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Islam in Black America

Black people in the US have struggled against racism and oppression in their history. This experience is likely to shape their response to the society they live in. This experience, coupled with a long heritage of Islam for African Americans, has created the perfect environment for Islam to thrive in the Black community. In week 13 we talked about the presence of Islam in the African American community. The piece I created for this blog is the black fist, which is known as the sign for black power. This symbol has been a way to awaken the black cautiousness against the oppression people are facing. The black fist is next to the flag of the Nation of Islam: a group of black Muslims united in their fight for black equality. The nation of Islam is arguably the most prominent way Islam has flourished in the black community, especially with the group’s involvement in the Civil Rights movement. it is essential to consider why Islam found a place among African Americans. An excellent way to explore this relationship is Islam’s connection to hip hop, which has an unarguably black heritage. Rapper Mors def said in an interview, “Implicit in the Shahada is a commitment to a life governed and mediated by the precepts of Islam, where Muslims are taught to fear no man, but to fear Allah alone” (Abdel- Alim,pp 1). This belief shapes Mor’s def experience as he tries to carve out a space for Black people through Music. Concepts like this in the Quran did not only help Black people in America fight against their oppression. It also motivated them to create a space for themself without fear of any man or institution.

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