Why Muslims Struggled with Ferguson

Watching the local news Saturday, Aug. 9th, reports of a young black male being shot by a police officer was the top story.  At first glance, as a desensitized American, I listened with one ear, smh… another cop, another black male! Later that night, more details began to come and video of police with AR-military grade  weapons, armored riot gear and dogs directed at a group of angry neighbors, friends and family of Michael Brown in Canfield apartments.  At the moment, none of us could have imagined that this would be a ‘tipping point’ and ignite a world response to racial injustice and crimes against human rights.

Ferguson challenged us all. It wasn't just the fact that an unarmed black male was killed by an armed cop.  It wasn't just the voices of outrage from the community. Yes, it was partly the level of police response and military tactics used against citizens it's oathed to serve and protect. But, what challenged us most about Ferguson were the images of the protesters and neophyte activists. They didn't fit the activist profile, didn't have polite speech, didn't look like the protesters we've seen from the early civil rights movement dressed in slacks and dresses, calmly performing acts of civil disobedience. Nooo, these activists resembled the 'young black' we fear. The ones we see on street corners and on news mug shots. The ones who play loud music, cussin and fussin, sagging pants, exposed underwear, dreaded hair, tatted bodies. No, we thought,  these aren't activists, these are thugs who are causing a raucous. So we couldn't side with them...hell, they looted stores and burned down the Quiktrip!

Just as the demonization and criminalization of our black young blinded us from looking beyond their presentation, the militarization of police and their sheer brute disregard for black life brought the media and world to Ferguson and forced us to pay attention.

As a Black Muslim father of three, two boys, part of my daily consciousness is knowing Black young life is under attack and on a multitude of levels. These conditions existed long before they were born and are as complex as they are dynamic but their awakening can't be timed or predicted it just happens. The 'enough-is-enough' moment rang in the hearts of young black 'tweeners' in Ferguson, much as it did when the thirty-something year old MLK and Malcolm X led and inspired 'tweeners' of their day to stand against oppression and affected change across the globe.

But back to the question, why did Muslims struggle with Ferguson? There's no shortage of commentaries on Gaza or ISIS, Islamophobia or religious oppression from Muslim writers and activists. Muslims have voices and representation available thru every medium from mihrabs to Fox news so why nearly a 'blackout' concerning Ferguson. I could answer this quickly in Kanye speak by saying, 'Muslims don't care about black people', but let's be fair. Islam and Black folk have been together since the beginning of America, even before Columbus. Islam has been to black spirituality to what bebop was to big band, hip hop to rock 'n roll, it allowed us freedom of spiritual expression.  Islam is the 'other'  black religion in America and historically has played a significant role in the liberation of her black people.

it is the African-American Muslim who paved the way for mass Muslim immigration. It was the civil rights struggle that made it acceptable for other 'brown' people in this country, even when they checked 'white' on their census. African-American Muslims were products of the racial conditions in America and were advocates of justice during the early struggle. During the '50s and '60s, Sunni Muslims spoke softly while groups like the Nation of Islam confronted the American dilemma. When Muslim immigrants came in mass to America in the 70s and 80s, being classified as white, many learned quickly it was better to assimilate then side with the 'other'. Not to make 'mischief' but rather accommodate.  

This wasn't a uniquely American phenomenon as Farid Esack, recalls in his book,  'Quran, Liberation and Pluralism', when South African Muslims existed comfortably during apartheid and struggled with the notion of taking a stance against white privilege and oppression. Like Ferguson, no mosques were being destroyed and prayers were not being prevented so...no obligation to act or speak. I could lash out and just say Muslims struggled with Ferguson because of racial subversion, accommodation of the majority or just plain fear but I'll leave with this...

We, Muslims, struggled with Ferguson because of the same reasons the majority of Americans struggled.  We struggled to see how an unarmed, poor, black teen could be innocent because a white cop must've had good reason to shoot him. We struggled to look beyond our perceived 'vulgarity' of black 'tweeners', our recessive discriminations and the 'want' to be 'acceptable'. We struggled  to witness Michael Brown as a creation of Allah, created for purpose, created for our benefit.  We failed to be Muslim in this moment. We were cautious, afraid to be aligned against the majority, particularly, after all the work we've done since 911 to attempt to recapture our 'safe', census status. So we paused, cautiously using language like 'mediate' and 'bridge'. We struggled because of politics, how can we sit on the 'Hill' and protest it's governance. We struggled because we're more interested in protecting 'in God we trust' then protecting what and who we as Muslims have been entrusted with...the poor, the orphan, the sufferer. Muslims struggled with Ferguson because we've lost our core and are more interested in accommodating the majority then speaking for the disinherited of American Society.

I can't say what the prophet would have done in Ferguson because I don't know, I only know what he did in Mecca. I know he wasn't afraid to speak truth to the majority when it wasn't popular, he spoke against systems of oppression and he wasn't afraid to be aligned with disenfranchised 'tweeners' who were suffering in pain, agony and despair. In the Quran, Allah (swt) tells us to be more like the Prophet...that includes at times when it's inconvenient and unpopular....times like Ferguson.