My dear friend,

I have friends that are from the continent of Africa that will tell you that even their own countrymen sold others into slavery and that the statement that European greed alone scattered Africans around the world is a gross misstatement.

African American IS appropriate if the person chooses to use it. It denotes a person whose culture is american and whose heritage is from the continent of Africa.

It is time as Muslims to put this emphasis on racial or cultural differences behind, that is what the prophet (pbuh) suggested in his last sermon. perpetuating differences and reminding ourselves of the injustices done to our ancestors does not good, look at the situation in Sudan and Darfur! I understand your need to know your heritage, my mother is a Turkish Kurd who married an American to escape the slaughter in her non-existent homeland! After my father died, Jazak'allah she reverted to the Islam of her childhood and now as a senior hijabi is my closest friend as well as my mother!

Salaam,

I haven't posted much here unfortunately and that is my fault because I missed this subject. For the most part I agree with those people who have said these types of racist attitudes goes on all over the globe and that knowing these realities shouldn't drive you out of Islam although it is hurtful. Adding to that statement let me say to any non-African or non-African American here who has not experienced a direct form of racism to not give their opinion on how African-Americans should feel about racism. Not only do you not know but understand the history behind such an emotion.

Jamaal I understand how you feel and to some extent I feel the same frustration as you do. I have been discriminated against by so-called Muslims who were Arabs. I've been called an abid or slave in Arabic. I've had Pakistaninan people curse me because of whatever reason. I've had them during Jummah after the Khutba in prayer get out of the line because my foot touched theirs. I've had other Muslims reject me for an apartment cause of my color-BTW how I know is the Arab family who applied after me got the exact same apartment I applied for. My credit was excellent since me being a cop you need good credit in law enforcement.

I also feel that the conflict in Palestine in the media sense is culturally motivated because since its an Arab conflict it takes away from a centuries old problem in Africa which occured long before the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. So yes I understand where you are coming from. I know the cop-out comments people made here when they tell you "Islam forbades" racism. This is obviously common sense since it is not only in the prophet's last sermon but in the Qur'an but I also feel people use these comments in the sense of the message "there is no prevelant racism in the Muslim community" when racism exist in the community.

I've discussed this several times over in many threads and to no avail people still don't understand only us "black folks" in the sense of the word. However in knowing what I said here brother you should never leave Islam knowing these realities. God has and always will be with you in the events of your frsutration. God is with the suffering in Darfur. Brother one thing you must understand that is that suffering occurs all over the world not to just Africans or even the African-Americans in the United States. Everyone in every country is suffering and unfortunately as human beings we cause this.

Forget about the Ummah for a second and look at the human species. We are then most intelligent and the most ignorant of God's creation. We can create civilizations yet create means to destroy them by creating missiles or judging a person because of their skin tone. This kind of behavior makes me sick to my stomach. That is why I find tranquility in the "lesser beings" because even with their lack of intelligence they act in accordance to their necessity not to their selfishness.

Pigeons for example I see them all the time in all shapes and different colors. They all eat together and perch on the same wire together. I even seen a bird with one leg yet still found interaction with others regardless. With humans we look down on the abnormal treat others because of their skin tone and move away from something outside the realm of normality. We as a species have become horrible in how we treat each other and when I read about the incidents going on in Darfur I do get angry because I feel even in Islam "blacks have been put in the backburner" however I don't lose hope.

Following the spiritual message of Islam is perhaps the greatest thing a true Muslim can do.

BTW There is nothing wrong with calling yourself African-American after all it means: Someone of African descent who orignates in America. Such as someones Ancestors who originate in Africa yet have children in America. The childrens origins would reside in America but their lineage is from Africa.....Common sense people!

wether a muslim is a white or black, he is a muslim. there should be no discrimination among muslims on the basis of colour. hajj is a perfect example of how muslims of different countries and colours unite together without any discrimination.