Monday, March 17, 2008

Malcolm X's Letter from Makkah

Malcolm X's (al-Hajj, Malik al-Shabazz)
Letter from Makkah 20/03/2004

The following is Malcolm X's (al-Hajj, Malik al-Shabazz) letter to his assistants in Harlem during his pilgrimage to Makkah in April of 1964:

Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this ancient holy land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other Prophets of the holy scriptures. For the past week, I have been utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see displayed all around me by people of all colors.

I have been blessed to visit the holy city of Makkah; I have made my seven circuits around the Ka'aba, led by a young Mutawwaf (guide) named Muhammad; I drank water from the well of the Zamzam. I ran seven times back and forth between the hills of mount al-Safa and al-Marwa. I have prayed in the ancient city of Mina, and I have prayed on mount Arafat.

There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and non-white.

America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered white - but the white attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color.

You may be shocked by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to rearrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions. This was not too difficult for me. Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which is necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of intelligent search for truth.

During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept on the same rug - while praying to the same God - with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the deeds of the white Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan and Ghana.
We were truly all the same (brothers) - because their belief in one God had removed the white from their minds, the white from their behavior, and the white from their attitude.

I could see from this, that perhaps if white Americans could accept the Oneness of God, then perhaps, too, they could accept in reality the Oneness of Man - and cease to measure, and hinder, and harm others in terms of their "differences" in color.

With racism plaguing America like an incurable cancer, the so-called "Christian" white American heart should be more receptive to a proven solution to such a destructive problem. Perhaps it could be in time to save America from imminent disaster - the same destruction brought upon Germany by racism that eventually destroyed the Germans themselves.

Each hour here in the holy land enables me to have greater spiritual insights into what is happening in America between black and white. The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities - he is only reacting to four hundred years of the conscious racism of the American whites. But as racism leads America up the suicide path, I do believe, from the experiences that I have had with them, that the whites of the younger generation, in the colleges and universities, will see the handwriting on the walls and many of them will turn to the spiritual path of truth - the only way left to America to ward off the disaster that racism inevitably must lead to.

Never have I been so highly honored. Never have I been made to feel more humble and unworthy. Who would believe the blessings that have been heaped upon an American Negro? A few nights ago, a man who would be called in America a white man, a United Nations diplomat, an ambassador, a companion of kings, gave me his hotel suite, his bed. Never would I have even thought of dreaming that I would ever be a recipient of such honors - honors that in America would be bestowed upon a King - not a Negro.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.
Sincerely,al-Hajj, Malik al-Shabazz (Malcolm X)

* Taken from The Autobiography of Malcolm X, co-authored by Alex Haley.Editor's Note: The compassion, selflessness, brotherhood, and generosity that Malcolm encountered in Makkah during his Hajj opened his heart to the true spirit of Sunni Islam. He writes in his autobiography, "Because of the spiritual enlightenment which I was blessed to receive as the result of my recent pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah, I no longer subscribe to sweeping indictments of any one race. I am now striving to live the life of a true Sunni Muslim. I must repeat that I am not a racist nor do I subscribe to the tenets of racism. I can state in all sincerity that I wish nothing but freedom, justice and equality, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people."

Monday, March 03, 2008

Muslim Council of Britain

Date: 03 March 2008

Press Release

Condemnation of Gaza Mass Killings British Muslims Appalled At Miliband's Selective

The Muslim Council of Britain is deeply concerned that Britain is continuing to adopt a policy of partisan support for Israel despite its atrocious behaviour in Gaza this week where it has killed over 100 Palestinians including several children as young as six months old.

"The Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, explicitly says that he condemns the use by some Palestinian groups of poor quality home made rockets, yet inexplicably he seems to refrain from condemning the far more serious military firepower deployed by Israel against Gaza's civilian population. This is blatantly one-sided and does our image in the international community and across the Muslim world no favours whatsoever.� said Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari.

He further adds : �The actions of Israel's military machine has been condemened by the UN Secretary general and even drew censure from the US State Department. Instead, our government should be insisting on the requirement for Israel to abide by all relevant UN resolutions and withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territories, dismantle its illegal Jewish settlements and honour the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. If we are serious about wanting peace, we must act as honest brokers, not partisan bystanders. " Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain.

Issued by the Muslim Council of Britain

[ENDS]Notes to Editors:
The Muslim Council of Britain is the UK's largest Muslim umbrella body with over 500 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques, charities and schools.
Media enquiries should be addressed to the MCB Media Office on 0845 26 26 786 or 07956 353 738. Email: media@mcb.org.uk.

LooK...I'm a MuSLiM GirL...

Mu'minah Tammy Appel
www.CONVERTSTOISLAM.com
I had heard so many stories, about the Muslim women...being oppressed,
I decided that I would find out for myself and so, as one of them I dressed.
I put on some loose and baggy clothes...and then reluctantly covered my hair
I looked at that stranger in the mirror...and thought to myself...who's going to care?
Bravely and undaunted, I ventured out of my room wondering, who I would meet
The very first person I ran into...was my son, who said... "mom, you look like a geek"
I replied... "look, I'm a Muslim girl...do you like it, because this is going to be the new me"
My son became so upset, and said... "you just better make sure my friends don't see"
I looked him in the eyes...and said... "why, I'm still the same mom that you've always known
I've been here since you were a baby, a toddler too...and I will be until you're grown"
I was dismayed and upset...and feeling rather unnerved by the reaction of my son
Becoming very uncertain...not nearly as confident now...I decided I better get this done.
I wandered outside, and awkardly started in the direction of my car...
When all of a sudden...I heard a peircing scream coming from my neighbor afar
With my heart in my throat, as quickly as I could manage...I ran over to her side
"Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones...whatever is the matter and why are you trying to hide?"
Suddenly it dawned on me, as she looked at me with horror and revulsion in her eyes
I felt so crushed, when she said... "you're a terrorist...you're one of those Muslim spys"
I desperately tried to ease her mind...assuring her over and over again...to no avail
I didn't matter what I tried to tell her, so certain was she...that I belonged in jail.
Feeling rather shaken by that silly scene, I decided I would just go to my mom's place
Where I wouldn't have to worry...none of those embarrassing events would I have to face.
I barged into my parents house, shouting... "mom, mom - look at me...I'm a Muslim girl"
Well, the shock and alarm in my mother's face...sent my dad in a panic and a whirl
"Are you crazy?" they said... "or are you just plain stupid and out of your everloving mind
In a mental hospital is where you belong...if not...in a prison is where you will wind."
I started to cry and say... "please, please just relax...why are you taking this so hard"
My dad wrapped his arms around my mom...glared at me and shouted... "get out of my yard"
I left my parents house crying...feeling sympathetic to all the Muslims...and so ashamed
Of the way my family and good neighbors, reacted to my little game
I soon came to the conclusion, oppression of Muslim women did not even exist
The only oppression that I could see, were in those...of whom, my change...they did resist
For tell me, does it really matter on the type of clothing or covering a woman wears
For underneath all those layers of clothing, I am still the same woman that cares!