Muslim Ban, Anti-Blackness and African American Muslims

Four Muslim women connect oppression dots between the “Muslim Ban” and systemic racism, encourage AA Muslims to extend their historic justice struggles….

By Layla Abdullah-Poulos

Since the signing of 45’s executive order on immigration, American Muslims from numerous backgrounds engaged in multifaceted forms of resistance. The need to amplify and work against the suppressive measures of the executive order discriminately targeting Muslims is obvious. However, recent calls for resistance stirred some tensions among African American Muslims.

Black Muslims in the US make up 1/3 of the country’s Muslim demographic and comprises a complex subculture that includes Africans, Caribbean, and native-born African American Muslims. The richness of Black Muslim culture includes the extensive heritage of African American Muslims in fighting against oppression and systemic racism from the time of enslavement, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement to today.

African American Muslims have a history of extending their time, energy, resources and bodies in social justice movements outside their culture, and to learn that there is some complacency about fighting against the Muslim Ban is disturbing. However, many African American Muslims expressed ambivalence in engaging in a struggle when issues affecting them are rarely amplified in the American Ummah, and they find themselves struggling for their humanity among their coreligionists.

Therefore, it is important to appreciate from where the ambivalence of some African American Muslims emanates and offer encouragement for all of us to remember Allah’s mandate to combat oppression and tap into the strength passed down from our ancestors.

Premier Muslim academics, writers, thinkers, and activists Asha Mohamood Noor, Hind Makki, Kameelah Rashad and Margari Aziza provide opportunities to gain a better understanding of 45’s executive order on immigration in contexts of its effects on Muslims, correlation to broader oppressions of systemic racism, and the essential commitment for all Muslims to resist it.

Next: Asha Mohamood Noor – Now is not the time to be Divided