Islam and Race

[pierre-augustin_habrih]

At the end of the nineteenth century, there was an increase in English men converting to Islam (Gilham, 96). Many of those men were middle aged Christians (Gilham, 98). Most converts were working-class people (Gilham, 101). Not many women were converting to Islam, as they had less access to the social networks that led to discussion about Islam and conversion (Gilham, 99). Converting to Islam was difficult depending on individual circumstances. However, for many reasons, English Christians were still converting to Islam. One might think this is due to coercion. However, it was a personal choice. One of the reasons for which people were converting to Islam was the brotherhood that was present between Muslim men (Gilham, 102). Furthermore, they didn’t understand certain Christian concepts, such as the Trinity. ‘‘How could God be one and three at the same time?’’ Some of them considered that this felt like a Pagan belief (Gilham, 105). Furthermore, the Quran and Sunnah gave them rule and order, all while offering them a rational and simple social code. It also allowed them to distance themselves from poisons like drinking, gambling and usury (Gilham, 106). I personally relate to this, as my mother is Orthodox Christian. When I was a child, she would sometimes take me to church or send me to a Bible study camp during the summer. I was never able to understand Christianity. For me, it was impossible to believe that God was one entity, all while being three different persons. It was also impossible for me to believe that God was a man, with a date of birth and a death. Interestingly, my brother, my sister and I all ended up choosing Islam, without it being forced onto us. We all choose Islam instead of Christianity for similar reasons.
Markers of Islam, such as the hijab, certain clothes, or beards can lead White Muslims to lose their whiteness. Their whiteness becomes compromised or complicated because they are Muslim, which makes them seem foreign (Husain, 593). In fact, being Muslim and expressing it through your appearance can make people think that you are Middle Eastern (Husain, 597). This also applies to Black Muslims, who are perceived as being ‘‘more Muslim than Black’’. Having a beard or wearing a kufi can make a Black man lose his blackness. However, they still grow their beards and wear certain clothes because they want to be recognized as Muslims (Husain, 595). This text shows that being Muslim can make you feel alienated from your own culture. However, people don’t abandon Islam because their faith is more important than their culture. Furthermore, the bond a Muslim has with another Muslim is stronger than cultural bonds.
In his song, Brother Ali mentions slavery, genocides, and war. He also mentions that Americans kill Brown people daily. He also claims that people are still slaves, although they are no loner in chains. This is similar to Malcolm X, who claimed that Black people were prisoners of their own minds due to the White man’s poisons. Brother Ali then states that America is a country in which ‘‘the dollar is sacred, and the power is God’’. Essentially, he is claiming that Americans worship money. He is also claiming that they use Christianity as a way of justifying their crimes against humanity. Finally, he says that America shoots people down if they get to close to the throne. This symbolizes the fact that the government wants to keep people down and oppressed, not empowered or free.