Our history class was not held on that day. It was around 10:30 on Tuesday 6th of October that we were told about a guest from America who was going to come to our faculty. In the 2nd week of my American studies course, I was so glad that that I could meet the 2nd guest from America.
Imam Musa, one of the Islamic leaders in the U.S. and the head of As-Sabiqun organization was our guest. Before meeting him I had a chance to get to know a bit him by reading the website of As-Sabiqun organization. I was flabbergasted when I found out that he had once been a criminal and a leading drug-dealer. So I was very eager to listen to his speech and find out how he had been converted to Islam.
Imam Musa, as an African-American began his speech by talking about how Africans were captured and sent to the U.S. by Europeans. He said that they had not only being taken away from their own country but also their history, culture, language and religion were taken away. In other words, they had been uprooted. So they couldn’t actually grow and reach high social status considering the fact that they were also kept illiterate. In fact, they reached a point where they did not know who they were and then they were given new identities. These Africans were being treated as inferiors and Imam Musa remembered the song he had grown up with and that was:
” if you are white, you are alright,
If you are yellow, you are mellow,
If you are brown, stick around,
If you are black, get back”
He said that their continent, Africa, had been presented as a dark continent and a barren place to them and they were told that Egypt was in the Middle East and not in Africa. As a result of all these actions, the black people in America gradually developed an inferiority complex. Imam Musa stated that at the time of the civil rights movement, a group of young black people including him who felt that the movement did not actually bring about freedom for them, decided to become criminals because criminals had power and freedom. So in order to gain freedom and power he became a criminal and a very wealthy person. But as he mentioned “all human beings have a God seeking nature and as soon as he heard about Islam, he liked it.” He said that Islam was viewed as a way of transformation among American blacks just as he had gone through this transformation.
” if you are white, you are alright,
If you are yellow, you are mellow,
If you are brown, stick around,
If you are black, get back”
He said that their continent, Africa, had been presented as a dark continent and a barren place to them and they were told that Egypt was in the Middle East and not in Africa. As a result of all these actions, the black people in America gradually developed an inferiority complex. Imam Musa stated that at the time of the civil rights movement, a group of young black people including him who felt that the movement did not actually bring about freedom for them, decided to become criminals because criminals had power and freedom. So in order to gain freedom and power he became a criminal and a very wealthy person. But as he mentioned “all human beings have a God seeking nature and as soon as he heard about Islam, he liked it.” He said that Islam was viewed as a way of transformation among American blacks just as he had gone through this transformation.
Imam Musa then referred to a notion that was very interesting to me. He continued by talking about self-image psychology. By self-image psychology he meant that our expectations and our image of ourselves determine our actions. So, if somebody always gets an A grade and once gets a B, he/she would try its best to get back to his/her previous position. He stated that this was how Imam Khomeini managed to unite people in Iran to overthrow Shah. Imam Khomeini was successful at trying to help Muslims improve their self-image, said Imam Musa.
Regarding American people, Imam Musa believed that they are basically good but their identity is being taken away from them. The media and movies tell them who they are and in fact they are slaves just like his ancestors had once been. About the situation of Muslims in the U.S he said that Muslims were threatened to death and lived in a state of perpetual fear. The media tell them who they are and unfortunately some of them believe it, said Imam Musa.
Finally he talked a bit about the situation of Iran in the world and how popular the president of Iran is among other nations. He gave us some hope that although many countries are against us, this setback is not bad and it makes us stronger. He also told us not to have any hopes in American government because America does not allow a good person to become a president and this is against the system. He actually preferred Bush to Obama because Bush managed to unify Muslims.
Regarding American people, Imam Musa believed that they are basically good but their identity is being taken away from them. The media and movies tell them who they are and in fact they are slaves just like his ancestors had once been. About the situation of Muslims in the U.S he said that Muslims were threatened to death and lived in a state of perpetual fear. The media tell them who they are and unfortunately some of them believe it, said Imam Musa.
Finally he talked a bit about the situation of Iran in the world and how popular the president of Iran is among other nations. He gave us some hope that although many countries are against us, this setback is not bad and it makes us stronger. He also told us not to have any hopes in American government because America does not allow a good person to become a president and this is against the system. He actually preferred Bush to Obama because Bush managed to unify Muslims.
Overall, I think Imam Musa’s speech did not only make me become more familiar with the U.S but also made me realize how my country is viewed from outside. Meeting Imam Musa was a great opportunity for me to find out more about America and I am really grateful to the faculty members who make these meetings possible.
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