As many of you have seen by now, there was an article posted in the New York Times touting and celebrating the Saudi King Abdullah’s appointment of a “Black Sheikh.” Some Muslims have also been celebrating the idea and saying mashallah. However, there were many statements in the article that gave me pause and definitely raised my eyebrows. Fortunately, I didn’t have to spend the greater part of my evening picking apart the article because my homeboy already wrote about it and I most certainly concur.
Check out Mr. Catchings’ here.
Discuss.
Jamerican Muslimah's Veranda 
I read that dumb article. While I read it, I wondered why are they making such a big deal out of this Shaykh, when Islaamic history is filled with respected African scholars, like Muhammad Amman Al Jamee’ from Ethiopia; or the great Muhaddith from Mauritania, Muhammad Amin Ash Shinqiti, who EVERY top scholar today learned the science of hadith from. Only racists from the people of innovation and desires (like W.D. and the Dan Fodio followers etc.) make a scholars’ race seem important. The followers of the truth are only concerned with if he calls to the Book of Allaah and the Prophetic Sunnah.
You need to re-evaluate the walaa wal baraa concerning your “homeboy”. His response was typical black racist jibberish from someone who hasn’t realized Islaam prohibits nationalism etc; but his “Past Readings” is atrocious!!!
Ali Shariati – was a raafidah shi’a kaffir, and communist idealogue
The FACT that the shi’a are kuffar is as old as the group itself. The Sahabah, Tabi’een, and all the scholars after their time, including the four imams say they are kuffar. Ibn Taymiyyah refuted them and called them kuffar in Minhaju Saadiqeen, and the current scholars refute and warn against them–however the Ummah in its ignorance ain’t trying to here it.
Sayyad Qutb – a sufi deviate writer–not a scholar–who’s wack tafsir of the Qur’an, and other books are the inspiration of the terrorists. The scholars of today say that the writings of sayyed qutb are the biggest trial on the Ummah in the last 100 years.
His list if filled with a host of sufis, who are upon falsehood themselves.
You need to endeavor to study authentic Islaamic knowledge, so you can know who’s who; and who you should take from!!!
Hasan Al Basri, one of the Tabi’een said, “look who you take your Deen from”.
“You need to re-evaluate the walaa wal baraa concerning your “homeboy”. His response was typical black racist jibberish from someone who hasn’t realized Islaam prohibits nationalism etc; but his “Past Readings” is atrocious!!!”
Why are you over here saying that to me? Why don’t you go on his blog and tell him yourself? Or do you prefer arguing with women? 😉
“Hasan Al Basri, one of the Tabi’een said, “look who you take your Deen from”.”
Well, I’m not taking it from you…I only wish you’d see that and leave me alone.
Hahaha! Man be for real! He isn’t the “first black Sheikh” what happen to all the likes of Bilal, and Barakah(Umm Ayman) they weren’t the only Absyinnia in Arabia. Those Arabs aren’t pure Arabs. They have so much African mixed in with them, even if they are light skinned, like most African-Americans. Some African-Americans are so light you can’t tell if they are white or black unless you ask. My point here is. He might be the first dark skinned Imam, from the Imam we know of in this generation. I hardly think he is the first black Sheikh. What is the point exactly? Man, those Arabs better stop playing that village news. Ethiopians played such a big role in early Islam. The shahaba’s were so good then, I hardly think they had time for those Arabs vs Africans game, we are playing today.
This is crap news! What is Muslims so happy for? He is Emirati and technically an Arab. What is this black? he has “black skin” haha! is this something to celebrate these days? the color of a man skin? LOL!
Well, my sister gave birth the other day and her baby skin was all “white” and alhamdullilah, the baby would grow up to be a healthy human and Muslim. I heard a man call Obama “the beige one” now that’s funny. Let’s all celebrate the “beige one” and this is no joke. He called Obama, the “beige one” lol!
“he was taken aback when the phone rang last September and a voice told him that King Abdullah had chosen him as the first black man to lead prayers in Mecca” lol ok this is too funny…he is flattered that he can lead prayers despite the fact that he isn’t fair skinned..ok rather this is quite sad and pitiful. Honestly this comes as no surprise, people in that region, specifically the gulf, mid east and asia( india/pakistan/bangladesh) are obsessed with fair skin, you have men and women bleaching their skin , everyone is hyper sensitive/critical about having a fair bride and fair children..people really have issues and quite frankly this article speaks to that.
As-Salaamu ‘alaikum,
An Arab is one who speaks Arabic. A person is part of an Arab tribe by virtue of his father’s tribe; his mother could be from Africa or Europe or China, but he is still a full member of his father’s tribe. There have always been black Arabs because of slavery and trade traffic with Africa, particularly Ethiopia – it’s as close to Arabia as France is to England, remember. If anything, this appointment is a groundbreaker because of the shaikh’s poor background, not his skin colour.
As I’ve said before, before the days of Najdi monopoly, there would have been many black shaikhs in the Haramain. A lot of major Maliki and Shafi’i shaikhs are from Africa, some of them of Arab descent and some not.
As for Daud, if you do not want to deal with his comments, just delete them. There are certain red lines on my blog – insulting Islam or the Prophet (صل الله عليه و سلم) and personal insults are the most common ones, but Wahhabis who come to lecture me or other posters like this person wouldn’t last long either.
Our noble brother Daud doesn’t want you to take deen from him. He wants you to take from the ulamaa who are there to guide you rather than you following your own whims and desires and posting to the blog of a person that praises the stinking Rafidhaa who curse the Companions who were the best ever in humanity as a group.
The point is that you bring opinions without proofs from the Qur’an and Sunnah. Go and connect yourself with the people of the Sunnah and you will be happier in life. Follow the way of the Salaf for it is safety in it. This is YOUR DEEN that YOU chose. Yet you are trying to change this thing. WHY? Learn what Islaam really is sister. We are only coming to you because we care and want you to be guided to the correct path and to come into the light.
My jaw dropped when I read that article, and I’m in shock with some of the comments that are followed on your blog, which leave me speech-less. How sad that people still refuse to recognize racism, discouraging that awareness is another form of racism and it also reveals their privilege.
I just love it when a Man decides to teach a Woman what her place is in Her DEEN! If I am not mistaken the unspoken instructions (its takes a bit of reasoning for certain people) -you read what the other person said, you form your own opinions and if you feel you need to say something then by all means say it…But do not presume to think that by hammering down a woman your stature as a knowledgeable Man of the Deen will grow or become higher…And to presume that the Sister doesn’t know her Deen; is not worthy of you as a Muslim.
I don’t want to speak for Samah (though at the moment it seems like it- she’s a big girl) but other women might just take exception to your tone Brother…I sure did!
Salaam,
I agree with Yusuf, if you don’t delete them or moderate comments, they won’t go away. The same thing with Tariq Nelson’s blog, the comments section is unfortunately largely unreadable and it’s the same violators. They like trolling and baiting, and it just kills any type of constructive discussion.
(Safia) and blog readers: I’ve struggled with the whether I should censor/delete comments because I want people of different viewpoints and perspectives to exchange ideas. Clearly, Daud and Aboo are not about “exchanging ideas” but are about imposing their viewpoints onto everyone else. If we don’t agree then we are ignorant of the deen etc. None of their words promote dialogue or understanding.
For this reason I must officially ban Daud and Aboo who are not only insulting me but other blog readers…
BTW INAL, game recognize game. Some of these Salafi-style brothers are so eager to “educate”, “guide” and “teach” women like myself who have obviously gone off the path because, not only have they convinced themselves of their righteous standing in Islam, but they also have hidden agendas. After (or if) they can get us to submit to their interpretation of Islam then they’ll be like “Uh…are you married sister? Are you looking to get married?” 😉
LOL Samah- Hislam at it’s wackiest!!! We should shop around for special sunglasses that radiate heat on your nose the moment one of “those” comes within peripheral vision!
As-Salaamu ‘alaikum,
In response to Inal, men are just as entitled as women to give advice to women about any aspect of Islam, as long as he is polite and not arrogant, and doesn’t push opinion as fact (such as advancing the view of the “salafis” or Tablighis as consensus when it’s not). Islam is Islam; there isn’t a male Islam and a female Islam even if some of the rules are different. Intimate matters are the usual exception, unless the brother is an aalim (because if he’s not, he probably won’t know the fiqh in anything like the necessary depth).
Yusuf, I don’t want to speak for Inal but I think she is responding to the paternalistic, sometimes chauvinistic way that some Muslim men behave towards women when it comes to our understanding of Islam. It’s as if we are some fragile creatures who can’t function without some man telling us how we need to live, be and think.
Yusuf, what Samah has conveyed is in fact what I was I was responding to. In America we have an idiom of “Hislam” that denotes Muslim Men who arrogantly, paternalisticaly, and in many cases chauvinistically tell women “where their place is in Islam” and it is usually not to enlighten but to downgrade (because degrade would be a harsh word to use- though I have seen it happen).
And that was the tone I read in the words directed at Samah in particular; and women in general, being one myself.
I make no distinctions among Muslims- Sunni or Shi’a; nor do I curse, nor insult them. The Tone, again was what I took offense to.
As-Salaamu ‘alaikum,
Fair enough, although having seen them on Tariq Nelson’s site, I don’t think those two actually treat women differently from men – they are equally obnoxious to everyone.
I think “denigrate” is the word you mean by “degrade”, btw.
Salaam Yusuf – the word I meant and intended was degrade…none other.