My Father's Book

Today I found my Father's Book. I picked it up in the process of cleaning, an old book that has held little if any significance in my library. I moved it from shelf-to-shelf, room-to-room never opening or even paying much attention to the cover. I thought it was just an old book I'd found at an old sale or picked up from someone's throw away.

Today I picked it up and read the cover, "Arabic Grammar" by G.W. Thatcher. I thought 'oh nice', I have an old arabic grammar book. This point alone raised it's value as I a Muslim, who strongly believes that Islam has to go through an indigenation process in America in order for us to ingenuously cipher and internalize God's message. This evolution and development is critical so that native people control the interpretation, application and destiny of faith and not assimilate the 'deliverers' of the message. The learning of the translation and interpretation of arabic has been high on my list as I learned to read and recite the Quran in arabic as a youth.

As I perused the book, I caught interest in it's layout and familiar grammatical lessons and thought I will have to add it to my 'reading' shelf and commit to a daily read. Before I shelved it, I turned to the beginning to check the publish date, since it looked like a classic. I turn the front cover and I see the name, "Amin Hafiz Nasiruddin". For a split second I thought my mother had written my name in the book, then, in an epiphany, I realized, this was my father's book.

My father, whose name I carry but have never known. I have one picture with him that has always been in my life except with his face bended back to only reveal my Ummi and I. My father accepted Islam in the 60s, my mother described him as a very intelligent man but from a familiar struggle of Black male survival. A background that would catch up with him removing him out of my life. In my conscious, I don't remember anything about him as he was taken from me when I was 3 or 4. My mother, told me he loved me so, like I was the hope that, at least to that point in his life, he was yet to know. I affectionately relate to that emotion as I have 3 children and there existence gives me that same hope.

The only other story I know of him is pieced by a couple of his contemporaries who are now deceased. They all agree that he was a 'supreme' brotha who was loyal and honest, committed to his family and faith, ever-working to improve the condition of his community. They tell me of how he would arrive at Juma (Friday prayer service) and I would religiously be awaiting by the door to greet him at the 'Wabash Mosque'. After his imprisonment, I would continue to wait at the door but never to see him enter that door or any ever again.

I don't know what my life would have been with him. I don't have any regrets in my present life as the Most High chose a different journey. But my one regret maybe not knowing or even able to recognize his voice or image. His absence in my life ignited a focus in me to be in my children's lives. To make decisions as a young adult, young husband and young father to put the odds in my favor to be relevant in their lives and available. His absence gave me presence in my journey. I was blessed with another father who taught me to be a man and to him I give gratitude and honor.

My father may no longer be in this world. To date, I've haven't reached out to discover the part of me from which I derive. I honestly don't know if he is still in his earthly condition but today he came alive again in my heart as I read his name in the book I found. Today, I found my father's book. I offer a prayer for him where ever he may be. I give thanks for him and beg forgiveness for my absence and forgiveness for his. Today, I'll try to reach deep into my subconscious to find him and maybe tomorrow, I'll reach into the world to find my father. But right now, I'm gonna hold on to my father's book.

Is Allah Sexist?

The other night I was talking with family about equality of women in the religious sphere. The conversation started with a reference to Eric Michael Dyson's 'Making Malcolm' book where he accuses both Malcolm and Martin as being sexist. The indictment in the book caught me off guard because it is something I've never considered in my reading or critique of either.

Our family friend, who is a 'womanist' and intellectual, began to provide support for Dyson's position. As she referenced the place of women in the religious tradition, I began to see the legitimacy of such an accusatory statement. She continued and posed the question, could a woman be an Imam in Islam?

Before I could answer, my daughter quickly retorted a common but flawed Muslim response, that a woman could not perform all the duties of an Imam because of her menstrual cycle. In the midst of her answer and the anticipation of my sister's refutation of such a medieval notion, I had a semester of thoughts. I quickly scanned every familiar verse and hadith on the subject. The reform efforts of women leading mixed congregations in prayer (salat). The position of women in Quran and it's mostly patriarchist interpretations. The oppression and inequities enforced on women in Muslim countries and the undiscerning sexism in my own Mosque and Muslim community.

Then I thought of the response of my daughter whom my wife and I have always taught she could achieve anything, that ceilings were meant to be shattered, yet, she defended a limitation that we've never submitted or even conceded as an improbability. I knew where it had come from but didn't realize the power of influence from which it came.

Sexism, is discrimination based on gender, prejudice + power. The struggle of women throughout history dates back to Eve from bearing the blame of 'temptation', through the early women movements and continuing through the 21st century as women continue to be subjugated to socioeconomic inequities.

Inside the hallowed walls of faith, particularly, those of the Abrahamic traditions, patriarchy remains dominate. Those who choose to see 'man' prioritized in scripture continue to render women as secondary patrons. In most cases, partriarchy is so entrenched that male members rarely recognize any inequality. The subtlety of religious-sexism has become engrained in the mosque/church culture, denomination/sect and even the hermaneutics of the texts.

The Islamic tradition is particularly challenged with sexism and some would argue having the larger 'elephant in the room'. Of the three Abrahamic faiths, Islam is theologically the more liberating. In the Muslim text woman is set as equal to man, given rights over her husband, property and inheritance. The equal rights of women are well documented in the fiqh of Quran and hadith (traditions of Muhammad).

However, pre-Islamic traditions and cultural influence blur the equity of the Quran in the treatment of women. This most unfortunate behavior is played out too often in Muslim countries with unfair, unequal laws against women from illegal driving to not being allowed in public after dark to not being deserving of education. Men, dictating and interpreting how women should live and function in society has created a blasphemous list of injustices against women that are too frequently mis-charged to God. Much of this discriminatory behavior has crossed the seas with those of 'authority' providing their interpretations.

The blame of sexism in American Mosques isn't solely an immigrant product. Sexism has been a long-time partner in American and African-American culture. We've seen it played out in advertising, music, hiring, salaries, purchases, jobs, etc, etc. Although we rarely acknowledge the possibility, we all bring our own 'bags' of 'isms' to our places of worship and in too many venues, the bags of sexism are still being carried where they were banned long ago.

We can continue this thought with more specifics and offer examples and solutions but this writing isn't about what dress is oppressive or should walls stand between men and women. Those are products of the issue of sexism and it's ignoring in Islamic spaces. We as Muslims must do a better job at giving attention to the subtle practices of sexism within our walls. We are very adept at responding to criticism of unfair treatment of women by stating Quran and Hadith but it's in the application where we become decrepit.

I purposely haven't given any anectdotes, I'll leave that to the reader, the believer, the Saint, the Minister and the Imam. Or maybe I'll write in more detail at a later time but for now, it's about changing the culture within the walls of faith and the focus on the response of my daughter.

My daughter who served as Commander of the largest JROTC command in St. Louis. She successfully led and trained young men and women in discipline and order. From Senior Class President to being the protective 'big sister', she embodies the dignity and courage of her fore-mothers. Yet, in the space where women are to be anointed, my daughter inhaled faith and with it, it's latent patriarchy. For her and all of the daughters, we must change.

Obama's Wright Mind

This past week's events have re-patrioted a nation while putting the world on caution. The killing of Usama Binladen last Sunday was vital news to most Americans. Much like 9/11, Americans will remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news...'Usama Binladen is dead'.

I was watching Celebrity Apprentice, enjoying the cackling between NeNe and Starr (you have to watch the show to understand). The "Breaking News" abruptly interrupted the show right at the best part. Maybe intentionally done by the Prez to poke back at Donald Trump for the birther nonsense over the past month. Nonetheless, the President addressed the American people saying Osama bin Laden had been killed.

As I watched the TV, I was neither happy or sad, grateful or remorseful. The news came and I thought...Ok...now what. There hasn't been much in the way of major news on Binladen since 2004...Bush's election year. Although, we could deep dive and argue the relativeness of Binladen and the origins of his terrorist theology but for this blog we can agree that his persona has been the galvanizing focus legitimizing a war against terror for the common American.

In the now what of a 'Binladen-less' world, we saw scenes of people cheering at the White House, Ground Zero, interviews and blogs expressing happiness that Binladen was dead. In the midst of the country's joy, I couldn't help feeling justice may have been replaced with vanity. Americans, in all of our bravado, all of our 'winning', our 'John Wayne-ness', were happy that the good guys won but I couldn't help but wonder what was going through the mind of our President.

In the wake of 5/1, I began wrestling with the realization that our President may not be who we thought he was. Historically, African-American leadership has maintained a priority of social justice and equity. Our leaders have always had a moral prophetic tongue, willing to speak out against injustice to the most powerful of the land. But what happens when the most powerful of the land is one of us?

During the 2008 campaign, we learned that President Obama was nurtured and mentored by Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Then Senator Obama, came under fire for his 20-year relationship with Rev. Wright as Wright was mis-characterized as a hate-filled, separatist Black preacher. But Black folk are familiar with the theology of Rev. Wright, a theology founded in Black Liberation, an exegesis of social justice from the doctrine of Christ applied to the struggle of oppressed peoples.

For many of us, Rev. Wright legitimized Sen. Obama, giving him clout as a subscriber to a long history of social justice warriors. Rev. Wright was a mentor to him, like Elijah to Malcolm and an inspiration like Thurman to Martin. President Obama spent formative years engaged in the study and application of Wright's theological narrative of Black struggle. He was a student and well grounded in what King called the triplets preventing social change, "racism, materialism and militarism". Bearing the most profound legacy of social justice then any President, accompanied with a familiar ‘face’ and language, preaching a rhetoric of hope and change, prompted the Norwegian Nobel Committee to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. Today that awarding seems premature as our nation is more occupied with Bush's "Axis of Evil".

So, what now… We have to give up the notion that President Obama has come in the spirit of King. He's not a Civil Rights leader or a social activist, he is a politician. A politician filled with empathy and compassion but a politician nonetheless. Being a politician requires conciliatory responses to what you may normally oppose done for the sake of progress. Binladen was a concession to the Presidency. It was a political goal, whether we like it or not that had to be achieved if presented the opportunity.

This wasn’t his first Presidential concession and won't be the last. We’ve witnessed others like Libya and the continued push of militarism in Africa and the middle East. There are national efforts that were in place long before President Obama. Maybe we shouldn’t hold him to the fire for those and look deeper into their origins and purpose.

A President of Change is a momentous task. President Obama maybe our best prepared leader for change. Yes, I cringe every time he refers to Abraham Lincoln as a great influence but I believe he can be a ‘King’ sitting in the oval office… but only if he maintains his ‘Wright’ mind.