn Abi Zayd Al-Qayrawaani. This is a popular legal commentary of the Maliki school of jurisprudence predominant in West Africa from Morocco to the Gulf of Guinea.

11

When he died, he was buried with his prayer rug and Quran. One of Fredrick Douglasss biographers, - William McFeely puts forth the possibility that he may have been a descendant of Bilali Muhammad. His great-great-grandfathers name was Baly, and Douglasss own name at birth was Fredrick Augustus Washington Bailey after his mother, the slave Harriet Bailey. Bailey is a corruption of the name Bilali. There was no slave master named Bailey.12 The implications behind this theory are far reaching the idea that such a monumental figure in American History could be the offspring of Muslims. The last slave that we will mention is Umar ibn Saeed born in Futa Toro, which is presently known as Senegal, in or around the year 1770. Most of what we know of Umar ibn Saeed is obtained from his own writings. Fourteen of Umars Arabic manuscripts have been preserved. One of these manuscripts is an autobiography the only extant autobiography by an American slave in Arabic.

12

He was born to a father who had six sons and five daughters. At five, when his father was killed in a war, he was taken by an uncle to be raised and was educated by an older brother. In his own words he says (translated into English): O Shaykh Hunter, I am unable to write (about) my life. I have forgotten most of my language as well as the language of Arabic. My brothers, do not blame me. All praises are due to Allah with much praises. He provides from blessings to those who increase in good. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All praises are due to Allah the Possessor of good, generosity, bounty, adoration and munificence from before endless time. All praises are due to Allah who created creation for his worship, even the provision of the actions and words. It is from Umar to Shaykh Hunter. You asked me to write down my life. Truly I am unable to write (about) my life. For I have forgotten much of my language as well as the language of Arabic. I have studied only a little grammar as well as a little linguistics. Therefore, O brothers, I ask you by Allah, do not blame me. My eyes are weak as well as my body. My name is Umar ibn Saeed. The place of my birth was Futa Toro (which lay) between the two rivers. I sought knowledge in Bundo and Futa with my Shaykh, whose name was Muhammad Saeed, my brother, Shaykh Sulayman Kabah, and Shaykh Jibril Abdaal. I was

13

entrenched in seeking knowledge for 25 years. I came back to my region and after six years a large army came to our land. They killed many people and seized me bringing me to the great ocean. There they sold me and I was sold into the hands of the Christians. They brought me in the enormous ship on the great ocean. We sailed on the great ocean for a month and a half. We came to a place named Charleston (i.e. Charleston, South Carolina) in the language of the Christians. There I was sold and brought by a diminutive, weak and wicked man named Johnson, a serious disbeliever who had no fear of Allah. I am a small man and unable to do strenuous work, so I fled from the hands of Johnson. Until (when) the month arrived I came to a place called Fayadil (Fayetteville, North Carolina)13 He was then captured, jailed and released to his new master Jim Owen. He stayed with him until his death. He died in 1864 at the age of 94. He was buried on the Owen Hill plantation in the family burial ground. Some people claim that he left Islam and became a Christian. These people make this claim because he wrote the Lords Prayer in Arabic on a few occasions. However, Umar was practicing dissimilation (taqiyya) out of fear for his life under the Christians. This option is legally acceptable for any Muslim who is under the jurisdiction of the disbelievers and can find no way to establish his religion nor can he find a means with which to make the hijrah from under their control. This is the legal ruling for a free Muslim who finds himself in a circumstance where he fears establishing the religion. Umar was not free. Thus, taqiyya was perhaps the only logical option

14

he had. Also, it is through understanding the early education of Umar ibn Saeed that insight can be had into the real reasons behind his citing of the Lords Prayer. As Umar claimed, he studied the Islamic sciences intensely for about 25 years. The system of education that permeated western bilad us-sudan comprised of a deep understanding of the science of the traditions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. This included mastery of the Sihaah (Sound) collections, the Masaaneed (plural of musnad) collections (those collections organized on the basis of the last transmitter before the Prophet) and the Sunan collections. In the Sunan of Abu Dawuud, there is a hadith in the chapter of Tibb or Prophetic Medicine that goes as follows:

It is related on the authority of Abu Dardaa, who said I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, When one of you is suffering or when his brother is suffering, he should say, Our Lord is Allah, Who is in the heaven. Holy be Your Name. Your command reigns supreme in the heaven and the earth. As Your mercy is in

15

heaven, make Your mercy in the earth. Forgive us of our sins and errors. You are the Lord of the righteous. Send down mercy from Your mercy and a remedy from Your remedies upon this pain so that it is healed up. Further, a part of the fundamentals of education in the bilad ussudan was a basic understanding of the traditional Islamic medicine called Tibb An-Nabiyy (The Medicine of the Prophet). This entailed the student mastering the basic remedies transmitted by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The bottom line is that the above tradition related by the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to his community as a cure is an virtually an exact rendering of the Lords Prayer. This means that given Umar ibn Saeeds level of education, he had to be familiar with the tradition which would entail him not seeing any harm in citing the Lords Prayer since it too was related by Prophet Muhammad as a chanted formula for its curative qualities. This means that Umars citing of the Lords Prayer as a sign of conversion is definitely inconclusive.14 Another of his very important Arabic manuscripts written around 1857 is the Lords Prayer given to the daughter of a prominent minister by James Owen in 1857. This Lords Prayer is actually the 110th chapter of the Quran Surah Nasr.

16

When it is transliterated it reads as follows: Idha Jaaa a nasru minallahi wal fath qareeb wa bashirul mumineen wa ra aytan-naasa yadkhuluuna fee deenillahi afwaaja fasabbih bihamdi rabbika wastaghfirhu innahu kaana tawwaaba Meaning:

17

When the help from Allah and the close victory comes, give glad tidings to the believers. And you see that the people enter Allahs religion in crowds. Glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask for his forgiveness. Verily, He is the One who accepts the repentance and forgives. He makes a mistake and places a portion of a verse from Chapter 61, verse 13 of the Quran. His mistake is even important, because the Muslim knows that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

: (( : ))
It was related by Abdullah who said the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, Why does anyone say I have forgotten such and such verses (of the Quran)? He in fact, is caused (by Allah) to forget.15 In other words, it is not you who forgot, Allah has made you forget the verse. Therefore, this mistake is an insight into the psyche of Umar. The chapter is supposed to read as follows: Idha Jaaa a nasrullahi wal fath wa ra aytan-naasa yadkhuluuna fee deenillahi afwaaja fasabbih bihamdi rabbika wastaghfirhu innahu kaana tawwaaba Meaning:

18

When the help and victory of Allah comes. And you see that the people enter Allahs religion in crowds. Glorify the Praises of your Lord, and ask for his forgiveness. Verily, He is the One who accepts the repentance and forgives. The addition from Chapter 61, verse 13 of the Quran was revealed when the Muslims were in trouble during war and feared that the help of Allah was not near. This mistake as well as his comment in his autobiography I have forgotten most of my language as well as the language of Arabic. has to be understood in light of the fact that in North and South Carolina laws were passed in 1822 which declared it illegal for slaves to read or write. The penalty for doing so was capital punishment death.16 'Umar died in 1864 one year before the slaves were freed He is the only slave, that we know of, who wrote his own biography while still in captivity. It must be remembered that there are many other slaves whose history has been documented, like Job Ben Solomon, Salih Bilali, Lamine Kebe, Muhammad Ali Ben Said, Yarrow Mahmout, Muhammad Baquaqua, and countless others. These are our Muslim-African ancestors whose inspirational stories have been kept out of the collective memory of succeeding Muslim generations, why? These slaves and the traditions from which they were snatched would serve if known as a cure for many of the ills that affect us today. It is as Shaykh Muhammad Shareef said, "This (teaching Islam from African scholarship) is actually curing 2 diseases with 1 cure." It cures the sicknesses that result from being ignorant of Allah's religion. And it provides a cure from what many clinical psychiatrists call "Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome". In other words, all of those social ills that result from a collective form of low self-esteem and a hatred of the self are treated when the student is learning his way of life from his scholarly, Muslim ancestors.

19

In conclusion, the reader should remember the well-known hadith where the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, informed us of the fact that the prayer of the oppressed is mustajaabah automatically accepted by Allah.

It was reported by Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, Three supplications are answered (mustajaabaat) without any doubt therein: [1] The supplications of the parent (al-waalidi), [2] the supplications of the traveler (al-musaafir), and [3] the supplications of the oppressed (almathluum).17 These Muslim slaves were not in a state of heedlessness (ghaflah). They were fully cognizant of the serious nature of their kidnapping and subsequent enslavement/imprisonment. With that being said, their hearts and tongues were not only replete and moist with the remembrance of Allah (dhikrullah) but constant in supplication for their offspring and descendants. Not only did these Muslim slaves pray for their personal freedom; they prayed for the freedom of their offspring and descendants and that one day, they would be able to freely practice the religion that was stripped from them. It seems as though Allah has been answering their prayers! How else can you explain the fact that largest growing religion in the United

21

States and the world - is al-Islam and it is the descendants of these slaves who are swelling the ranks of the Muslims? Let's not disappoint them. And let's not forget to pray for those Muslim slaves who were mentioned and the millions who were not mentioned. It has been related in Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Dardaa', may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said,

(( , , : ((
The supplication of an individual Muslim for his brother who is absent is answered. There sits at his head an angel charged with his needs. Whenever he supplicates for blessings for his brother, the angel charged with his affairs says, Amen-and the like for you. May Allah bless them and us!

1 2

Taqwa is an Arabic word indicating a state of fearful awareness of God or God consciousness. Quran 49:13 3 Tirmidhi vol. #2 Hadith # 2062 4 Ibn Maajah Vol. #3 Hadith # 3949. 5 Y.N. Kly, The Black Book: The True Political Philosophy Of Malcolm X (El Hajj Malik El Shabazz) (Clarity Press, 1986), 33. 6 Allan D. Austin, African Muslims in Antebellum America: Transatlantic Stories and Spiritual Struggles (Routledge, 1997), 69. 7 ibid, 70. 8 ibid, 71-72. 9 ibid, 77. 10 ibid, 85. 11 ibid, 87. 12 ibid, 89. Sylviane A. Diouf, Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in The Americas (New York University Press, 1998), 199.

21

13

Muhammad Shareef, The Autobiography of Umar ibn Said t-Turuudi: As Anthropological Evidence of the Rights for Self-Determination for Enslaved African Muslims (Sankore Institute of IslamicAfrican Studies) 14 ibid 15 Bukhari Vol. # 6, Hadith #559 16 Muhammad Shareef, The Autobiography of Umar ibn Said t-Turuudi: As Anthropological Evidence of the Rights for Self-Determination for Enslaved African Muslims (Sankore Institute of IslamicAfrican Studies). 17 This hadith was collected by Abu Dawuud, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah.

23

10 Point Madinah Program

Nur uz-Zamaan Institute is committed to implementing the following points. In essence it is our intention to establish Islam. We realize that to say it is our goal to establish Islam is very broad and vague to many of us. Thus, the goal and mission is alluded to in the title Madinah. We intend to establish a Madinah, a city, built upon the methodology of Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. We also hope to work together with other communities who have the same goals. This is in obedience to Allahs words Help ye one another in righteousness and piety (Surah 5:2). The ten points mentioned in this program are well-known to be part of Islam, for the most part. However, these points or aspects of these points have been neglected, forgotten or corrupted. This program must be seen as a Tajdeed or a revival. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, The Mercy of Allah is with my Khalifahs (successors). It was said, Who are your Khalifahs (successors)? He said, Those who bring my Sunnah to life and teach it to the people. Whoever brings my Sunnah back to life, has given life to me. Whoever gives life to me, will be with me in paradise. Thus we hope by embarking upon this path that we are granted companionship with Allahs beloved may Allah bless him and grant him peace. [1] Aqeedah (Proper Belief) We intend to revive the obligation of learning and teaching what is proper regarding the belief of the Muslims (ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaaah). We agree that this belief must be consistently taught and internalized; and deviation from it must be strongly refuted. The belief of the Muslims is contained within books like the Usuul ud-deen of Shehu Uthman Dan Fodio, the Aqeedah of Imam at-Tahawi and countless others. [2] Arkaan ul-Khamsa (Five Pillars of Islam) (a)

24

We intend to revive the obligation of establishing the outward actions of Islam, first and foremost, the five (5) Pillars of Islam like the establishment of Salah (prayer) this means that we establish a place of worship (Jami masjid, masjid, zawiya, ribat, etc) and uphold the 5 congregational prayers in them. The emphasis on establishing a place of worship may not be immediately relevant for some who have already established this; but for most of us who have dedicated their lives to establishing what is outlined in these ten points, we have no masjid or place of worship where these principles are a priority. Therefore, it is imperative that masajid be established where these points be given their proper importance. (b) We intend to revive, with Allahs permission, the establishment of the 3rd Pillar of Islam which is Zakat. Our beloved Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has taught us that "Islam is built on five (pillars): Testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad peace be upon him is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the prayers, paying the Zakat, making the pilgrimage to Mecca, and fasting in Ramadan." These are known as the Pillars of al-Islam. These pillars are the support and foundation of our way of life. If any one of these pillars/supports is weakened the entire structure is in danger of collapse. Zakat has now become known as the forgotten Pillar of Islam. The establishment of Zakat will ensure that the wealth of the Jamaaah (community) circulates among all of its members. Those who have the nisaab which is the minimum amount of wealth requiring its owner to pay Zakat are dutybound to give a small percentage of their excess wealth to the leadership or his designee so that it is redistributed to the poor. Zakat, in and of itself, will take the burden off of those organizations which provide services to the poor and disenfranchised segments of our community like the homeless. We agree that Zakat and its integrals must be revived! (c) We intend to revive the Sunnah of the fast of Ramadan; which must be learned, practiced and revived. Many of the Muslims do

25

fast during this blessed month, however, because of the introduction of many modern, blameworthy innovations, the fast has become deficient. The major innovation which has infected many of our communities is the acceptance and reliance upon astronomical calculations along with the blind acceptance of the pronouncements of the ruling monarchy which is currently occupying the Arabian Peninsula (the Saudi Family). Thus we agree that it is imperative that we return to the Prophetic methodology of having a group from each Jamaaah in every locale go out every month and sight the moon; thereby developing their own local lunar calendar. It is this local sighting/calendar that the fast of Ramadan will begin and end. This will also apply to Eid ul-Adha as well as Eid ul-Fitr and the remaining months of the Lunar calendar. We agree that this must be learned and implemented. [3] Taalib ul-Ilm (Seeking Knowledge) We intend to revive traditional methods of seeking knowledge. We agree that knowledge is gained continuously and knowledge sought is to be implemented immediately. The Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim. Every point that we have mentioned thus far, and every point that we will mention, by the permission of Allah, is an action which must be preceded by knowledge. Every action that is obligatory upon us to perform is likewise accompanied by the knowledge of how to properly perform that act. For example, we know that it is mandatory for the Muslim to pray and naturally it is also obligatory upon him or her to learn how to pray. Shehu Uthman ibn Fudi, may Allah envelop him in His mercy said, The obligations which are incumbent upon you from the science of tawheed is to know as much as is necessary to help you understand the foundations of the deen (usuul ud-deen). The obligations which are required for you to perform are thus incumbent upon you to know. This is in order that you may accomplish them properly. These obligations include purification (tahaara), fasting (sawm), and prayer (salaat). As

26

for as pilgrimage (hajj), (zakaat), and struggle (jihaad) are concerned - these sciences are only incumbent upon you to know at the time they become obligatory for you to perform. Again, this is in order to accomplish them properly. However, when they are not obligatory upon you to perform, then knowing them is also not obligatory The knowledge which is obligatory upon you to know from the science of secrets are those knowledge's which are obligatory (wajib) upon the heart and those which are forbidden (nuhiya) for it - in order to acquire esteem for Allah, sincerity, sound intention, and the soundness of action. Along with what was mentioned we must also revive the understanding of what a scholar is. Shehu Uthman also said: Whoever has learned a single issue (masalah waahidah) is one of the learned ones in it (ahl l-ilm biha). Thus it is obligatory upon him to teach it to others, if it is one of the individually obligatory duties. Otherwise, he will have a share in the sin. With this in mind we will revive the Prophetic Sunnah of disseminating beneficial knowledge as we acquire it; Contrary to the Christian/Jewish method of creating an elite group of scholars who monopolize the divine knowledge. Because we are living in an era where the majority of us believe we must imitate the dominant culture in order to be successful, our current group of scholars/leaders are in the process of creating a modern-day Islamic priesthood, which we categorically reject. This is in accordance with the Prophetic command: Relate from me, even if it is a single verse (ayah). Thus it should be clear that everyone has a part to play in this revival. We should all be students and teachers at the same time. [4] Shuurah (Mutual Consultation) We intend to revive the idea of conducting all of our affairs by means of mutual consultation (shuurah). One of the destructive qualities of our people is that once we achieve some type of leadership and/or autonomy we become over opinionated. The Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was receiving revelation from Allah, the Most high, but yet as

27

he said, he had two advisors from the heavens (Angels Jibreel and Meekaal) and two from the earth (Abu Bakr and Umar). Furthermore, Allah says in the Quran, toseek consultation with them in the affair (Surah 3:159). In our efforts to establish Islam we realize that not one person has all of the answers, therefore, we agree to come together in order to benefit from everyone's input. [5] Jamaaah (Community) We intend to revive the obligation of forming and adhering to the Jamaaah (community). It is not permissible for any person or group among the Muslims to remain isolated - by themselves. For verily Allah, the Most High says, Hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided (Surah 3:103). Our people are afflicted with the disease of radical individualism. We are individuals, yes, but just like organs of a human body we only function properly when we come together as a whole. This is also an obligatory Sunnah that has been abandoned. This point and the next one are of critical importance; the reason being is that for the most part they don't exist at the moment. Umar Ibn Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, said there is no Islam without a (jamaaah) community and there is no community without leadership (imaarah) and there is no leadership without obedience (taaah). Therefore, the very existence of our Islam depends upon us coming together under our respective leaders, and the seerah confirms this. [6] Imaarah (Leadership) We agree to choose an amir (leader) from among ourselves. Everybody needs a head. Every tribe needs a chief. Employees need a manager. Likewise, a Jamaaah needs an amir. Allah says in the Quran O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey His Messenger and those charged with authority (amri) from among you (minkum). (Surah 4:59) Any time the Muslims come together for any purpose regardless of how mundane that purpose is, they must appoint a leader from among themselves.

28

Allahs Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, ordered us to appoint a leader from among ourselves, even if we are traveling together on a journey. A close study of the life of the Prophet will illustrate the fact that the Muslims - whether they were away from the Prophet or close to him - always have a leader that was in charge of their affairs. [7] Hijrah (Migration) We agree to revive the Prophetic tradition of migrating for the sake of Allah. Allah says Surely those whom the angels cause to die, while they are wronging themselves, [to them] the angels will say, In what circumstances were you? They will say, We were weak upon the earth.[The angels will] say, "But was not Allahs earth wide, so that you might have emigrated in it? As for such, their refuge shall be hell (Surah 4: 97). There are many levels of immigration. There is the level of emigrating from what Allah has made prohibited; this is based upon the statement of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, The immigrant is he who migrates from what Allah has prohibited. The companions of the Messenger of Allah migrated to Ethiopia to preserve their Islam. They also migrated to Medina to establish Islam. This understanding of migration has to be taught and revived in the lives and hearts of the believers. On one level we must make immigration from all methodologies and foreign influences which do not have the best interests of that African-American Muslim at heart. We will no longer champion the causes of other Muslims to the detriment of our causes and interests. We categorically reject any methodology which has embedded within it a disdain for Africans in general and African Americans in particular. We do not apologize for this. We understand that many will call us nationalists but we do not care. We know from what the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has taught us that this is not nationalism in fact it is Islam in practice - in its purest form. We also realize that we must migrate on a physical level. We have to establish places of worship as we described above and then we have to move near

29

those places of worship and establish our communities upon that foundation. Moving near our place of worship means that we must own the property in which we live. We know from our experience of establishing Islam in this country that when the Muslims open a masjid and clean up the area the non-Muslims buy up the property, the value of all of the property in the area increases and the Muslims who are responsible for the reinvigorated neighborhood can no longer afford to live there. With that we understand that this migration takes planning. Each community has to analyze the earning potential of its members and then pinpoint an area in which its members can afford to purchase property. We must be able to visualize this! In the same way that every major city in the United States has areas like Chinatown and Little Italy, we have to have a Muslimtown or a Madinah which supports the culture and tradition of Islam in all of its personal and communal aspects. This Muslimtown can be one square block or it can be a whole neighborhood or city. There is no minimum requirement as far as its size. The Madinah of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace was very small by todays standards. [8] Tasawwuf (Spiritual Exercise/Character Reformation) We agree to revive the science of tasawwuf, which is a part of Islam and not an addition to it. This is based upon the wellknown hadith of the Prophet when he was questioned by angel Gabriel. One of the things that the Angel asked him was Whats Ihsan? This was explained by all of our scholars like Shehu Uthman Dan Fodio: I say, and success is with Allah, and may you and I be among the successful; realize that the deen which Muhammad may Allah bless him and grant him peace came with has its foundations (usuul) and its branches (furu`u). As for its foundations, it is al-imaan and the science that verifies al-imaan is the foundation of the deen (usuul ldeen). As for its branches, it is divided into two: an outward branch and an inward branch. As for its outward branch, it is alislaam and the science that verifies al-islaam is the science of the law (`ilm 'l-shari`ah). As for the inward branch, it is al-

31

ihsaan and the science that verifies al-ihsaan is the science of the reality (`ilm 'l-haqiqah). There have been many noble attempts by communities who have preceded us to establish Islam among our people; however many of them lacked a viable spiritual component and some others were only concern with spirituality. It is as Imam Malik said, "Whoever practices spiritual purification (tasawwufa) but does not seek understanding of the deen (tafaqqahu) has become a heretic (tazandaqa). Whoever seeks understanding of the deen (tafaqqahu) but does not practice spiritual purification (tasawwufa) has become corrupt (tafasaqa). Whoever gathers the two has attained spiritual realization (tahaqqaqu)." To leave off spirituality is to leave off a part of Islam. Just like everything else in this beautiful way of life, there are methods which have been laid down to help us bring about this internal change. [9] As-Suq (Market Place) We intend to revive and reestablish our own marketplace. When Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, established the city Medina which is the model city - after building the masjid, the next thing he did was establish a marketplace in the middle of Medina. At that time there were other marketplaces on the outskirts of Medina which for the most part were being controlled by the future enemies of Islam and Muslims. Therefore, the Muslims must become entrepreneurial in their thinking, moving out of the employee state of mind and migrating into the employer of state of mind. In other words we have to create jobs, trades and other ways of employing our own. In order for Allah to bless our efforts, our trading practices must be sanctioned by Islamic law; which means that we have to move away from riba and all of the other deceptive trading practices. This also means that we must gradually move away from the use of paper money. We must begin bartering and trading using instruments which have intrinsic value like gold and silver, i.e. the dinar and the dirham.

31

[10] Hifz ul-Nasab wa l-ahl (Preservation of Lineage and Family) We intend to revive the importance of the family and its preservation. We agree that we must protect our family. This is not a boys club. Our families, meaning women and children, must also be involved in everything that we've mentioned thus far. If this is not the case then our efforts will die out as soon as we die. This also indicates that we must marry those who uphold the same principles that we do. This means that our families must intermarry. We must take our environment into consideration and realize that our people are inundated with sexual stimulation from every angle. With this in mind we must equip our children to marry each other even at a young age in order to prevent the destruction of our lineage by means of fornication and adultery. The unveiling of these ten points: (1)Aqeedah (Proper Belief),(2) Arkaan ul-Khamsa (Five Pillars of Islam), (3)Taalib ul ilm (Seeking Knowledge), (4)Shuurah (Mutual Consultation),(5) Jamaaah (Community), (6) Imaarah (Leadership),(7) Hijrah (Migration), (8) Tasawwuf (Spiritual Exercise/Character Reformation), (9) As Suq (Marketplace), (10) Hifz ul-Nasab wa l-ahl (Preservation of Lineage or Family) are important steps to achieve success in practicing what our beloved Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought to us by the mercy of Allah the Most High. Through this venture, Inshaa Allah, sweet, nutritious fruit of righteous progeny will be produced, adding the color of hope to this bleak canvas called the dunya. Our future generation of Muslims would continually keep these ten points embedded in their hearts and implemented on their limbs. While all the time, keeping the nur (light) of Islam ever shining, leading the way down the sirat ul-mustaqeem (the straight path) Inshaa Allah. We welcome all those with like minds to get on board to make these ten points not a slogan, but a reality. Our desire to establish Madinah on the model of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, has motivated us to revive these points. We have enumerated ten (10) of them, which is

32

consistent with the number of years that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, developed the first community - the 1st Madinah. And Success is with Allah.

Contact Us Nur uz-Zamaan Institute PO BOX 32370 Philadelphia, PA 19146 For the latest updates: www.lightoftheage.com Email us: communityupdates@nuruzzamaaninstitute.org Facebook Page: Nuruzzamaan Nur uz Zamaan Radio: Your online source for Islamic Programming Call in to listen, ask a question or make a comment 949-272-9559 Or listen on your PC www.blogtalkradio.com/nur-uz-zamaan-radio or www.lightoftheage.com Nur uz-Zamaan Institutes Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/nuruzzamaan