Stressed Blacks finding solace in Islam.

Submitted by Asma Ibrahim (Hong Kong), Dec 26, 2005 at 07:57

Its not much of a wonder that 'stressed' blacks are finding solace in Islam. Firstly because Islam was practiced by many of the foremothers and forefathers of the present black people before they were captured, forced into slavery in the Western world and made to renounce their beliefs. Accepting Islam for them is like coming home to roost so to speak. Secondly, there is no other religion in the world that can give you solace in times of both peace and trouble like Islam can and does.

Most of the time in America, black people are the victims of social injustice, racial prejudice and mass paranoia. A lot of blacks are christians but christianity offers them no solace because the perpetrators of black sufferings are the white christians and jews. So there is a kind of hypocrisy attached to the confessions of white christians when they profess with their mouths to universal love and brotherhood (love thy neighbor and all that) and with their hearts virulent hate and enmity against the black race and anything that is not white. For a lot of blacks there is a kind of bewilderment in the sense that the christian white person likes to offer a way to salvation to a black soul yet hates the black corporeal body which contains that soul. It doesnt make sense, and what doesnt make sense, cannot convince and therefore is not worth following.

There are laws in America against racial prejudice and social injustice, so it is not as easy to get away with hate crimes these days as it was in the past. Thus suppressed racial tensions exist which simmer like broth in a slow cooker. Negrophobia is given vent when events like the Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson or the OJ Simpson cases (or any of the other mentioned cases concerning black people) occur.

There is relentless hostility aimed at the black person who is only human and can take only so much. He/ she needs to have a stronghold and a shield to hold up against such concentrated hate. In times like these, one of the greatest solaces to be had is a family which comforts and believes in you. The family does not necessarily have to be the filial or blood line type. It may be of a like minded individuals with similar experiences who have learnt valuable lessons through their encounters.

It seems that the Nation of Islam is fulfilling this type of function for the 'stressed' black people and that is why they are converting to Islam. Well Alhamdulillahi that the stressed blacks are finding their way into Islam even if it is through the nation of Islam which is not orthodox Islam and is clearly off the right path. However, for the new converts it is like taking a short cut through a thicket on your way towards the clear path and in sha Allah, they will come to that clear correct path towards Allah SWT.

As for the Nation of islam, May Allah redirect the members of it to the recognition of the correct way of the tenets and beliefs of Islam because if for nothing else, at least the sect has been responsible for bringing in converts who will then in sha Allah graduate to the correct path of Allah and Nabiyy Rasullilahi (SAW).

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