Taking back identity. But at what cost?
-
After reading the three texts, I see a complex picture of Black Americans’ engagement with Islam as both a form of identity unity and as well as a means of resistance against systemic oppression under the “white man”. The texts talk about how Islam, in different ways, was interpreted by Black American leaders and communities in need of liberation, unity, and a break from assimilation with American culture.
As talked about by Curtis, Noble Drew Ali’s Moorish Science movement, assumed Islamic symbols and language unconventionally, combining them with influences from Freemasonry and Theosophy instead of traditional Islamic teachings. Moorish Science took on elements of Islam, such as the use of “Allah,” to build a distinctly Black nationalist identity that rejected labels such as “Negro” or “Colored” that were given to them why the whites. This adaptation of Islam is a form of cultural appropriation as it deviates far from the true teachings of the Quran. Curtis suggests that it was instead a sort of deliberate reshaping of Islamic symbols to serve the specific needs of African Americans facing racial discrimination and help them adopt an identity given to them by themselves.
Under Elijah Muhammad’s leadership, the Nation of Islam had a separatist approach but eventually pursued more complex racial doctrines. Malcolm X’s conversion to Islam is key in understanding how NOI’s racial teachings provided a convincing counter-attack to white supremacy. The NOI’s ideas, which depicted the “white man” as “the devil” resonated deeply with Malcolm X as he wanted to reject assimilation that would force Black people to fall under white culture. By converting to Islam, Malcolm reclaimed an identity which was separate from what he viewed as the hypocrisy of white American Christianity. His conversion brought him closer to Black empowerment. For Malcolm, Islam was a way to de-assimilate the oppressive systems that dehumanized Black people in America, developing his perspective on race, identity, and justice. I believe the NOI is also guilty of appropriation as they adopt ideas that go against the teachings of Islam. For example, Elijah Muhammed self-appointed himself as a prophet and messenger of Allah which strictly goes againt general belief within the religion.
Turner’s talks about the Ahmadiyya influence on jazz culture, specifically in the 1940s and 1950s, demonstrate how Islam resonated with Black musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, who, much like Malcolm X, were also seeking an identity not given to them from their oppressive American surroundings. Ahmadiyya Islam gave a message of brotherhood, equality, and solidarity with the global Muslim community. Prominent people like Mufti Ghulam Sadiq appealed to African Americans by emphasizing Islam’s message of equality and its service as an opposition to racism. This was a powerful message for Black artists who dealt with discrimination. The appeal of Ahmadiyya Islam to bebop musicians reflected a need for a form of spirituality that recognized their struggles and gave solidarity through global liberation movements.
The influence of international developments, for example, political movements in Asia and the Middle East, also shaped Black Americans’ interactions with Islam. Figures like Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt and the Bandung Conference’s Afro-Asian solidarity movements emphasized the worldwide struggle against colonialism and white dominance. For Black Muslims in America, the developments underlined the message that Islam was not only a faith but also served as a revolutionary stance against oppression and colonialism. This idea of solidarity and taking a strong stance added to Islam's appeal to Black Americans.
In the doctrines of the Nation of Islam, there is a prominent mix of American racial issues and Islamic ideas which created a unique framework for Black empowerment. Unlike the universalist views of Ahmadiyya Islam, the NOI’s focus on racial identity and separatism showed a strategic interpretation of Islam to serve as a tool for Black self-determination and empowerment. This emphasis on racial exclusivity differentiated the NOI from other Muslim groups like the Ahmadiyya.
Dizzy Gillespie’s views on Islam show how many African Americans, including jazz musicians, found a path from Islam to take back their identity outside the confines of American culture. Jazz musicians saw in Islam a way to reject the systemic racism and cultural appropriation they went through.
Ultimately, it’s easy to conclude through these texts that Black Americans, whether through Moorish Science, the Nation of Islam, or Ahmadiyya Islam, interpreted Islam and used the religion as a lens through which they could redefine and take back their identity, resist assimilation, and seek solidarity in a global community.
-
I really enjoyed reading your comprehensive breakdown of this week's topic. The concept of cultural appropriation in this context was much more complex for me to think about than most other cases. I completely understand the motivation to rebuild the Black identity in the US, and imbue it with more positive and empowered history. As a community of people who were stripped of their national identity, it makes sense to me that they would seek a geographical place to form community that feels agential and not forced upon them. However, I agree with you that the adoption and modification of Islamic doctrine to fit this narrative did not work because of how incompatible that practice was with the core values of the religion.