Name: Cultural Muslim Icons and Islam in the Lyrics
Uploaded: 2019-03-02T15:52:39.000Z
Channel: Ieasha Prime
Description: As Islam now penetrated as a creed, it continued to thrive in cultural spaces. The iconic statures of Malcolm and Muhammad Ali continued to defy all odds to erase them, and Islam continued to be invoked through hip hop lyrics, dress, and other dimensions of African American culture. Series...

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This topic discusses the presence, history, and experiences of Muslim communities living in Western nations. It addresses contemporary challenges regarding identity and integration while highlighting the positive contributions of Muslims to Western societies.

Islam in the West

African Muslims in America Before Columbus

The Quran in Chains

Early Sunni Movements and Jazz Musicians

Proto Islamic Movements through Self Determination

Cultural Muslim Icons and Islam in the Lyrics

The Miracle and The Mantle

Contributors

Guest Contributor

Ieasha Prime

Two worlds that were and still are so frequently intertwined, are Islam and Black America. Yet often these two are looked at as either mutually exclusive, or limited to one historical period or transformative personality. In this series, Sr. Ieasha Prime gives a brief overview of the many ways in which these worlds interacted, and the many figures we owe that interaction to.

Series

Video

Islamic history provides a rich resource of wisdom from the Prophet's life and the legacy of scholars to help us navigate present challenges. This heritage offers insights to address current issues and misunderstandings.

History

Islam and the Black American

 Those three men would have a great influence not only on African Americans,  but on people and of different religions, nationality and creed all over the world.  You will find books, testimonies, testifying to their greatness of their life and the truth of their legacy.  You will find countless accounts related about Muhammad Ali and his philanthropy and how he affected and encouraged so many people.  You will find even studies and books that are just dedicated to the life of Al-Hajj Malik Shabazz  and of course the works of Imam Warrith Deen Muhammad,  who would lead the movement of Masjid Muhammad to have masajid all over the country.  Not only were these men responsible for ushering in a new understanding of Islam as a normative movement,  but they would also be responsible for ushering in a certain culture that would begin to affect Muslims and non-Muslims alike.  And now we get into the section of how African American Muslims and their take on Islam had a powerful impact on American society.  It affected such cultural icons that went from jazz, as we mentioned, from Yusuf Islam, even Dizzy Gillespie,  all the way into hip hop icons, whether that be Mos Def, known as Yassin Bey or Eric B. and Rakim.  You will find the 80s, the 90s and into the 2000s riddled with references to Islam and Muslims.  As a matter of fact, one of the most famous women in hip hop lines has several reference to Islam, and that's Lauryn Hill.  In several of her lyrics, she says, don't forget about the deen, the surat al-mustaqim, giving references.  Even Jill Scott gives references to Quran and several of her lyrics.  Why is this? How is it that we have come so far?  How is it that we have come from some from a people who were originally enslaved,  who were originally so oppressed and considered to be some of the low of society,  having some of the most powerful, long lasting effects on pop and current culture?  You would find it even in the dress throughout 1990s.  You would find the kufi being something that was normative wear.  You would find well into our current day men beginning to rock the beard as a fashion statement.  You would find in multiple cases women wrapping their hair as African-American Muslim women did,  whether it was in a gay life style that was also significant to West Africa,  or whether you will find pictures of even Queen Latifah with the scarf wrapped over her shoulder, covering her neck.  You find the references in lyrics, you found it in dress, you found it in almost every aspects of culture.  It's amazing how Islam had such a powerful effect on this society.  It's amazing how Islam had such an influence on those who were Muslim and non-Muslim alike.

Islam and the Black American

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