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Latino Muslims

Heartfelt Appreciation for Your Support

Assalaam Alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatu,

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I hope this email finds you well and in good spirits during this National Hispanic Heritage Month. On behalf of The LADO Group, I want to express our sincerest gratitude for your donation to our fundraiser. Your contribution is instrumental in advancing our mission to promote Islam within the Latino community in the United States.

As an organization, we are committed to creating a thriving community of Latino Muslims, and your support plays a crucial role in achieving our mission. The LADO Group’s initiatives encompass a diverse range of projects that uplift and empower the Latino Muslim population in the United States.

One of our key programs focuses on providing scholarships to aspiring Latino Muslim imams and scholars. These scholarships enable talented individuals to pursue their educational ambitions, fostering a new generation of leaders who can assume crucial roles within the Muslim community.

Furthermore, through our grants program, we aim to facilitate the growth and development of Latino Muslim organizations. By supporting this initiative, we empower these organizations to better serve their members and enhance the progress of the community as a whole.

In additional to financial support, The LADO Group offers services that inspire and uplift the Latino Muslim community. These services, such as our social media presence, have had a tangible and positive impact, nurturing a sense of belonging and unity among our diverse community of Muslims.

Your contribution to our fundraiser allows us to pursue these vital efforts, creating lasting change and making a significant difference in the lives of the growing Latino Muslim community. Your kindness and generosity are truly appreciated.

Your involvement is pivotal to our success, and we warmly welcome any further engagement you may wish to have with The LADO Group. Together, we can fulfill our organization’s vision of “Muslims in every community.”

Once again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your unwavering support and belief in our mission. Together, we can create a brighter future for the entire Muslim community.

With utmost gratitude,

Juan Galvan

President/CEO
The LADO Group
Juan.Galvan@latinodawah.org
¡A su LADO! means “At your side!”

Latino Muslims, Muslim converts, Stories

Help Ustadh Kenny Solis Complete his Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy!

Imam Parvez and Brother Gil from Jalisco Mexico at Masjid Al Noor in Rosarito Mexico 2018.
With Imam Parvez and Brother Gil from Jalisco Mexico at Masjid Al Noor in Rosarito Mexico 2018.

LaunchGood.com/UstadhKenny

About The Fundraiser

The LADO Group is currently seeking to raise the necessary funds to provide Ustadh Kenny Solis with a scholarship in the amount of $7,000 to enable him to complete the last three courses required to earn his Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy.

A Message from Ustadh Kenny Solis

Listening during Islamic spirituality and leadership course, Fall 2019. 
Listening during Islamic spirituality and leadership course, Fall 2019. 

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,

I was born and raised in Santa Ana, CA, Orange County. I am a Mexican-American. I now live on the East Coast but teach the Muslim community in English and Spanish in the United States and abroad.

How You Can Make a Difference

With your help, I will be able to complete my Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy from the Bayan Chicago Theological Seminary so that I may continue to grow and serve the complex, diverse, and vast Muslim and Latino Muslim communities. Bayan CTS produces world-class leaders and scholars grounded in the Islamic Tradition. There are no scholarships or financial aid options available to certificate students, and the total tuition for the certificate is $17,076. I still need $7,000 to complete the last three courses required to earn my certificate.

Bayan Chicago Theological Seminary Student Spotlight
Bayan Chicago Theological Seminary Student Spotlight

My Education Thus Far

I have finished my Master of Arts in Theology/Ethics and Social Change; Islamic Studies from Bayan Claremont School of Theology. I was the first in my family to graduate from a 4-year university by completing my B.A. in Political Science and Law from California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) while simultaneously working on a Bachelor in Theology and Islamic Law from California Islamic University (CIU). I have also attended various Islamic classes and intensive personal studies in the Islamic Sciences with scholars in the United States that have given me private tutelage. 

A gathering with brothers and esteemed teachers Micah Anderson, Imam Mendes, and Dr. Meraj at Zaytuna College 2019.
A gathering with brothers and esteemed teachers Micah Anderson, Imam Mendes, and Dr. Meraj at Zaytuna College 2019.
Prophetic Teachings: A Halaqa with Kenny Solis
Prophetic Teachings: A Halaqa with Kenny Solis
LALMA Event Flyer
LALMA Event Flyer

My Teaching Journey

I have taught for institutions like New Jersey Islamic School, LinkOutside Prison Outreach, Trenton Prison, Insight Academy, Islamic Society of Orange County Garden Grove, CA Mosque, Islamic Institute Orange County Dawah Outreach, Islamic Institute of Orange County New Muslim-Mentoring, New Horizon Private School Pasadena, LALMA/La Asociacion Latino Musulmana de America, Latina Muslim Foundation, Why Islam, ICNA, Islamic Learning Center ICNA, and Masjid Noor Rosarito/Tijuana Mexico. I am also involved with educating Islam abroad in Tijuana, Jalisco, Cuidad Juarez, and Rosarito Mexico.

Introduction to Hadith Studies at the Islamic Center of Perris, CA in 2019.
Introduction to Hadith Studies at the Islamic Center of Perris, CA in 2019.

Thank You for Your Generosity!

May Allah bless us all with happiness, patience, and strength in this world and the hereafter.

Sincerely,

Ustadh Kenny Solis

Fundamentals of Islam class at Masjid Al-Noor in Rosarito, Mexico 2017.
Fundamentals of Islam class at Masjid Al-Noor in Rosarito, Mexico 2017.
Graduate Assistant - Kenny Solis
As Graduate Assistant
Kenny Solis with Dr. Jonathan A. C. Brown
With Dr. Jonathan A. C. Brown

About The LADO Group

The LADO Group is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to promote Islam among the Latino community within the United States. The LADO Group provides scholarships for future Latino Muslim imams and scholars, enabling them to pursue their educational goals and become leaders in the Muslim community. The organization also offers grants to help develop and strengthen Latino Muslim organizations, encouraging the growth and development of the community. Your generous contributions will play a pivitol role in empowering the Latino Muslim community. Will you stand with us in realizing our mission?

You can learn more about LADO at latinodawah.org.

Events, Humor, Latino Muslims, Muslim converts, Parodies, Stories

Unity Unveiled: The Marvel Beetle Chronicles

In an upcoming cinematic venture, The Blue Beetle, a character of Latino heritage, and Ms. Marvel, a character representing the Muslim community, are set to unite in matrimony. This groundbreaking film aims to showcase the formation of a pioneering onscreen family, one that embodies both Latino and Muslim identities.

Anticipated to be a trailblazing production, this movie will mark a significant step forward in portraying diverse and inclusive narratives. The couple’s offspring is slated to bear the name “Marvel Beetle,” signifying the fusion of their remarkable legacies.

#BlueBeetle #MsMarvel #LatinoMuslims #HispanicMuslims #LatinoDawah

Latino Muslims

The Importance of Monthly Giving

The LADO Group

Recurring monthly donations are a powerful tool for nonprofit organizations and individuals to create long-term impact through consistent financial support. These donations allow donors to contribute a set amount each month, which is automatically deducted from their bank account or credit card. There are several benefits of recurring monthly donations that make them an effective way to support charitable causes.

  1. Increased financial stability for nonprofit organizations. Recurring monthly donations provide nonprofits with a consistent stream of revenue that they can count on. This allows them to plan and budget for future projects and initiatives, rather than relying on unpredictable one-time donations. It also helps nonprofits to weather any fluctuations in funding that may occur throughout the year, such as during holidays or economic downturns.
  2. Improved donor retention. Recurring monthly donations can help build stronger relationships between donors and the organizations they support. By giving on a regular basis, donors feel more connected to the cause and see the impact of their contributions over time. This can lead to increased loyalty and a higher likelihood that they will continue to give in the future.
  3. Lower administrative costs. Recurring monthly donations can help lower administrative costs for nonprofit organizations. With regular donations, nonprofits can reduce the time and resources they spend on fundraising efforts, such as creating and sending out appeal letters or organizing fundraising events. This allows them to focus more on their mission and programs, and less on administrative tasks.
  4. Increased impact. Recurring monthly donations can have a significant impact on the organizations and causes they support. Over time, these donations can add up to a substantial amount of funding that can be used to create meaningful change. By giving on a regular basis, donors can help support ongoing programs and initiatives that require long-term funding to be successful.
  5. Greater flexibility for donors. Recurring monthly donations offer donors greater flexibility in their giving. By setting up automatic payments, donors can make contributions on a regular basis without having to remember to do so each month. They can also adjust the amount or cancel their donation at any time, making it easier for them to manage their giving according to their financial situation.
  6. Tax benefits. Recurring monthly donations can provide tax benefits for donors. In many countries, donations to charitable organizations are tax-deductible. By giving on a regular basis, donors can maximize their tax benefits and potentially lower their overall tax bill.
  7. Increased social impact. Recurring monthly donations not only benefit the nonprofit organizations themselves, but they also have a broader social impact. By supporting charitable causes on a regular basis, donors can help address some of the world’s most pressing issues, such as poverty, hunger, and inequality. These donations can help create real change and make a difference in the lives of those in need.

In conclusion, recurring monthly donations offer many benefits for both nonprofit organizations and donors. They provide financial stability, improved donor retention, lower administrative costs, increased impact, greater flexibility for donors, tax benefits, and increased social impact. By giving on a regular basis, donors can help create lasting change and make a meaningful difference in the world.

Latino Muslims

Support Latino Muslims and Spread Islam!

Campaign objective

Support our efforts to promote and educate about Islam in the Latino community by providing scholarships and grants.

https://www.launchgood.com/latinodawah

Help us promote Islam among the Latino community, Support Today!

The Latino American Dawah Organization has been serving the community for 25 years, your support allows us to:

  • We create scholarships for students and grants for organizations that inspire and empower the Latino Muslim community.
  • We educate Americans about the beauty of Islam, the growing Latino Muslim presence, and the legacy of Islam in Spain, the Americas, and around the World.
  • We maintain a social media presence to share ideas, interesting news, upcoming events, and progress with Latino Muslims around the United States.
  • We develop and distribute unique publications of interest to the Latino Muslim community.
  • We encourage Muslim converts to come together to build and maintain meaningful friendships, to encourage personal growth (tarbiyah) and to invite others to Islam (dawah).
  • We build alliances with local and national Muslim organizations, emphasizing local community action.

Serving the community for 25 years!

The Latino American Dawah Organization (LADO) sprang up from humble and unassuming origins in 1997 as a free AOL page in the early days of the Internet with the goal of sharing Islam, bringing together the Latino Muslim community, and empowering both believers and non-Muslims alike to discover more about the beauty of Islam. The Latino American Dawah Organization (LADO) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization registered as The LADO Group, Inc with Tax ID 84-5056478.

Latino Muslims

It’s Easy to Become a LADO Helper

Would you like to support LADO’s mission but are unable to donate personally?

If so, you may be interested in joining the LADO Helpers program. By signing up for this peer-to-peer fundraising initiative, you will be provided with a customizable fundraising page that you can share with your friends and family through various platforms like social media, email, and text message.

Any donations received will appear on your fundraising page, and your support will assist us in providing crucial scholarships for students and grants for organizations that empower the Latino Muslim community. If you know of any specific students or organizations that could benefit from our assistance, please let us know.

Latino Muslims

Zakat for Da’wah and Public Welfare Programs

 BY: MUZAMMIL SIDDIQI   SOURCE: ISLAMICITY APR 16, 2022

In the Qur’an, Allah Almighty has mentioned 8 categories of people who can receive Zakah. Allah Almighty says: “Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to the truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.” (At-Tawbah:60)

The expression “in the cause of Allah” or fi Sabil Allah was generally interpreted “Jihad fi Sabil Allah” and so many jurists restricted this Zakah expense for this purpose.

Muslim jurists also say that in the Qur’an Allah used the word “Lil fuqara’ wa Al-masakin or ‘for the poor and the needy’ and the ‘lam’ or (for)” here means ‘tamlik’ or possession. Thus they interpret the above verse to mean that the poor and needy should be made owners of this money or Tamlik Al-Zakah.

Since in public and social welfare projects no one becomes the owner, so, according to their interpretation the Zakah should not be used for this purpose. Thus you will find in the books of Fiqh statements emphasizing that the money should not be used to build the Masajid, schools, hospitals, hostels etc. because this money belong to poor and it should be given to them. There are some jurists who still hold this strict opinion concerning Zakah.

However, there are a number of jurists of this century, such as Sheikh Muhammad ‘Abduh, Rashid Rida, Maulana Mawdudi, Amin Ahsan Islahi, Yusuf Al-Qaradawi and some Fatwa organizations in Kuwait and Egypt, they are of the opinion that the phrase ‘in the cause of Allah’ covers a broad category. It is a general term and it should be applied in all those situations where there is a need to serve Islam and Muslims.

Those scholars consider it permissible to use the Zakah money to finance the Da’wah and public welfare programs. They say that the expression ‘for the poor and needy’ can also mean ‘for the benefit of the poor and needy’.

The modern jurists also argue that in the past Muslim governments used to build Mosques, schools and used to finance public welfare projects. Now many governments are negligent in this matter. Many Muslims are living in areas where there are no Muslim governments.

Furthermore the financial needs of the people have become so enormous and diverse that earlier rules and restrictions cannot be fully applied and may not be very useful in every place.

In his famous book Fiqh Az-Zakah, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, has thoroughly discussed this subject. His Fatwa is that in non-Muslim countries it is permissible to use Zakah funds to build the Masajid, Schools and hospitals.

Muslims from all over the world go to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates etc. to solicit funds for the building of their Mosques and schools. Most of the business people in those countries give their Zakah for this purpose. Many people from all over the world use this money for building projects without any question.

Now, there are many people who come to North America to solicit funds for their Mosques and schools in some poor countries. American Muslims are also giving their Zakah to build Masajid and schools in other countries.

It is the concept of ‘fi Sabil Allah’ and helping the Islamic cause in many lands where it has made it possible to establish Islamic institutions and Mosques.

Zakah is basically for the poor and needy and most of it should be used to take care of their needs. I believe that for the Mosque constructions Muslims should make extra charity and should give from funds other than Zakah. However, it is not forbidden for Muslims to give their Zakah money for the building of Mosques and schools, especially in non-Muslim countries.

Islamic centers should have a separate Zakah fund. Those who do not want their Zakah to be used in building projects, should give their money to the Zakah fund. But those who want to give their Zakah for the Masjid construction they should donate directly to that project.”

Allah Almighty knows best.

Books, Dawah, Islam, Latino Muslims, Other

Representation Matters: Islamic Books for Latino Children

By Wendy Díaz

May 8, 2021

Original link: Representation Matters: Islamic Books for Latino Children | About Islam

Fifteen years ago, my husband and I, both Latino converts to Islam, welcomed our first son to this world. Alhamdulillah, he was the first Muslim child born into our families, a blend of Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian heritages living here in the U.S.

His fitra, that innate faith in one Supreme Creator, was untainted unlike ours had been. He did not have to discover Islam later in life in his teens and twenties like his parents had.

We named him Uthman after the third Khalifa in Islam, the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, bearer of the two lights. And so began our Muslim parenting journey, one that we are still striving to navigate efficiently as more and more challenges and blessings present themselves.

As convert parents, our objective is to raise righteous Muslims by Allah’s Will; as Latinos, we endeavor to preserve our culture within the confines of Islam. We learned early that despite what we heard from some well-intentioned Muslims, Islam did not come to take away our identity.

In fact, Islam is part of our rich history as Latinos – an inheritance left behind by our ancestors that has been buried and forgotten.

Unfortunately, this reality is one that has not been explored enough in contemporary circles of knowledge. Muslims from other parts of the world do not consider Latin America part of the Islamic narrative. Yet, as more of us return to Islam, we are unearthing this truth and we are eager to pass it on to our children with pride.

When we began searching for Islamic books and material to teach our first son in our native language, we were unsuccessful. However, as a mother who wanted to instill a love of reading in my child, I settled with purchasing books in English and translating them simultaneously as I read them to Spanish.

Soon I began reaching out to publishing companies that specialized in Islamic books and offered to translate their children’s books. After receiving no response or downright rejection because as they said, there was “no market for Spanish material,” I realized that if I wanted books for my children, I would have to create them.

Thankfully, I loved writing as much as I loved reading, but I knew from my experience with traditional Islamic publishers that it was unlikely my manuscripts would be accepted. My husband and I investigated self-publishing, and after investing our own capital, we published our first bilingual Islamic children’s book in 2010 called, A Veil and a Beard.

Other books followed, including a series on the Prophets, a book about Ramadan and one on Friday prayer, an artistic representation of the hadith of Gabriel for children, and others. We sought support from friends and family through our non-profit social project and dawah organization, Hablamos Islam, Inc.

Due to a high demand for these books all over Latin America, we were able to supply needy communities with Islamic children’s books in their own language in over a dozen countries.

Alhamdulillah, we also began creating children’s programming in Spanish on our YouTube channel, Hablamos Islam, that has been viewed in over 40 countries worldwide. Nevertheless, this was not enough.

After my first, then second, then third child entered school, I began to see another concerning trend. The three of them were the only Latino children in their Islamic schools.

As such, they experienced some alienation and bullying. My eldest was often taunted by his classmates, who called him Mexican and said he ate tacos, despite him telling them that he was half Puerto Rican, half Ecuadorian and tacos are not a staple of either country.

My second son’s teachers complained about his behavior and suggested that the reason for his troubles in class were due to him not having many Muslim relatives as role models (because we were converts). Their last name, Guadalupe, that is in fact, a blend of Arabic and Latin (Wadi – valley, al – the, and lupus – wolf) was always mispronounced and ridiculed. Despite bringing this up to the school’s administration, little was done to curb these occurrences and the misconceptions that fueled them.

At this point, I understood that it was not just Islamic books in Spanish that were missing for Latino children, but also Islamic books with Latino representation for all Muslims – children, parents, and educators included.

Latin-American Muslims needed to see themselves represented in Islamic literature and it was imperative that other Muslims accept them as part of the general Islamic community.

Later, when we moved and I was forced to put my children in public school, there emerged a need to also educate non-Muslims about my Latin American Muslim family. This is when the idea for my most recent books was born. 

Since the beginning of 2020, I have published six important pieces of literature that represent our experiences as Latino Muslims here in the U.S., both inside and outside the Islamic community. They are:

De Puerto Rico to Islam With Love: A collection of poetry about identity and faith – A book of memoir and poetry detailing the events that led to my conversion to Islam and the aftermath of that decision.

The Secret of My Hijab (English and Spanish) – a children’s picture book reaction to the questions my daughter encountered in public school while wearing the Islamic veil.

The First Day of Ramadan/El primer día de Ramadán (second edition)– a bilingual children’s book that follows a Muslim family on their first Ramadan fast with a glossary of both English and Spanish vocabulary related to Ramadan.

Yo Hablo Islam/I Speak Islam – A Spanish-English dictionary for Muslim children to learn Spanish vocabulary, including terms related to their identity as Muslims.

Why Do Muslims… ? 25 Questions for Curious Kids – A Q&A children’s book with other 25 facts about Islam and Muslims with a Latino main character.

Eid Empanadas – A book celebrating the Ramadan and Eid traditions of a Latin-American Muslim family.

My mission is to be a voice for the underrepresented Latin American Muslim community, and especially for our children. Insha’Allah, I hope these books and more to come, will help us understand each other and be more welcoming to those we do not know.

After more than a decade of being involved in this work, my family and I are now beginning to see other authors and even publishing companies starting to work towards filling this gap of missing Spanish material and representation for Muslim children. For that, we are profoundly grateful.

However, there is still a lack of support for these important resources. I hope that you, my dear reader, will aid us in raising awareness for this cause by adding these books to your home library, discussing diversity within the Islamic community with your children or students, and sharing this article for others to benefit. May Allah reward you and may He bring back the unity in our commUNITY. Ameen!

About Wendy Díaz

Wendy Díaz is a Puerto Rican Muslim writer, poet, translator, and children’s book author. She is the Spanish content coordinator for ICNA-WhyIslam and a MuslimMatters columnist. She is also the co-founder of Hablamos Islam, a non-profit organization that produces educational resources about Islam in the Spanish language.

Books, Dawah, Islam, Latino Muslims, Muslim converts

A Book About Our Journeys to Islam

By Aaron Siebert-Llera

As a light-skinned (Chicago winters will do that to anyone) Mexican-American, I have often had to deal with the frequent ‘you don’t look Mexican’ comments. Now that I am also Muslim (13 years & counting), I am more often mistaken for being Arab or Bosnian, so I actually blend in at the mosque. But when people find out I’m Mexican, they then ask the question ‘wait, how can you be Mexican and Muslim?’

Part of the issue for people not being aware of our presence has always been that the greater Latino/a community does not do a good job of marketing our stories. This is not totally our fault because Hollywood has not deemed us important enough to be featured in movies, even though we make up more than 30% of the movie-going audiences. Latinos/as have been even further delegitimized over the years when white actors simply put on brown face (ala West Side Story) to play Latinos/as or just chose non-Latino/a actors and actresses (an actor like Lou Diamond Phillips should thank Latinos every day for his roles) to play the roles of Latino/a characters. So it is not surprising that Latino/a Muslims are not a very well-known community since the larger community’s story is already not being told.

The importance of the book ‘Latino Muslims: Our Journeys to Islam’ is rooted in the fact that the Latino/a Muslim community deserves the opportunity to share our stories with the world.

The importance of the book ‘Latino Muslims: Our Journeys to Islam’ is rooted in the fact that the Latino/a Muslim community deserves the opportunity to share our stories with the world. Too often our stories are left unheard and this is sad to me because I know how much can be learned through the personal narrative. One can theorize for years about the reasons a group of people may be embracing a new religion, but if that same group of people is given the platform to speak and present their stories, it is so much stronger and impactful.

LatinoMuslims.net
Book Website: LatinoMuslims.net

Take for instance the story of Ricardo Pena. His path to Islam was one that included a thirst for knowledge that started with simply reading the daily newspaper on the bus on the way to school each day. But eventually, it led to his further desire to know about various religions in a search for his own truth, finally leading him to Islam. His story holds a common thread amongst many converts to Islam, the desire to know truth and have a personal connection to a faith that just feels right, feels like home. This book is hopefully the start of many narratives to be written about Latino/a Muslims and I pray that it is one that opens the eyes of many people to the often courageous, uplifting and emotional journeys many of us have taken in our spiritual paths.

Aaron Siebert-Llera, Esq. is the Staff Attorney for the Inner-City Muslim Action Network.

Dawah, Latino Muslims, Muslim converts

Did you feel alone this holiday season?

Dear fellow Muslim – peace be upon you,

Do you remember how you felt alone during this holiday season? Well, that’s how new Muslims feel during Islamic holidays.

Perhaps, you haven’t given much thought to it because you have supportive Muslim friends, a loving Muslim family, and an active local Muslim community all year around?

What does your local community do for the new convert during Islamic holidays? What do you do for them?

Please consider giving to The LADO Group by the end of this tax year. You may know of us better as the Latino American Dawah Organization (LADO). Your donations are tax-deductible. Our EIN is 84-5056478.

By the way, that’s not a picture of me.

Your brother in faith, Juan Galvan
Do you remember how you felt alone during this Christmas holiday season? Well, that's how new Muslims feel during Islamic holidays.
Latino Muslims

Latino Muslims 101

Selected Bibliography

Barzegar, Abbas. “Latino Muslims in the United States: An Introduction.” The High Plains Society for Applied Anthropology 23.2 (2003): 126-129. Print.

Bowen, Patrick D. “Early U.S. Latina/o – African-American Muslim Connections: Paths to Conversion.” The Muslim World 100.4 (2010): 390-413. Print.

Bowen, Patrick D. “The Latino American Da’wah Organization and the “Latina/o Muslim” Identity in the U.S.” Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Religion 1.11 (2010): n. pag. Web. 21 May 2014.

Bowen, Patrick D. “U.S. Latina/o Muslims Since 1920: From ‘Moors’ to ‘Latino Muslims’.” Journal of Religious History 37.2 (2013): 165–184. Print.

Chitwood, Ken. “Hispanic Muslims? An In-depth Look at a Little Known but Growing U.S. Minority.” Sightings 31 Oct. 2013. Print.

Chitwood, Ken. “Islam en Español: Narratives of Reversion among Latina/o Muslims.” Waikato Islamic Studies Review 1.2 (2015): 35-54. Print.

Diaz, Wendy and Juan Galvan. “The Growing Visibility of the Latino/ Hispanic Community.” Islamic Horizons July/August 2016. Print.

Espinosa, Gaston, et al. “Latino Muslims in the United States: Reversion, Politics, and Islamidad.” The Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Religion. Volume 8, Issue 1 (June 2017).

Galvan, Juan Jose. Latino Muslims: Our Journeys to Islam. Author, 2017. Print. 

Levy, Rachael. “Another Growing Component of the Muslim Fabric.” Islamic Horizons January/February 2014. Print.

Maria del Mar Logroño Narbona, et al. Crescent over Another Horizon: Islam in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Latino USA. University of Texas Press, 2015. Print.

Martinez-Vazquez, Hjamil. Latina/o y Musulmán. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2010. Print.

Morales, Harold Daniel. Latino and Muslim in America. Oxford University Press, 2018. Print.

Morales, Harold Daniel. Latino Muslim by Design: A Study of Race, Religion and the Internet in American. Diss. University of California at Riverside, 2012. Print.

Latino Muslims, Other, USA

Latino Muslim Survey Report

Latinos are the fastest-growing segment of the US Muslim population. According to some estimates, there are between 55,000 and 198,000 Latinos practicing Islam in the country. At a time when President Donald Trump has issued a ban on Muslim refugees from seven countries and fortified Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, the group has become particularly vulnerable. However, research explaining why many Latinos have converted to Islam or shedding light on the group’s experiences in the United States remains scarce. Hoping to fill this gap, Gastón Espinosa, Professor of Religious Studies at Claremont Mckenna College, conducted the first-ever, large-scale survey research of Latino Muslims.

This Comprehensive Study Sheds Light on the Latino Muslim Experience

The term Latino Islamidad may not yet be mainstream, but a new report explores why a growing number of U.S. Latinos convert to Islam in hopes of understanding what it means to be a Latino Muslim today. The report is published in last month’s Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Religion.

Findings come from the Latino Muslims Survey (LMS), the most comprehensive social science oriented study of U.S. Latino Muslims, which examines an intersection of religious beliefs and practices; spiritual, moral, social, and ethical views; and the social, civic, and political attitudes of self-identified Latinos and Muslims. Findings are based on an online, bilingual survey of U.S. Latino Muslims conducted from Sept. 8 to Dec. 15, 2014. More than 560 Latino Muslims participated in the nationwide survey.

New report explores the identity of Latino Muslims in the United States

Latino Muslims have emerged in a religious landscape that is “diverse and fluid” and in a public discourse that too often frames Latinos and Muslims as foreign and problematic in the U.S. (PEW 2014). This was nowhere more evident than in the wake of the 2016 Election when President Donald Trump issued a 90-day ban on Muslim immigration from seven countries, citing national safety concerns regarding the vetting process. While Latino Muslims were not part of this ban, because of their religion, immigration status, similar physical characteristics, and/or intermarriage, many Latinos (Muslim and non-Muslim) felt the ban reinforced negative stereotypes and created a hostile environment to live, work, and raise their families. For this reason – along with talk about building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, Latino Muslims worked across racial, class, and religious lines to oppose the ban and “anti-immigrant” policies.

At one interfaith rally in San Antonio in January 2017, three Latino Muslim children held up a sign that read: “All this Cuteness Courtesy of Latino Muslim Immigrants: No Ban, No Wall” (Davis 2017, Natiral 2017). These stories of Latino Muslims help to denaturalize popular assumptions about religion in public life, such as that all Latinos are Catholic, all Muslims are Arabs, and all Americans are Christian. They also raise important questions about the complex relationship between Latinos, Muslims, conversion and the growth and role of Islam in the new religious U.S.

Latino Muslims in the United States: Reversion, Politics, and Islamidad (Download the full report)
Latino Muslims

Books about Latino Muslims

Books, USA

Want to Learn More About Muslims? Pick Up a Book. Or 10

By Saadia Faruqi, Dec 16, 2016

Wear Your Voice magazine

Media stereotypes and misinformation about Muslims are nothing new. But in a post-election world, Muslims are finding more allies who often want to help but don’t know much about us. More and more of our fellow Americans have questions and need answers.

In on online forum recently, someone asked me about books I would recommend to those wishing to learn about Muslims. I’m happy that people want to learn — even though I think meeting Muslims is far more valuable than reading about them — but searching in the sea of available choices can be difficult and dangerous. For instance, search for “Muslim” or “Islam” on Amazon, and the array of books that pop up is worrying. Not because there are so many, but because many of them are horrifyingly inaccurate and often downright false.

Many books that promise “the truth” about Muslims are actually full of hatred and bigotry. You can learn about Sharia from authors who have no clue what it means, or about the tenets of Islam from authors whose bias can be seen from a mile away. You might think a website called “the religion of peace” would be somewhat positive, but it turns out to spew vile hatred against a billion people who actually practice Islam as a religion of peace and love.

But knowledge is power, so here’s my list of books you can and should read if you want to know more about Muslims and Islam. It’s the list I recommend to my students when I train law enforcement and educational institutions, or speak at churches and synagogues. It’s a list of my favorites thus far.

NO GOD BUT GOD BY REZA ASLAN

1. NO GOD BUT GOD BY REZA ASLAN

No God but God by Reza Aslan is an oldie but goody about the origins of Islam. If you want to know how the religion of Islam started, what the early Muslims were like and how the landscape changed politically, culturally and in terms of faith as Islam spread across the world, this book is for you.

My favorite part about this book is the fact that Aslan writes as a scholar, not as a Muslim, so you don’t get any of the religious fervor of belief that often turns away non-Muslims. Buy it online here.

THE GREAT THEFT: WRESTLING ISLAM FROM THE EXTREMISTS BY KHALED ABOU EL FADL

2. THE GREAT THEFT: WRESTLING ISLAM FROM THE EXTREMISTS BY KHALED ABOU EL FADL

The Great Theft: Wrestling Islam from the Extremists by Khaled Abou El Fadl is a comprehensive account of how Muslims in some parts of the world turned away from rational thought and began dabbling in literal interpretations, extremism and sometimes violence. It is really an excellent way to understand some of the political upheavals we are seeing in Muslim countries today, including the rise of militant ideologies. Buy it online here.

GENERATION M BY SHELINA JANMOHAMED

3. GENERATION M BY SHELINA JANMOHAMED

Generation M by Shelina Janmohamed is a survey of Muslim youth: what they think, feel and do that makes them a unique force in the world today. They are millennials with a religious twist, and this book paints a vivid picture of them as they grapple with entrepreneurship, technology, fashion, food, consumerism, climate change and so much more. Buy it online here.

THE STORY OF THE QURAN BY INGRID MATTSON

4. THE STORY OF THE QURAN BY INGRID MATTSON

The Story of the Quran by Ingrid Mattson is a short book, but it clarifies the religious, cultural and even political significance of Islam’s holy book, the Quran. What role does this book play in a Muslim’s life, who wrote it, what feeling do we have for it? All these questions and more are answered by Mattson, who is a religious scholar and teacher. Buy it online here.

MUHAMMAD: A PROPHET FOR OUR TIME BY KAREN ARMSTRONG

5. MUHAMMAD: A PROPHET FOR OUR TIME BY KAREN ARMSTRONG

Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time by Karen Armstrong is a must-read biography of the person revered by all Muslims. Armstrong has written several books about Islam, and all are worth reading, but this one is helpful for those who do not know much about the Prophet. It is an unbiased, historical book that is much-needed today, regardless of your religious beliefs. Buy it online here.

1001 INVENTIONS: THE ENDURING LEGACY OF MUSLIM CIVILIZATIONS BY SALIM AL-HASSANNI

6. 1001 INVENTIONS: THE ENDURING LEGACY OF MUSLIM CIVILIZATIONS BY SALIM AL-HASSANNI

1001 Inventions: The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilizations by Salim Al-Hassanni is a must-read for all the critics of Islam who wonder what Muslims have ever given this world. It’s a National Geographic presentation — it also offers a kids’ version — that showcases all the various scientific and technological creations dreamed up by Muslims and still in use today. Hint: Muslim contributions are invaluable! Buy it online here.

SERVANTS OF ALLAH: AFRICAN MUSLIMS ENSLAVED IN THE AMERICAS BY SYLVIANE A. DIOUF

7. SERVANTS OF ALLAH: AFRICAN MUSLIMS ENSLAVED IN THE AMERICAS BY SYLVIANE A. DIOUF

Servants of Allah: African Muslims Enslaved in the Americas by Sylviane A. Diouf shatters stereotypes that all Muslims are Arab, South Asian or newly arrived in this country. It offers meticulous research showing the arrival of Islam with African slaves and the struggle for religious survival. Buy it online here.

MUSLIMS AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA BY AMIR HUSSAIN

8. MUSLIMS AND THE MAKING OF AMERICA BY AMIR HUSSAIN

Muslims and the Making of America by Amir Hussain is another book about Muslims in America, but from a surprisingly different perspective. Hussain highlights the aspects of American popular culture where Muslims have made an indelible mark: music, politics, architecture and sports. It’s a short read but highly informative. Buy it online here.

I SPEAK FOR MYSELF: AMERICAN WOMEN ON BEING MUSLIM

9. I SPEAK FOR MYSELF: AMERICAN WOMEN ON BEING MUSLIM

I Speak for Myself: American Women on Being Muslim is a series of essays written by 40 American Muslim women about their experiences in their faith journey. Although their religion may be the same, their personal narratives and backgrounds are completely different, showing the diversity of Islam in a beautiful and eye-opening way. There is also a partner essay collection about Muslim American men. Buy it online here.

THE FEAR OF ISLAM: AN INTRODUCTION OF ISLAMOPHOBIA IN THE WEST BY TODD H. GREEN

10. THE FEAR OF ISLAM: AN INTRODUCTION OF ISLAMOPHOBIA IN THE WEST BY TODD H. GREEN

The Fear of Islam: An Introduction of Islamophobia in the West by Todd H. Green is a comprehensive reader on Islamophobia, or an irrational fear of Muslims. From the historical origins of this phenomenon to current issues including media stereotypes, this book will help educate and inform without being preachy. Buy here.

Latino Muslims

Why Black American Muslim and Convert Communities are Headed Towards Extinction

By Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad

“We can swim in denial or continue kicking the can down the road. Nevertheless, there seems to be data that shows that the American Muslim convert community, a community already fractionalized, marginalized, and historically disadvantaged because of race, are at great risk of extinction, and here’s why.” – Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad.

Original link

In the view of many Muslims, Black American Muslims aren’t considered a real civilization of people in the first place, let alone a declining one. Black Muslims themselves do not regard themselves as a new and distinct civilizations of Muslims. That right there is a problem. A problem that is so pronounced, that academic, and demographic studies about the status and conditions of Muslims in America whether it is mental health, family, mosque participation, new mosque construction, congregation size, or generational continuity, rarely even include Black Americans Muslims. To say that we are increasingly regarded by many as a fractional and insignificant part of the American Muslim demographic., is an understatement. In the 1980s Black American Muslims and converts to Islam were about one-third of the Muslim population of the United States. Today they are a mere 13%. That was in 2016, some people think the number today is more like 10% of the total American Muslim population. When people talk about the future of Islam in America, population growth, new masjid construction, generational continuity, the growth and expansion of supporting non-profit organizations, new Muslim schools, Black American Muslims and converts to Islam, are conspicuously left out of the conversation. That’s another part of the problem.

For those who are paying attention, there is ample evidence that American Muslim convert communities in the United States, the majority of whom are Black American converts to Islam, are headed for possible extinction as a civilization. Well, perhaps not total extinction but certainly headed for nearly total marginalization and at risk to nearly disappear into thin air. This is a tough, taboo topic, unsettling at best. If any of it is true, which I believe it is, then we’ve got a crisis on our hands of civilizational proportion. There is no intelligent way to ignore this conversation.

Many folks prefer that American Muslim converts are oblivious to their own realities, especially when it comes to the decline of convert communities. Some people, even some converts, would rather that the American Muslim convert community look at the world through the rose colored glasses of others, and not through their own reality. In fact the national narrative as reflected on the news, in politics, movies and television, of the American Muslim, is that of a nearly invisible community. Notwithstanding that there is an abundance of first hand accounts, testimonies, anecdotal evidence, and my own discussions with Imams my own communication and thousands of Muslims across the United States confirms that Black American Muslims are on a a precipitous and steady civilizational decline without a doubt.

That is the reality on the ground. Certainly, we (Black American Muslims) are alive and present, and a relevant part of Muslim America, but there are a trunk load of issues to contend with. We are a civilization of new Muslims who are already damaged by post-slavery oppression and marginalization, self-hate, coming from a hyper-jaahiliyyah lifestyle of broken homes, single parent households, pimp-hoe culture, coupled with multi-spheres of foreign Islamic influence. Add to that a trunk load of life changing, out of context, fatwas randomly thrown at our people from every which way over a period of forty years. If you add that all up, then there is no doubt that we are being slowly navigated into irrelevancy and extinction. That is a lot for any new civilization to handle, and all it has done is to add to the confusion and to spur debate. Debating has become like the new form of worship (ibaadah). We’ve raised an entire generation of Muslims who believe that debating is a form of practicing Islam. All the while the Prophet (SAWS) said, “No people ever went astray after Allah guided them, except that they were overcome with debating“. [At-Tirmithi].

We can swim in denial or continue kicking the can down the road. Nevertheless, there seems to be data that shows that the American Muslim convert community, a community already fractionalized, marginalized, and historically disadvantaged because of race, are at great risk of extinction, and here’s why.

Black American Muslims, who still constitute the overwhelming majority of converts to Islam in America, rank dead last on every socio-economic barometer that measures well being in the United States of America. This does not change when they convert to Islam. Add to that the terrible burden of marginalization and near civilizational irrelevancy by the rest of the Muslim world, near zero growth as a religious demographic and it all adds up to an undeniable path towards extinction. That’s the way it looks on the ground based on the information we have. More isn’t studied about it because quite simply, Converts to Islam, specifically Black American converts to Islam, to most, even to themselves, simply aren’t worth the time or the investment, and it’s hard to say otherwise with a straight face. By all accounts as far as I can see, our own survival doesn’t matter to us unless someone else is willing to pay the cost, do the work, and hold our hand, and there’s no one else left, who is willing to do that.

The Pew Research Center, a well-known respected organization that has accumulated highly credible amounts of research and data about Muslims in America, estimates that there were “about 3.3 million Muslims of all ages living in the United States in 2015”.[1]  Which amounts to about 1% of the U.S. population (322 million) at the time of the study.  They estimate also, that by the year 2050, Muslims will constitute 2% of the American population, doubling their current percentage of 1%. which is why some people say that Islam is the fastest growing religion in America.

So all indications seem to indicate that there is a clear trajectory of growth of Islam and Muslims in the United States; numbers of Muslims, growth in new masjid construction, new Islamic schools, and institutions. Except in the Black American Muslim and convert community where new Masjid construction is at a virtual standstill. In fact, the number of African American Muslim communities and masaajid that cater to converts is on a decline.

Convert Muslims used exuberantly to believe, and many still do, that the glowing numbers of the Muslim increase in the United States meant that people were converting to Islam in droves, and that although the immigrant community was growing, the convert community was growing in similar proportion. That might have been the case 40 years ago. However, today, Islam is growing in America today largely through immigration of Muslims from Muslim lands, and in people having children, not through conversion. Over half of the projected growth of Muslims in America from the years 2010 to 2015 were from immigration.[2] New data released by the Pew Center in July 2017 states that excluding African American Muslims who are in prisons or otherwise institutionalized, American born blacks make up just 13% of the American Muslim adult population, which is less than half the 20 years ago number of 33% which places the current number of African American Muslims (excluding children) at around 266,000.[3] That’s down from just a few years ago. Still we would be hard pressed to locate that many AA Muslims in congregations because of the increasing scarcity of Black American or convert masaajid in the United States. Most Black American Muslims operate as individuals outside of communities, and an estimated 6-8 out of 10 adult Muslims in the Black American convert community aren’t married. Still we are producing children, many out of wedlock. Marriage is in near shambles. And if we don’t get this marriage thing straightened out, we’re poised to become the first self- bastardizing ummah in Muslim history.

There is other data as well which suggests that the American Muslim convert community is not growing in net numbers. Dr. Besheer Mohamed, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center, and a Muslim himself, concluded in a January 2016 report that; “people leave Islam at the same rate that people convert to Islam”. He also concluded that; “There has been little net change in the size of the American Muslim population in recent years due to conversion.” (Mohamed, 2016)[4] This would seem to indicate that the American Muslim convert community is pretty close to zero net growth right now if you look at the raw numbers. My numerous conversations with imams, activists in the convert community, individuals on the ground who work in da’wah, and people paying attention to these trends, seem to confirm Dr. Basheer’s and the Pew Research Center’s conclusions.

If these conclusions and observations are even close to correct, and I believe that they are, then we have to consider that the convert community is headed for possible extinction. If such is true, that means that the demographic landscape of Muslim America over the next 30 years will change drastically. It already is changing faster than many people, especially coverts to Islam, realize. One of the reasons why you do not see African American, White American, or Latino American Muslims presented too much in the national narrative is because the numbers of people simply aren’t there. Thirty years from now, by the year 2050, if there is no change in current the trend toward decline, the American Muslim convert community, and their children will be probably be around 5% of the total population of Muslims in America. That’s problem.

Think it can’t happen? Then let’s consider something else; according to a 2011 CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) report, between 2000, and 2010, the number of masaajid (mosques) in the United States increased from 1,209, to 2106. An increase of 74%[5]. The overwhelming majority of new masaajid built from the ground up (estimated 90%) have been built, run and sustained by and primarily for Muslim immigrants. The American Muslim immigrant community is moving forward in leaps and bounds on many fronts wal al—humdu lillaah.  In addition to that, according to another 2015 CAIR report; “The USA’s estimated 2.4 million Muslims – are mostly middle class and willing to adopt the American way of life.

this country; employment, access to health care, two parent families, college education, business ownership, incarceration rates, and access to capital. This is the reality, and this is why the convert community is being left behind on many fronts.

At this point, the political will for (immigrant Muslims) to address or be concerned about socio-economic, spiritual, developmental, or da’wah issues related to the American Muslim convert community is almost non-existent. The obvious moral imperative is to look at Islam in America as an all for one, one for all situation and to look at ourselves as a single brotherhood working together across the board. However, the operational and historical reality suggests otherwise.

The reality is that there are two distinct Muslim Americans separated by Muslim converts, of all races on one side, and the immigrant community on the other side. The burgeoning divide between . Sure, there are plenty examples of integration, mixing, and some amounts of local cooperation, but for the most part, we’re talking about two distinctly different communities, with two distinctly different trajectories. In the midst of it all, Immigrant communities by and large are growing and convert communities are declining pretty much across the board.

Immigrant Muslim communities are doing what they view are in the best interests for their constituents and for the people who help build, fund and support their masaajid and communities. Convert Muslims and communities that serve their needs, have been stuck in decline for a long time, not even realizing or openly discussing that they have issues that are specific to them, or acknowledging the demographic decline. All that is starting to change as a new awareness is setting in, but it’s happening in a somewhat awkward way. Just seven to ten years ago, it wasn’t acceptable for converts to even mention that their condition overall as Black Americans, differ from that of the general immigrant community.

Not too long ago you couldn’t talk about the racial divide, about the influence of foreign Muslim groups, sectarianism and confusing sub ideology on the convert community, or the sense of abandonment that many converts to Islam feel when they come into the faith. 10 years ago, people did not talk about the fact that there is a high turnover rate of converts to Islam and those who end up leaving the religion. So now all of that is coming out at once, so it’s a halting conversation that is a little disjointed and seems to go all over the place.

Let’s be honest. There are in fact, two distinctly different Muslim Americas; one made up of immigrants who are better educated, more affluent, more organized and more poised for upward mobility as citizens and as a Muslim community, and the other are the converts and largely African American Muslim counterparts, who are poorer, less educated, higher percentages of ex-convicts, single parent homes, less family support as far as their Islam is concerned, and very naïve to the realities of Islam in America and the quest for power and control.

There are plenty of moral reasons, but virtually no practical, or political reasons for immigrant communities to look back and lend a hand to the convert community. If you think that politics do not figure prominently in the inner workings of Muslim America, then you are woefully out of touch. Still, even if there was a a national spiritual catharsis and a serous concerted effort to attend to the needs of the American Muslim converts, it would run into numerous challenges as long as the American Muslim convert community does not do and think for themselves and determine their own self intersts as Muslims.  The groundwork has been laid for the success of immigrant Muslim communities and the groundwork has been laid for the failure of convert communities. I spell out some of the main challenges of the convert community in my book ‘Double Edged Slavery’, as well as other articles on my blog.

American Muslim Immigrant communities have done pretty well in overall in building up a viable religious and social infrastructure of masaajid, schools, institutions, legal, engineering, scientific and medical professionals, as well as research, service, and professional organizations, business men and women and strong intergenerational families. The generation that is coming are very educated, engaging, focused, and more and more are distancing themselves from some of the rigidity and backwardness of the old country. These are viable building blocks for any religious community in America, Muslim or otherwise.

Black Muslim and convert communities on the other hand, have not fared as well. There is a huge generational disconnect between one generation and the other.

As pop psychology replaces scripture, and the absence of generational continuity of Islam becomes common amongst younger Muslim generations, our ability to build Muslim communities for the future will be greatly compromised. The foundation of Islam is crumbling in Black Muslim America. The Quran and prophetic tradition are no longer the go to documents for guidance. There are scant institutional vehicles in the convert community (including masaajid), to pass anything along to our younger generation. Interestingly enough, the American Muslim convert community has spent much of the past thirty years under the inspiration of a dozen or so foreign spheres of religious influence. Whether it’s been salafiyyism, the different brands of Sufism, jihadism, the caliphate ideology, groups like Hizb ul Tah’reer, the Jamaa’aat ul Tabligh, the Ikhwaan ul Muslimeen, a phalanx of African Sheikhs, and others. Add to that, the roaming cheerleader section of Muslim converts who move from one issue to the next, providing the cheerleading or groupie section on a variety of global islamic issues that have little to do with their condition at home. Yet, there are negligible examples where convert loyalty to these outside groups, or dedication to outside and global issues have benefitted indigenous convert communities. There has been very little reciprocity.

Another unfortunate phenomenon that has occured is that the American Muslim convert community has spent a great deal of the last three decades arguing over religious minutia, debating over micro-doctrine, and looking overseas, sometimes to failed societies, for answers to their problems here at home. The Prophet ‫ﷺ said, “No people ever went astray, after they were guided, except that they were overcome by arguing”. [at-Tirmidhi]

Arguing and disputing with one another has taken up an incredible amount of time and energy and has not bode well overall for the convert community.  So while we were busy arguing amongst one another about shoes and socks, and madhhabs and minhaj, and sparring with one another using the views of our sheikhs as if we’re playing Rokem Sockem robots, something extraordinarily consequential has occurred. Time has elapsed, and a lot of time was wasted

Additionally, we’ve created a very confusing, hostile and contentious climate in many masaajid, and too many masaajid have been overrun with foreign sectarianized ideology that dismisses cultural and physical realities on indigenous peoples, particularly, the descendants of slaves. Although that trend is changing now, the effects are already in place and has had generational consequence. People are waking up, but they are waking up to emptied out masaajid, mass splintering, a nearly insurmountable leadership void, and a deeply entrenched sense chaos. Like someone bragging about and admiring their house for years and they suddenly realize that the contractor misled them, and that the house is infested with termites, the electrical system were the wrong specs, and that the septic system has been backed up for months.

This is not to diminish at all the good that is taking place in convert communities, and I do see light on the horizon in sha Allah. However, it is an uphill battle. It has to start with raising consciousness which is what many of us are working to do. Once Black American Muslims and converts realize that that they are free to work in their own self-interests according to Islam, without looking at things through the lenses of immigrant Muslims who mean well, but in many cases do not have a clue about our needs, then perhaps there can be forward motion. That’s just for starters and that’s starting to happen slowly.

This is not meant in any way as a slight towards immigrant Muslims; we are all, at least in principle, brothers and sisters in islam. It is simply the reality of our condition that we be realistic and truthfully forthcoming, and it is not a matter of placing blame on this or that group.  There is light at the end of the tunnel because Allah is Light, but this is an uphill struggle and many of our people do not yet know or believe that they are free and there are many others who fear that indigenous Muslims would wake up.

Another thing we have to keep in mind is that as the convert community is continues to decline and lack in institutional congregational presence, there are unavoidable consequences to that. Just add up the numbers of Jum’ah attendees or the number of people who are connected to actual physical masaajid or communities. You need the critical mass in order to have protracted forward motion. Muslim communal and civilizational growth is tied to congregation, family and governance . In fact the basis of Muslim community centers around things like congregation, an Imam, a shura, establishing prayer in congregation, and responsible individuals who are in charge of dealing with the different religious as well as temporal affairs of the Muslims. Nearly every immigrant community that I know of, has these elements. Without them we are simply a scattered community that only comes together on the Eids maybe. Then there are talented, willing, energetic and intelligent people in our midst who have no where to plug in. the doors of inclusion are locked to them in many fledgling convert communities. Thousands of individual Islands can not sustain communal growth. That’s the math. Islam is a way of life but it’s also a system and if we ignore the systems aspect of our religion, then we’re just reduced to wishful thinking. Then there’s the issue of religious knowledge (a whole separate topic) which many of us completely ignore.

It’s not so much worrying about who Allah will hold accountable for it because Allah will hold all of us, everyone for everything according to how He sees fit. It’s more a matter of recognizing the trending decline of our communities and coming up with strategies, for stemming the decline and for rebuilding. Too many want to sit around and chant slogans, and rallying cries, or wallow in denial while the community is crumbling. Now is not the time for that. It is tragic when people enter into this faith and fail to pass it down to their children, or sometimes not even fully embrace it themselves. even worse when people live their Islam through someone else’s reality without never having experienced its core beauty.

In order to fully engage your Islam so that it becomes more than a bevy of regurgitated slogans, successive, ideological bandwagons, faddish adaptations, and after-market creeds that people can barely understand, that you pick up and then discard later, you have to believe in Islam at it’s source; the Quran, the Sunna and the authenticated hadith of the Prophet (SAWS). You must believe in it totality, and practice it as a lifestyle to the best of your ability. However, the secret to it all, is that you must be engaged with Allah; that you must worship Him Alone without partners. There are five things we should focus on if we are to stem the tide towards Black American Muslim civilizational decline in my opinion. 1. Generational continuity of our faith and religion. 2. Preservation of our history. 3. Congregation. 4. Religious governance. 5. Individual and group accountability. 6. Simplicity. Without these six elements, any path forward is murky at best. Wal Allahul Musta’aan.

Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad

American born Luqman Ahmad is a Sunni Muslim, the son of converts to Islam. He is a Philadelphia native, a writer, researcher and consultant. He is presently an Imam, khateeb and Resident Scholar at the Toledo Masjid al-Islam in Toledo, Ohio. He is a former executive committee member of the North America Imams Federation, a founding member of COSVIO, (the Council of Sacramento Valley Islamic Organizations), and the author of the new “Double Edged Slavery“, a critical and authoritative look at the condition of African American and convert Muslims in the United States. He also authored, “The Devils Deception of the Modern day Salafiyyah Sect”, a detailed look at modern-day extremist salafi ideology. He blogs at, imamluqman.wordpress.com, and can be reached at imamabulaith@yahoo.com. You can support his work through cash app to: $abulaith2

[1] http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/01/06/a-new-estimate-of-the-u-s-muslim-population/.

[2] http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/01/06/a-new-estimate-of-the-u-s-muslim-population/.

[3] http://www.pewforum.org/2017/07/26/demographic-portrait-of-muslim-americans/.

[4] http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/01/06/a-new-estimate-of-the-u-s-muslim-population/.

[5] https://www.cair.com/images/pdf/The-American-Mosque-2011-part-1.pdf

[6] https://cair.com/press-center/cair-in-the-news/4804-cair-american-muslims-reject-extremes.html

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