MJ's Youth Voice: March 16, March 30, April 13, 2007

Friday, April 13, 2007
MJ's Youth Voice: April 13, 2007 Category: Religion and Philosophy
THE COLOR AND THE CULTURE OF THE BELIEVERVerily, all praise is due to Allaah. We seek HisForgiveness for our transgressions and all unjust actscommitted by our hands upon others and ourselves. HisGuidance is the best Guidance, so, if His Guidance isnot what we follow, then surely we will be lost andmisguided to the pits of Jahannon. I pray that Hesaves us from the trials and torments of the grave andthe Fire. Amen.My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Islaam, As SalaamAlaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakutu. Insha Allaahu ta'alaa, this scribe will find you in dhikr of our Lord,Allaah, Ar-Rabbil al Ameen. I write this letter outof concern for the states of the minds of some ourMuslim youth and adults. I am speaking primarily ofthose Muslim youth and adults who are trying toidentify more with their culture as African-American,or whatever their culture or nationality may be, asopposed to trying to identify more with beingbelieving Muslims who fear Allaah. Our culturalidentification, with respect to our race, is secondaryto our learning and living this deen that Allaahu ta'alaa perfected prior to the death of the greatestexample of man, Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdullah(sallallaahu alaihi was salaam). In this perfection,any additions or deletions to this deen will berejected and find its way into the Fire.The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi was salaam) said:"Indeed there is no excellence for an Arab over anon-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab, nor a whiteperson over a black one, nor a black over a white one,except through taqwaa (piety and obedience to Allaah).[Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (5/411), and this hadithwas authenticated by Ibn Taymiyyah inKitaabul-Iqtidaa.] Surely, on the Day of Judgment,that Day of Gathering when all stand before our Lordbarefoot, naked, and uncircumcised, and this is theTruth, We will not be judged by our skin color,adherence to our racial culture, etc. We will bejudged by our deeds and our adherence to thisbeautiful deen. The deen, our culture, which isdefined as a way of life, what culture is more refinedand pristine than Islaam? Bring your evidence if youare truthful. Islaam is the cultural identificationthat supersedes all other in this dunyaa (world). This is how we identify and draw nearer to our lord sothat He may have mercy on us and grant us Janna.I am in no way in opposition to one learning abouttheir roots and practicing their respective cultures,but is it fair to say that only a particular peoplewill be granted Paradise because of their skin color? Or their sufferings as slaves or being the descendantsof those people? Subhanallah. Our judgment andrewards will be based on our faith while we were inthese states. Yes, I am an African-American, but didI live as a Muslim and die upon the Haqq and theStraight path? Just as well, our ancestors struggledand were punished as slaves, but did they struggle andendure punishment and then die as Muslims upon Tauhid?We must look at our deeds, which will be weighed onthe scales, not the color of our skin nor our ethniccultures, for surely our Lord Allaah is Just, and Hewrongs no one. For it is us who wrong ourselves. Surely, this is the Truth.Our culture has a point of relevance with respect tohow we deal with one another, but if I deal andidentify with you by observing and giving you yourrights as a Muslim, what would be the significance ofmy culture as it relates to my skin color? Is ourculture as African-Americans, or whatever ournationality may be, a divinely revealed way of life? Does our culture free us from bondage and grant usJanna? How will it benefit us in the Hereafter? Lookto Allaah, His book, and way of life that he hasprescribed for us. He knows best. Alhamdulillaah. We must learn our religion. Only when those culturesthat we identify with don't contradict or conflictwith Islaam are we allowed to practice them.In my opinion, based upon experience, some of us aretoo caught up trying to assimilate ourselves into acorrupt and wicked society whose ways and thinking areadverse and inferior to what our Lord, Who knows best,has given us as a sign of His Mercy. We are Muslimswho just happen to be African-Americans, Caucasians,Latinos, etc. It is not the other way around. Ourlifestyles are to conform to the deen, not vice versa,for this is not true submission, That would becompromise. There is no separation with respect toour social/personal lives and the religion. It is allIslam. Our way of life. How we live, eat, drink,bathe, sleep, and pray. IslamLet us unite our hearts and minds to the common cause,the foundation, the total submission to the Will ofAllaah first. Let us make our deen the primary pointof focus. For surely, those of us whom Allah wishesto punish in the fire, our skins, no matter theircolors, will only be burned without prejudice, butwith justice, and Allaah knows best. So, I ask you,what takes precedence? Our race, culture, orreligion? And what is the color of the believer?Hakim M. Abdul-WasiAge: 37As Salaam Alaikum KEEP YOUR HEAD UPKevin CombsEast Elmhurst, NYMichael Sanyika ScottReidsville, GeorgiaWHAT'S HAPPENING10:00 AM - 6:00 PMGeechee Kunda, the gullah/geechee cultural centerlocated in Riceboro, GA will hold its annual "TheGathering" program on April 22, 2006. Day Clean: TheAfrican Soul www.daycleantheafricansoul.com will beperforming.GET DOWNIra "ENIGMA" DavisAll Muslim and/or thought provoking athletes, authors,educators, entertainers, event planners, imams,inventors, musicians, poets, and politicians betweenthe ages of 17-30 who want to be featured on MJ'sYouth Voice Page. Contact Ira "ENIGMA" Davis via www.myspace.com/EnigmaRecords (click message) or3470 Cherry Ridge PlDecatur, GA 30034Muslim Journal1141 W. 175th St Homewood, IL 60430

Saturday, April 14, 2007
MJ's Youth Voice: March 30, 2007 Category: Religion and PhilosophyIra "ENIGMA" Davis

WORDS MAKE PEOPLE

As Salaam Alaikum,

"Words make people" is a quote attributed to our illustrious leader, Imam W. Deen Mohammed, and I must concur with this statement. In my dual roles as both a hip hop artist and educator, I am constantly bombarded with the truth of this statement. In the past generation and a half, hip hop has served as the soundtrack for many in our nation. In this span of time, I have seen the "Dope Man" go from someone who was vilified by gangsta rap pioneers N.W.A. to someone who is glorified by many of today's popular artists as well as listeners.

At the home going service of the late g-dfather of soul, Rev. Al Sharpton spoke of James Brown's hope that Michael Jackson and all those that had imitated him would clean up the music. Min. Louis Farrakhan, in his recent Saviour's Day address, stated that rappers are the new heroes of the youth and that the elder statesmen of our Black community should not condemn them but rather encourage some hip hop artists to change their abrasive tones.

With that stated, hip hop is not the only genre of music that needs a cleansing. It's across the board. Log on to http://www.cleanmusiccampaign.com to make a change. Remember we have the ultimate power in deciding what gets played. We are the consumer and we dictate the market.

With Allah's Name
The Merciful Benefactor, the Merciful Redeemer

Dawud A. Yusuf's Theme

"Closer and closer comes the reckoning." (the hour of judgment). Oh humanity, it has come to my attention that Allah is one G-d and the African American are still slaves economically and psychologically. Caucasians are equally artificial in claiming they have blood relations with Allah. No, Allah is free of all wants, worthy of all praise. Besides his creation of the heaven and the earth, he created for females twin mates. How are you departed from your true center? The one who said: "Wait a minute I want him."

We have a Muslim American for Human Salvation. His name is Wallace Deen Mohammed. You can find his lectures in the Muslim Journal. Call 708.657.9600 to buy our journal. It behooves you to get the Holy Quran, Allah's last revelation revealed to Prophet Muhammad Ibn Abdullah, the last Universal prophet. You can also buy a copy at the above number.

There are Caucasians, who consider African Americans their slaves, when we use their names and adopt their thinking bank. Although, there are those who are innocent and want to be at peace with you. So, change your names, our ancestors were Muslims.

Brothers and sisters we should come with love and obedience to our leader whom Allah (swat) has chosen for us and the world. We need each other. Can a body survive without a head? No. Therefore, we can't survive without unity and leadership. Collectively, we're not a poor people. The statistics report that over 720 billion dollars pass through our hands every year. It is spent on other businesses. We don't own much of the pie, if we look around. And be aware of words, they form and shape you. Was salaam. (peace).

Sincerely yours,

Dawud Abdullah Yusuf

WHAT'S HAPPENING

The National Young Adult Association
9th annual Young Adult Conference
April 4-8, 2007
Sheraton Atlanta Hotel Downtown 165 Court St Atlanta, GA

GET DOWN

All Muslim and/or thought provoking athletes, authors, educators, entertainers, event planners, imams, inventors, musicians, poets, and politicians between the ages of 13-40 who want to be featured on MJ's Youth Voice Page. Contact Ira "ENIGMA" Davis via http://www.myspace.com/EnigmalRecords
, Homewood , IL 60430www.muslimjournal.net

Friday, March 16, 2007
MJ's Youth Voice: March 16, 2007 Category: Religion and Philosophy
Ira “ENIGMA” Davis

A Message of Concern!

As Salaam Alaikum,

I recently received a letter from a sister alerting me of an issue that is plaguing her local community. Some Muslims are apparently engaging in homosexual liaisons and have begun to target young school-aged children in the community. She is also greatly disturbed because many sisters are unaware of what’s going on. This sister has asked me to post her concern.

So, it is not my intention to bash any member of our human family. However, as a Muslim, I must promote the Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). I turn your attention to a few ayats from the Quran, the holy book for Muslims worldwide in which WE do not deviate:
7:80-1 “We also sent (Lut) he said to his people, “Do you commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? “For you practice your lusts on men in preference to women. You are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.”
26:165-6 "Of all the creatures in the world, will you approach males. And leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay, you are a people transgressing (all limits)!”
27:54-55 "And Lut! when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination knowingly? Must ye needs lust after men instead of women? Nay, but ye are folk who act senselessly."
29:28-29 "And Lut! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Lo! ye commit lewdness such as no creature did before you. For come ye not in unto males."
Re: MJ’s Youth Voice/Article Named, “What’s happening?”

Assalamualaikum,

I am a 26 yr. old young Muslim Man whom is confined to the perilous confines of a correctional facility.

I have been one to follow politics, and what is happening in this world is not very good. Muslims are turning against each other in the Middle East , and a U.S. Congressman is choosing bigotry over truth. What ever happened to know thy neighbor? Has the philosophy of this countries forefathers’ gone out the window? Along with the morals and values they built this country on…

I do not speak out of hatred at all, nor would I. I speak out of mere confusion and concern on to what could be happening next… Is this country and other countries around the world going to fall apart due to bias, bigotry, and untruthfulness coming to our hearts from the hands of the Shaitan? We as Muslims should be reaching out now more than ever to try to help those whom are in dire need of help and guidance. It says in the Quran to help those in who would help you if the situations were reversed. I am a firm believer of that, matter of fact I live it. I will always help those or guide those on who need guidance. A brother/sister in Islam will always be a brother/sister in Islam no matter if they are Shiite, Sunni, White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern descent or American.

Remember how Malcolm X reacted when he came back from the Hajj, he saw that there were many variations of color that made up the Muslim Brothers/Sisters that went for their Hajj. We as Muslims should be uniting with each other not fighting, shunning or pushing each other away just because of such differences that are frivolous views in which do not allow us to be together as a Muslim Community, nor does it allows us to be together as one…Al Hamdo-Lillah

Salaam,

Ishmael A-R Daa’Qaadir
Nemansket Correctional Facility
30 Administration Rd.
Bridgewater, Massachusetts 02324-3230
GET DOWN
All Muslim and/or thought provoking athletes, authors, educators, entertainers, event planners, imams, inventors, musicians, poets, and politicians between the ages of 13-40 who want to be featured on MJ’s Youth Voice Page. Contact Ira “ENIGMA” Davis via www.myspace.com/EnigmaRecords (click message) or
3470 Cherry Ridge Pl
Decatur, GA 30034Muslim Journal1141 W. 175th St, Homewood , IL 60430