Ramadan 1439/2017: Black Muslims Reflect on the Quran – Juz’ 21

by MeccaDonna

Juz’ 21 spans portions of Surah al-Ankabut through Surah al-Ahzab (29:46–33:30).

Everyone knows that there is no racism in Islam…but let’s be truthful, there are racist people who practice Islam. For centuries racism has plagued humanity. Interestingly enough, stories of racism are included in Islamic history. Some have gone so far as to attempt to reshape the history of Islam by erasing Black people from the narrative in part and whole. Take for example, Luqman. Some descriptions of one of Allah’s guaranteed residents of Paradise depict him as ugly, Black and lowly. Here is a “slave” turned prophet right before the eyes of men, yet men failed to see him as the beacon of light that God Himself so highly extols.

Nevertheless, Luqman’s message is both timely and timeless. For a suffering people like the Black community, we are searching for a cure to effectively reconstitute our relationship with God, ourselves and family.

GOD: Allah provides us with a divine example and clear instruction from prophet Luqman. He continued the message of tawheed like previous prophets. His words are a divine cure for what ails us. Tawheed first. Faith without action is dead. So the next steps in his message is action based.

OURSELVES: Luqman advises his son,

Oh my son! Establish regular prayers, enjoin what is just, forbid what is wrong; bear with patient constancy whatever befalls you; for this is firmness of purpose in the conduct of affairs. — 31:17.

We are living in times that exclude God from our daily expressions. Our lives bereft of God leaves us open to destruction and calamity. Without God, we have no tangible tools to cope with life’s challenges and so we must remember that Allah gives us clear signs and answers. We are souls in a body, not a body with a soul. Our daily prayers benefit our own souls first by occupying the mind and heart with constant remembrance of Allah. Prayer and dhikr aid the human heart along the journey of obedience to earn Allah’s pleasure. This is our direct gateway to ask Allah for all we need, such as patience to endure the difficulty.

FAMILY: (starting with the mother)

We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination. — 31:14

With misogyny and desecration of women a part of our daily diet, now more than ever we need to be reminded to give reverence to the wombs that bore us. We have lost sight of the value of our women; and Allah in His Perfect Knowledge clearly sends us a stern reminder about the duty we all owe to the women who put their very lives on the line to give us life. The reminder is clear and so is the warning “to Me is the final destination.”

Our afflictions as a people may be many. We lack the institution of marriage as the cornerstone of community and family life today. Although marriage is a viable option, we simply do not hold the same views and values about its importance in society today. We deny ourselves this blessing while society encourages promiscuity and single parenthood. We simply are not striving toward marriage as a vital part of the cure for ourselves, community and family. Yet, Allah has given us spouses as a mercy so that we are not alone during our trials and have partners to celebrate with us during times of success. The sad reality is “too many Black women can say that they’re mothers but can’t say that they wives” (Common, Retrospect for Life).

And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect.

And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors. Verily in that are signs for those who know. — 30:21–22

We live in extreme and difficult times. The perspective of some may even be that we cannot possibly be successful in achieving the unity we so desperately need. Be reminded that if Allah caused the demise of the great Roman empire, and gave the Muslims success after defeat when society held to it be an absolute impossibility, then He can bring about the success of a people who have suffered greatly but never stopped trying to find our way back to God, ourselves and community. Allah says He is with those who are oppressed and there is no other group of human beings on Allah’s green earth who have been more abused, oppressed and downtrodden than we have in America. Human beings are limited in what they are able to envision, but whatever Allah wills is the absolute reality. The help of Allah is always near.

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MeccaDonna is a Charlotte, NC native with expert experience in celebrity television booking, on air radio broadcasting and producing as well as technology and design. She is currently lead designer at MeccaDigitale.com and serves clientele like T.I. and Tiny, Minister Louis Farrakhan and Nisa Islam Muhammad. Find her work online at MeccaDigitale.com.